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The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is formed
This civil rights group was created at a time in United States history when Hispanics were denied basic civil and human rights, despite contributions to American society. The organization would become pivotal in providing Mexican American children educational rights. https://lulac.org/about/history/ -
Mendez vs Westminster School District
In 1945, Gonzalo Mendez and other Mexican-American parents sued Westminster and 3 other Orange County school districts in federal court. The parents argued segregating K–12 students based on their nationality or ethnic background violated the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
After a judge ruled in favor of the parents, the school district appealed. Mendez and the other parents would prevail, making it the first successful federal school desegregation decision in the nation. -
Nation’s 1st bilingual education programs in public schools.
As a result of the Cuban Revolution of 1959, there were growing spanish speaking communities. Funding from the Ford Foundation, school district leaders, teachers, and Cuban aides started a two-way language immersion program at Coral Way School. It became the first public school with a bilingual and bicultural education program for English- and Spanish-speakers, and it pioneered dual-immersion instruction in the United States. -
Bilingual Education Act (Later replaced by No Child Left Behind Act)
Also known as Title VII, the act was the first federal recognition that limited-english speaking-ability (LESA) students have special educational needs. In the interest of equal educational opportunity,bilingual programs that address those needs should be federally funded. It formally recognized ethnic minorities could seek differentiated services for reasons other than
segregation or racial discrimination. It also encouraged instruction in language other than English. -
The Improving America's Schools Act (IASA) is signed into law
President Clinton signs the act, which reauthorizes the ESEA of 1965 and includes reforms for Title I;one of which is increased funding for bilingual and immigrant education. It authorized $215 million for competitive grants toward development and implementation of bilingual-education programs, which can include improving school-wide or district-wide bilingual-education effort. It also allocated $35 million for “innovative model programs” to establish or improve foreign-language instruction. -
No Child Left Behind Act Approved and Signed into Law
The act reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education act of 1965 and replaced the Bilingual Education Act of 1968. It put a special focus on ensuring that states and schools boost the performance of certain groups of students, such as English-language learners, students in special education, and poor and minority children, whose achievement, on average, trails their peers. -
Every Student Succeeds Act
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) replaces the controversial No Child Left Behind Act. The main difference being a focus on greater autonomy for each individual state.