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"Thought and Language" is introduced to the English speaking world
Lev Vygotsky's concept of "Zone of Proximal Development" introduces the difference between what a learner can do without help and what he or she can do with help. Vygotsky theorized a child follows an adult's example and gradually develops the ability to do certain tasks without help. He noted that children grasp language concepts quite naturally, but maths and writing don’t come naturally, that these are concepts taught in schools and tend to come along with some difficulty. -
President John F. Kennedy is Assassinated
The death of JFK leaves Lyndon B. Johnson president. As president, LBJ passes:
1) The Civil Rights Act in 1964 that prohibits discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion or national origin.
2) The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) in 1965 as part of his "War on Poverty" providing federal funds for low income and bi-lingual students
3) Immigration Act of 1965 resulting in high numbers of Asians and Latin Americans immigration and more diverse classrooms -
Samuel A. Kirk uses the term "learning disability"
The term results in:
1) 1964 - Formation of the Association for Children with Learning Disabilities
2) 1973 - The Rehabilitation Act, guarantees civil rights for people with disabilities. Federally funded institutions require accommodations including participation in programs and activities as well as building access
3) 1990 - The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), mandates transition services and adds autism and traumatic brain injury to the eligibility list -
Veterans Readjustment Benefits Act of 1966
GI education benefits began after WWII with 100% covered public education. Public Law 358, the 1966 GI-Bill, provides educational, VA home and farm loans, employment counseling, and placement services for more than ninety million American Vietnam veterans.
Changes over time include a 10 year period in which to use benefits, the $14,000 College Fund, and the Post-9/11 GI-Bill.
The Post 9/11 GI-Bill provides 100% of a public 4-year undergraduate education and can be transferred to family members. -
Invention of the Internet
ARPANET is created by the U.S. Defense Department leading to:
1971 - Michael Hart invents the e-Book
1989 - The University of Phoenix offer online bachelor's and master's degrees
1990 - Tim Berners-Lee writes HTTP allowing two computers to communicate
1991 - First on line web site
1994 - The first commercial no cost to individuals web browser, Mozilla, is launched.
1994 - The first online high school, CompuHigh Whitmorte is founded. (disputed)
1998 - Google search engine development starts -
Diana v. California State Board
The case results in new laws requiring special education testing in the student's primary language. This ruling was precedence for:
1974 - The Equal Edu Opp Act requires actions to overcome barriers preventing equal protection of students with limited English proficiency
1984 -The Emergency Immigrant Edu Act offset costs for school districts with large immigrant students pop.
1994 - Improving America's Schools Act reauthorizes the ESEA and increases funding for bilingual and immigrant students -
Indian Education Act (IEA)
Native Americans were not American Citizens until 1924 & unable to vote until 1965. The Indian Civil Rights Act in 1968, guaranteed Native Americans were protection under the Bill of Rights and all amendments. In 1969, the National Indian Education Association fought for equal education for Native Americans. In 1972 Native Americans and Inuit were granted equality in education. The IEA tried to insure "a comprehensive approach to meeting the unique needs of American Indian and Inuit students." -
Busing for Integration
Due to patterns of residential segregation, Federal Court ordered busing of African American students to "white schools". The objective was to force racial integration of public schools. The same year the Court ruled suburbs were not responsible for segregation within the city schools, and the lower courts could not "redraw the lines . . .to achieve racial balance."
Under federal court supervision, many school districts implemented mandatory busing plans. Few of these plans are still in use. -
No Child Left Behind Act
Mandates student testing, holds schools accountable for student achievement, and penalizes schools not making sufficient progress toward NCLB goals resulting in "teaching to the test" in many school districts. By 2013, 34 states had been granted exceptions to parts of NCLB.
In 2013, Seattle teachers refused to give the district-mandated progress reports. This grass roots resistance to mandatory testing is a growing phenomenon. Standardized testing diminishes efforts to broaden teaching methods. -
Every Student Succeeds Act
In 2014 President Obama signs a 1.1-trillion dollar budget bill restoring some but not all, of the cuts to education programs.
On 10 Dec 2015, President Obama signs into law the Every Student Succeeds Act, replacing No Child Left Behind. This latest law allows more state control in judging school quality. This is the start of a trend away from standardized testing. Later changes will further reduce standardized testing from an average 225 to 112 during a student's primary education.
