-
Engel v. Vitale
1962 - 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 that "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. . . " http://www.eds-resources.com/educationhistorytimeline.html#1900 -
First Bilingual School
1963 - Coral Way Elementary School starts the first bilingual and bicultural public school in the United States. http://www.eds-resources.com/educationhistorytimeline.html#1900 -
Bilingual Education Act
1968 - The Bilingual Education Act, also know as Title VII, becomes law. After many years of controversy, the law is repealed in 2002 and replaced by the No Child Left Behind Act. http://www.eds-resources.com/educationhistorytimeline.html#1900 -
Indian Education Act
1972 - The Indian Education Act becomes law and establishes "a comprehensive approach to meeting the unique needs of American Indian and Alaska Native students" http://www.eds-resources.com/educationhistorytimeline.html#1900 -
The Refugee Act of 1980
|1980 - The Refugee Act of 1980 is signed into law by President Jimmy Carter on March 18th. Building on the Immigration Act of 1965, it reforms immigration law to admit refugees for humanitarian reasons and results in the resettlement of more than three-million refugees in the United States including many children who bring special needs and issues to their classrooms. http://www.eds-resources.com/educationhistorytimeline.html#1900 -
Ebonics Proposition
1996 - The Oakland, California School District sparks controversy as it proposes that Ebonics be recognized as the native language of African American children. http://www.eds-resources.com/educationhistorytimeline.html#1900 -
English Only!
1998 - California voters pass Proposition 227, requiring that all public school instruction be in English. This time the law withstands legal challenges. http://www.eds-resources.com/educationhistorytimeline.html#1900 -
No Integration: Meredith v Jefferson County Board of Education
2007 - In the cases of Parents involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No 1 and Meredith v. Jefferson County Board of Education, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that race cannot be a factor in assigning students to high schools, thus rejecting integration plans in Seattle and Louisville, and possibly affecting similar plans in school districts around the nation. http://www.eds-resources.com/educationhistorytimeline.html#1900 -
No schools for the poor in Chicago
2013 - On May 22, the Chicago Board of Education votes to close 50 schools, the largest mass closing in U.S. history. However, Chicago teachers and other opponents say the closures disproportionately affect low-income and minority students, but their efforts to stop the closings, which included tthree lawsuits, were unsuccessful. http://www.eds-resources.com/educationhistorytimeline.html#1900 -
Gender Issues
2016 - 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. http://www.eds-resources.com/educationhistorytimeline.html#1900 *The Supreme Court soon rules this directive as unenforceable.
