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Board of Education
The creation of the first Board of Education by the state of Massachusetts in 1837 began the road to public school systems. The goal was for all students to be successful, and it was going to be accomplished through the regulation of a board. This reform has impacted every student who has gone through the public schooling system. Boards of Education look after the students and ensure that each child entering the classroom is receiving a fair and equal education. -
School Transportation
Transportation to school impacts millions of students every year. Although it wasn't until the 1970s that schools were required to bus students to schools, students have received transportation in a variety of ways since the 1880s. Transportation provided by the schools gives students the ability to focus in the classroom and not worry about how they will get to class. It also allows for bigger more inclusive districts. -
Extra-Curricular Activities
The creation of extracurricular activities for students is one impact that focuses on the "whole student". The various activities, whether its a sport or academic based club, allow students to discover community and themselves. Sports and clubs teach teamwork and provide opportunities beyond the classroom for students. Many students in middle school and high school participate in some type of extra-curricular activity and many would say it has impacted the person they are today. -
National Defense Education Act
This act paved the way of STEM education. Math and science are valued in schools, and many students have expressed they felt they were less than others when they didn't understand the subjects. This act is still impacting what is taught in the classroom, and now more than ever, is relevant with the advancement of technology and science. If this act hadn't happened the subjects we hold high may be different, as might the curriculum as a whole. Special science and math paths may not even exist. -
Special Education: Education for the Handicapped/IDEA
This act was the first to lay out what should be given to students with disabilities in public schools. Its has impacted school funding, and the services given in schools. It gave countless children who wouldn't have received services help for free. IDEA is still debated among educators as some continue to wonder if handicapped children should be in general classrooms and whether or not it impacts other student learning.
