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Massachusetts Law of 1642
The colonist believed education to be important and passed a law to encourage parents to educate their children. This was the beginning of setting an example of compulsory education. -
Noah Webster
Noah Webster was an important early pioneer in education.Noah Webster wrote many spelling, grammar, and reading books to replace the English text. Most important book was the Elementary Spelling Book, 1783. He was a patriot and believed the new independent country need its own American language and curriculum. He is considered to be the man that initiated the common school movement. https://www.noahwebsterhouse.org/discover/noah-webster-history.htm -
Horace Mann
Horace Mann is known as the "Father of American Education". Became the spokesman for the common school movement. -
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Population Growth and Immigration
The population growth and immigrants moving into the urban cities to work in the factories had a great influence in education. Child labor laws, better education facilities, educated teachers to move out west greatly influenced the education system. -
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Common School Movement
The American educational system that we know of today began to take form. Public schools for all children became the norm. -
Catherine Beecher
Catherine was a founder of higher education for women to become teachers. She was an advocate for common schools. She felt it was important to train women to adventure out west, away from their home, to go out and teach the upcoming generation of America. -
The Measurement Movement
The development of IQ tests by Lewis Terman and scales for measuring achievement by Edward Thorndike played an important role in recruiting men during WWI. Measurement testing became an important tool for educational testing after WWI through today. -
John Dewey
John Dewey was an important advocate in advancing education from a subject-centered curriculum to a child-centered curriculum. He wrote many articles, books, and journals about his educational theories which spurred on the progressive educational movement. The progressive movement had great influence on higher education. http://www.iep.utm.edu/dewey/ -
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The Great Depression
The Great Depression had a great impact on education. For the first time the federal government got involved and helped fund different programs that assisted the education program. -
Brown vs Board of Education of Topeka
This is an important event as it made changes for all people in education. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that segregated educational facilities had no place in the public education system. Even though not much changed it launched the civil rights movement. Not only for Blacks, but for women, ethnic groups, aged and disabled. -
Launching of the Sputnik
Launching of the Soviet Union earth satellite had an important affect on education. It created great fear that the US did not have the teachers or students to compete in the sciences and technology with the Soviet Union. It launched federal funding to help develop up to date math and science programs in our schools. This brought about increased demand pressure for the educational system to be more rigorous teaching academics.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sputnik_1 -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
This act forced schools all over the country to adhere to the Supreme Court ruling of in 1954. No more segregation in schools and if not obeyed schools lost federal funding. -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHA)
This act gave all children of disabilities the right to public education in the least restricted environment. This gave children the opportunity to be educated in their neighborhood school. -
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School Choice Movement: Charter Schools, Vouchers
The school choice movement has created a competition between public schools, charter and private. This is good because it sharpens the skills needed to create the best environment for learning in all types of educational programs -
No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001
This act has affected schools all across the nation. Schools had to have standards for students in place by 2005-06 school year. Standardized testing had to be given to children from 3rd-8th grade. Many problems arose from this mandate. It was difficult for many schools to reach higher standards when they were populated with low income, ESL, urban, students.http://www.edweek.org/ew/section/multimedia/no-child-left-behind-overview-definition-summary.html
