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The Boston Latin School
Was the first public school opened in the United States. To this day, it remains the nation’s oldest public school. -
Harvard College
The first higher education institution in the United States, is established in Newtowne (now Cambridge), Massachusetts. -
The Massachusetts Law of 1647
Stated that every town of at least 50 families hire a schoolmaster to teach the town's children to read and write and all towns of at least 100 families should have a Latin grammar school master who will prepare students to attend Harvard College. -
Northwest Ordinance
Proclaimed the desirability of common schools and set aside land for their support -
The Bill of Rights is passed
The Tenth Amendment states that powers not delegated to the federal government "are reserved to the States, respectively, or to the people." Education becomes the responsibility of the state rather than the federal government. -
Modern Blackboard
James Pillans invents the modern blackboard. -
Normal Schools
The first state funded school specifically for teacher education (then known as "normal" schools) opens in Lexington, Massachusetts. -
13th Amendment
The 13th Amendment is passed which abolished slavery. -
Progressive Education
Founded by John Dewey. A widespread movement by the 1930s that gave attention to the interest of the learner in the learning process, related instructional content to the needs of the learner and attempted to use education as a means of individual development to make a better society. -
National Herbart Society
Issued its first publication and sought to make education more scientific -
Plessy v. Ferguson
Supreme Court decision that held that racial segregation is constitutional, paving the way for Jim Crow laws and was used to justify many other segregation laws, including "separate but equal" education. -
School Attendance
By this time, 31 states had compulsory school attendance for students from ages 8-14 -
The National Society for the Scientific Study of Education
Formally known as the National Herbart Society, they became the nucleus of the scientific movement within education. All before 1925, they issued yearbooks on courses of study, on the relation of theory to practice in education and in teacher education, teacher certification, educational products, intelligence tests and their use on the education of gifted children -
Democracy and Education
Written by John Dewey, expressed features of the educational enterprise appropriate for a democracy. Provided educators of the 1930s with a new vision of the role and responsibility of education. -
The Smith–Hughes National Vocational Education Act
An act that promoted vocational education in agriculture, trades and industry, and homemaking, and provided federal funds for this purpose. -
World War 1
As the U.S. enters W.W.I the Chairman of the Committee on Psychological Examination of Recruits developed a group intelligence test. Though these tests had little impact on the war, they lied the groundwork for future standardized tests. -
Elementary School
By this time every state required students to complete elementary school. -
School Transportation
All states have laws providing funds for transporting children to school. -
The Great Depression
The Stock Market crashes -
The Great Depression reached its lowest point
Some 13 million Americans were unemployed and nearly half the country’s banks had failed. -
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)
A work relief program that gave men 17-23 years old employment on environmental projects during the Great Depression. -
National Labor Relations Act ("NLRA")
Protected the rights of employees and employers. Encouraged collective bargaining, and stopped certain private sector labor and management practices, which could harm the general welfare of workers, businesses and the U.S. economy. -
The National Youth Administration (NYA)
Operating from 1935 to 1943 the NYA provided work training for youth between ages 16 and 25. In addition to offering courses in writing, reading, and arithmetic, the NYA operated two programs: the Works Project Program to train unemployed, out-of-school youth, and the Student Aid Program to provide work-study training for high school, college, and graduate students. -
The Saber-Tooth Curriculum was written
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Mendez vs. Westminster and the California Board of Education
Ruled that educating children of Mexican descent in separate facilities is unconstitutional, thus prohibiting segregation in California schools -
Brown v. Board of Education
Ruled that racial segregation of children in public schools was unconstitutional. Helped establish that “separate-but-equal” education and other services were not, in fact, equal at all. -
National Defense Education Act (NDEA)
Science and science education become important concerns in the U.S., resulting in the passage of the National Defense Education Act (NDEA). It increased funding for scientific research as well as science, mathematics, and foreign language education. -
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
Was part of Lyndon Johnson's "War on Poverty," and provided federal funds to help low-income students. It resulted in the creation of programs such as Title I and bilingual education. -
No Child Left Behind
A law which mandates high-stakes student testing, holds schools accountable for student achievement levels, and provides penalties for schools that do not make adequate yearly progress toward meeting the goals of NCLB. -
The Every Student Succeeds Act
The latest version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) which replaces No Child Left Behind and allows more state control in judging school quality.
