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Engel v. Vital
In the case of Engel v. Vitale, the U. S. Supreme Court rules that the state of New York's Regents prayer violates the First Amendment. The ruling specifies, "State officials may not compose an official state prayer and require that it be recited in the public schools of the State at the beginning of each school day. -
Project Head Start
Project Head Start, a preschool education program for children from low-income families, begins as an eight-week summer program. Part of the "War on Poverty," the program continues to this day as the longest-running anti-poverty program in the U.S. -
Education of All Handicapped Children
The Education of All Handicapped Children Act (PL 94-142) becomes federal law. It requires that a free, appropriate public education, suited to the student's individual needs, and offered in the least restrictive setting be provided for all "handicapped" children. States are given until 1978 (later extended to 1981) to fully implement the law. -
Personal Computer (PC)
IBM introduces its version of the personal computer (PC) with its Model 5150. Its operating system is MS-DOS. -
Microsoft Windows 1.0
Microsoft Windows 1.0, the first independent version of Windows, is released, setting the stage for subsequent versions that make MS-DOS obsolete. -
IDEA
Public Law 101-476, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), renames and amends Public Law 94-142. In addition to changing terminology from handicap to disability, it mandates transition services and adds autism and traumatic brain injury to the eligibility list. -
Universal Preschool
Georgia becomes the first state to offer universal preschool to all four year olds whose parents choose to enroll them. More than half of the state's four year olds are now enrolled. -
Higher Education
The Higher Education Act is again amended and reauthorized, expanding access to higher education for low and middle income students, providing additional funds for graduate studies, and increasing accountability. -
Testing
Obama Administration Calls for Limits on Testing in Schools.
President Obama joins the "too-much-testing" movement as his new plan calls for limiting "standardized testing to no more than 2% of class time." -
Transgenders students to use bathroom
On May 13, the federal government tells school districts "to allow transgender students to use the bathroom that matches their gender identity." Though the directive is not a law, districts that do not comply could face lawsuits or lose federal aid.
