-
Appointment of Horace Mann to the Massachusetts Board of Education
The appointment of Mann to the secretary of education position enabled him to convince the American public of the value of schools to the community. Utilizing his position he fought for the establishment of "common school" which were free of cost and religion. His belief that the public schools should provide free access to education regardless of race, class, or sex provides the basis for the public school system today. -
Roberts VS City of Boston
The educational concept of "separate but equal" stems from this court decision in Massachusetts. The ruling spurred a national movement with Plessy v. Ferguson that would be entrenched for over 100 year in the United States' educational system. Even following the Brown v. Board of Education ruling the concept kept hold in the education system. To this day segregation persists in the education system often at greater rates then prior to Brown v. Board of Education. -
Founding of National Education Association (NEA)
Being the largest professional organization and labor union in the United States the NEA continues to provide professional development and support for educators. Additionally, through the organization's Committee of Ten, the Committee of Fifteen, and Cardinal Principles curriculum were established for high schools and elementary schools. While these curriculum all had their flaws aspects of each can still be observed in modern day curriculum. -
Brown VS Board of Education
This unanimous decision by the Supreme Court ruled that segregated public schools were not equal. The ruling didn't end school segregation over night, but it did allow for a reduction of the achievement gap when schools where integrated. This court decision would go on to set the ground work for other equality reform movements in the public school systems including special education and Title IX. -
A Nation at Risk
This report by the National Commission on Excellence in Education criticized public schools for falling behind the rest of the world in math and science. The publication brought education to the forefront of American's minds and spurred the establishment of national education goals. Without this report national level educational policies such as No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top wouldn't have been enacted.
