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Plessy v. Ferguson
The U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in this case was important because it established a legal precedent of "separate but equal" that would last for more than 50 years. This ruling provided a legal justification for the segregation of African Americans from whites both in school and in the larger society. It also emboldened state governments to pass Jim Crow laws, which made the segregation of races in public spaces not just a legal state right, but a requirement (Kaplan & Owings, 2015). -
Brown v. Board of Education
The ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in this case established that "separate but equal" schooling was inherently unequal, a reversal from its previous position. This is significant because it both paved the way for desegregation of American schools for minority children and served as an example for parents of students with other disadvantages, such as those with disabilities, inspiring them to seek equal educational opportunities for their children as well (Kaplan & Owings, 2015). -
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
Programs that resulted from this part of Johnson's "War on Poverty" legislation include Head Start and Title I, both of which are still providing educational opportunities and extra help for economically disadvantaged students to this day. ESEA was a significant attempt by the government to bridge the achievement gap for students from all income levels and, years later, evolved into the No Child Left Behind Act (Kaplan & Owings, 2015). -
Public Law 94-142
Prior to the passage of this law, more than half of the children with disabilities in the U.S. did not receive the services they needed to allow them to take full advantage of educational opportunities. Under PL 94-142 these students are now guaranteed a free and appropriate public education along with specialized programs and services to meet their educational needs. This law, now called IDEA, continues to protect the rights of students with disabilities to this day (Kaplan & Owings, 2015). -
No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)
Under this act, government regulation increased, putting more accountability onto schools for student achievement, especially among typically disadvantaged groups. Results in closing this achievement gap were mixed (Kaplan & Owings, 2015). Notably, however, NCLB's requirement for all students to pass standardized tests in reading and math prompted significant changes in the curriculum and pedagogy of classrooms around the country as schools adapted to the new standards (Nolen & Duignan, 2001).
