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War of 1812
The end of the War of 1812 signified a need for a public education system in the United States. This war helped to cement the idea that the Nation would survive. For a democratic government to succeed, all citizens needed to be educated. This would be the starting point to our current public education system. -
Cardinal Principles Report of 1918
The Cardinal Principles Report of 1918 established a universal standard for high school education. It called for all high school students to have a set of common knowledge that included traditional and vocational classes. It also reported that students need to have control over what classes they took in areas that were interesting to them. -
Brown vs. Board of Education
The court case of Brown vs Board of Education that occurred in 1954, was monumental to equal education for all students. The decision by the US Supreme Court stated that it was no longer legal to segregate students solely on the basis of race. White and African American students should be in the same classrooms and schools. This lead to desegregation of schools. It was no longer "separate but equal". -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act
The Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 required public schools to provide education to all students regardless of disability. This Act evolved over time to become the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in 1990. Schools were required to offer free and appropriate education, IEPs, special education services, least restrictive learning environments, and due process procedures. -
No Child Left Behind
In 2002, President George W. Bush signed No Child Left Behind. This established school accountability. Students in grades 3 through 8 are required to pass standardized testing. Schools receive grades on how well their students do. Schools are required to show how differing groups of students do by race and socioeconomic classes. If schools have failing grades, they are required to make changes to correct this issue.
