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Colonial Education
During the Colonial Period, education was not readily available. Those with money received schooling although it was extremely limited. They learned the alphabet and simple prayers out of hornbooks. All the teaching was linked to the Protestant Bible and always included religious teaching. -
Boston Latin School
The oldest public school in America. It offered free education to boys - rich or poor - while girls attended private schools at home.
(Fun Fact: Five signers of the Declaration of Independence attended Boston Latin: Franklin, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Robert Treat Paine, and William Hooper.) This was the start of education and the importance of schooling. -
The Blue-Backed Speller
Written by Noah Webster, A Grammatical Institute of the English Language, became the textbook of America. It earned its nickname, the "Blue-Backed Speller", because of its characteristic blue cover. Because it was used all over the country it helped to standardize not only pronunciation (of the new English language) but started the standardization of schooling further in America.
(REALLY IMPORTANT)
http://www.english.illinois.edu/-people-/faculty/debaron/402/402files/noahspell.html -
Northwest Land Ordinance, 1785
It set up a standardized system whereby settlers could purchase title to farmland in the undeveloped west. The ordinance was also significant for establishing a mechanism for funding public education. -
General Education Bill
Thomas Jefferson was an advocate for public education. He believed that the ultimate result of education would be teaching all students reading, writing, and common arithmetic. -
Horace Mann becomes Secretary of Massachusetts Board of Education
Originally Horace was a politician. After becoming the Secretary he visited thousands of schools and found the places in need of reforming...basically everything. He began standardizing the classrooms, issuing standard blackboards, textbooks, etc. Horace Mann is called the Father of the Common School. He believed that public schooling was central to good citizenship, democratic participation and societal well-being. -
Committee of Ten
The committee of Ten was a group of educators that recommended the standardization of American high school curriculum. They provided a report with recommendations and outlined important curricular knowledge. These recommendations ranged from English to the sciences to the credentials teachers should possess.
(REALLY IMPORTANT)
https://www.jstor.org/stable/1074830?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents -
Period: to
Secondary School Movement
As the country moved from agrarian to industrial a need for a higher education was increasing. This increased the popularity of secondary schools which not only helped students acquire skills for college but for life as well. They also arose because of the gap in education between elementary schools and the established universities. Because of this there was a need for the accessibility of free public schools. (not sure on exact dates) -
John Dewey and his book Democracy and Education
Dewey changed the original ideas on teaching and learning. Earlier models of teaching, such as rote learning, gave way as he showed and taught that students had to be invested in what they were learning and that the lessons should be relevant to their lives.
He published the book Democracy and Education which explains that exact concept.
(again, not sure on exact month and day) -
Pearl Harbor
The US entered the second world war after the attack on Pearl Harbor. During the course of the war, most of the resources in the country's possession went to the war effort. Education wasn't on the forefront of peoples minds as many young men quit their schooling and other school employees quit their jobs to enlist. Education in general came to a small standstill. -
Brown v. Board. of Education
Brown's daughter had to walk six blocks to her school bus stop to ride to her school which was over a mile away. He fought for her right to attend Sumner Elementary which was seven blocks away. The ruling of the case declared that "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal". This ruling paved the way for integration and was a major victory of the Civil Rights Movement.
(REALLY IMPORTANT)
https://www.nps.gov/brvb/learn/historyculture/kansas.htm -
ESEA
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act is said to be the most far-reaching legislation affecting education. It provides funding for primary and secondary education and emphasizes equal access to education. It established high standards and accountability and provides every child with fair and equal opportunities to achieve excellence.
(REALLY IMPORTANT)
http://socialwelfare.library.vcu.edu/programs/education/elementary-and-secondary-education-act-of-1965/ -
Title IX
"No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance"
(REALLY IMPORTANT)
https://www.justice.gov/crt/overview-title-ix-education-amendments-1972-20-usc-1681-et-seq -
Government Begins Direct Lending for Student Loans
Students with poor financial situations receive help from the government for first time;leads to major scholarship programs allowing for poor students to succeed in life and get the desired education they deserve -
No Child Left Behind
This act requires states to develop and asses students in basic skills in order to receive federal school funding. I believe that it is important because it is a perfect example of the nation moving forward and making changes. No Child Left Behind is the most recent update to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
(REALLY IMPORTANT)
http://www.edweek.org/ew/section/multimedia/no-child-left-behind-overview-definition-summary.html
