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First Educational Law
The General Court of Massachusetts Bay Colony mandates that every town of 50 families have an elementary school. This was significant because it was the first law that dictated that there should be schools. -
The New England Primer is published
The "New England Primer" was the first reading primer designed for the American colonies. It became the foundation of American education for the next century. -
MOST IMPORTANT: Noah Webster Creates the "Blue-Backed Speller"
Due to being unimpressed with English textbooks, Webster decides to create his own. Out of this is born a new version of English, which because the version of English which we are familiar with today. Webster saw education as a vehicle for social mobility, and through his books he helped us move away from British culture and British English. Link text -
North Western Land Ordinance
The "Continental Congress" passes a law that created townships and reserved some of them for the creation and maintenance of local schools. This was the beginning of what eventually became "Land-Grant universities". -
Free Public Schools in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania State Constitution calls for free public schools for poor people. This was a significant step in the direction of free public schools, but was limited to the poor class. -
First Public High School
First public high school opens in Boston. They name it "Boston English". -
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Curriculum evolves due to Irish immigration
Irish leaders and people protest anti-catholic curriculum in schools. One of the first events that made people start thinking about multi-cultural education. -
Massachusetts Mandates Public High School
A law is passed in Massachusetts mandating that all towns with 500+ families have a public high school. The significant thing about this law is that all grades were to be open to all pupils, free of charge. -
Horace Mann publishes The Common School Journal
Horace man has been referred to as the "father of the common school" because of his political influence and his ideas published in this journal. -
Land Grant Act
The Federal Government designates land in every state for the building of colleges specializing in agricultural education. -
MOST IMPORTANT: Plessy V. Fergusen
"Seperate but equal" became a well-known phrase after this supreme court ruling that legalized segregation. This was one of the most imporatnt events in American education's history, because it made racism in education a legal matter. This law influenced schools and people's attudes about race for decades to come. Link text -
MOST IMPORTANT: Free Public School
All states have laws requiring that all children go to school through elementary school years. This is significant because the nation-wide enforcement of free public school has made our education system unlike any other. Children from a wide variety of backgrounds have been educated in our schools. Link text -
MOST IMPORTANT: Brown V. Board of Education
This new supreme court ruling reversed what had happened in Plessy v. Furgeson. Segregation of schools was now illegal. While it took years and a threat of losing federal money before schools began to actually follow this law, it was what got the ball rolling. -
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act
Federal government begins providing funding for schools. However, they have not yet begun to set national curriculum standards. -
MOST IMPORTANT: IDEA- Individuals with Disabilities in Eduation Act
This act insured that children with disabilities would be able to get a free and appropriate education. Before 1975, children with disabilities generally attended separate schools. This did wonders to improve the treatment and life quality of individuals with disabilities. It also put a huge financial burden on schools. -
MOST IMPORTANT: A Nation at Risk
Ronald Reagan creates a "national commission", and they point to deficiencies in education as a major national problem. This commission had a profound effect on the American public's view of our education system. This seems to be the time when the public started blaming the school system for society's problems. https://www2.ed.gov/pubs/NatAtRisk/risk.html -
No Child Left Behind
The Bush administration creates education reform that puts heavier emphasis on testing and teacher accountability, as well as more federal funding of education. -
Race to the Top
The Obama Administration's version of NCLB.
