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Academic Scientism
Period influenced by post-civil war era and industrialism. Period characterized by the colleges influencing school curriculum and increase use of scientific knowledge and reasoning to improve schools and determine curriculum content. -
Committee of Ten
Committee of Ten was formed by the National Education Association to study high school education in response to increased enrollment in public high schools nation-wide. It set the stage for subject area based high school curriculum in preparation for further education. Many of the tenets of their report are still in place and informing curriculum decisions today. -
Smith-Hughes Act 1917
This act provided federal aid for development of pre-collegiate vocational education programs. -
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Progressive Functionalism
Period was influenced by end of WWI, Great Depression and rise of dictators in Europe. The rise of progressive thought and educational philosophy characterizes this time span. Notably, the period is influenced by the work of John Dewey, child-centered notions of schooling, and a functional orientation of curriculum theorists and practitioners. -
The Works of John Dewey
The works of John Dewey had a significant impact in this time span, notably the first publication of Democracy and Education in 1916. Dewey was a leader thinker influencing the progressive education movement and child-centered education and promotion of active learning. -
Cardinal Principles of Secondary Education
These principles outlined seven key objectives of secondary education which included health and citizenship, and mandated that high school curriculum and courses of study should be aligned to achieving the objectives. -
The Curriculum by Franklin Bobbitt published
Franklin Bobbitt and his research began to influence education and curriculum theory. Adopting a scientific approach to curriculum, Bobbitt viewed the adult as a starting point for curriculum. He argued for school curriculum to be efficiently designed to meet social needs through giving opportunity to children to develop the standard behaviors they would need as adults. -
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The Eight Year Study
Sponsored by the Progressive Education Association, and led in part by Ralph Tyler, the study found students who followed progressive curriculum were as successful in college as those who followed a traditional disciplinary curriculum. Though cut short by WWII, the study promoted notions of empirical study of curriculum, assessment, teacher education and and instruction. -
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Developmental Conformism
Period influenced most by WWII, beginning of the Civil Rights Movement and start of the Cold War. This period was marked by an interest in child development and developmentally appropriate curriculum, and an emphasis on functional outcomes of schooling, but also conformity as an educational goal. -
Harvard Redbook Published
Titled 'General Education in a Free Society' this publication reinforced the academic disciplines as the basis for secondary education and strengthened the use of the Carnegie Unit in high school curricular programming. It also reinforced general education for all as a source of developing responsible citizens for a democratic society and establish courses of study to raise the average for all high schoolers. -
Basic Principles of Curriculum and Instruction by Ralph Tyler pulished
This seminal work presents wide-reaching questions to answer in guiding curriculum development work. Tyler's text continues to influence educators in contemporary times. -
National Science Foundation Founded
Founded through an act of Congress the National Science Foundation formed as a federal agency to promote advancements in science, including through indirect influence on school science curriculum. -
Brown vs. Board of Education
Supreme court decision which initiated desegregation in education had successive impact on curriculum content and education policies. -
Russians Launch Sputnik
Russian launch of Sputnik into space, which also launched criticism of US schooling for not preparing students for technological advancement and competition. It sparked more federal involvement in education. Progressivism became increasingly suspect. -
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Scholarly Structuralism
Period was influenced by the Cold War and Russia's launch of Sputnik in 1957. The period was characterized by scholarly disciplines, involvement of scholars in curriculum decision making, and an emphasis on science and math. The period was also marked by a notable increase of federal involvement in education. Curriculum, teaching, and change were viewed from a technological perspective. The government supported development of generic, subject curricula, determined by scholars. -
National Defence Education Act (NDEA)
Through this act, the federal government began to exercise more influence and control of education and curriculum, in part through funding that required local authorities to adhere to federal guidelines. -
American High Schools Today Published
Written by James Bryant Conant, an NSF supporter, proposed a model of democratic schooling in the comprehensive high school model which would meet needs for both college preparation and vocations. This publication set the groundwork for high school subject-based curriculum which stayed in effect for decades after. -
Civil Rights Act
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Elementary and Secondary Education Act
This act marked the continued influence of the federal government in education and using education to bring about societal change. This act initiated federal funding for various elementary and secondary programs, including early learning through Head Start programs. The act extended the reach of the federal government and incentivized states to adhere to guidelines through funding. -
Bilingual Education Act
Though vague in its specifics, the Bilingual Education Act, initiated a more concentrated movement for schools to develop language programs to address non-English speaking learners and those with English language deficiencies. Notably the act applied to low-income students and Hispanics. -
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Romantic Radicalism
Period influenced by the Vietnam War, assassination of Martin Luther King and general social fragmentation and upheaval as society became concerned with individual rights and freedoms. Curriculum and schooling during this period was characterized by experimentation, alternative schools and child-centered pedagogy and school programming. It was also a time marked by the teacher assuming increased influence in determining curriculum and compromise and negotiation drove curriculum decisions -
Rehabilitation Act
Extended rights of access to public education to all handicapped persons. -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act
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Bilingual Education Act Renewed
The Bilingual Education Act renewal included revisions to ensure language provision and remediation was available to all students, regardless of socioeconomic background and also placed importance on non-native English speakers maintaining their native language and cultural heritage. -
Public Law 94-142
Provided clear guidelines for the education of disabled children, including through mandating individualized education plans, and mainstreaming disabled children. -
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Privativistic Conservatism
Period influenced by technological changes with the emergence of personal computers and advances in space travel, increased immigration, and a return of conservative views on society and schooling. The period is characterized by developments in multicultural and immigrant educational programming, and reforms aimed at school effectiveness, rigorous curriculum provision, accountability, school vouchers and national goals to improve education to safeguard prosperity for the nation. -
United States Department of Education formed
Connection and influence of politics and federal government in education recognized through formation of US Department of Education. -
Education Consolidation and Improvement Act
Passed under Reagan's administration, Chapter 2 of this act restructured funding to schools, allowed for more state control over how federal grant money was spent and increased spending on nonpublic schools. -
A Nation at Risk Report
This report let to wide public and political speculation that US schools were failing. It initiated an extensive wave of school reforms at all levels--local, state and federal. -
Goodland publishes 'A Place Called School'
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Individuals with Disabilities Act
This replaced the 1975 Education for All Handicapped Children Act. The new act (IDEA) raised accountabilities for student participation in general education and attainment of individualized educational goals, provided supports for parent participation in education, and ensured all disabled learners had access to free public education. -
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Technological Constructionism
Period influenced by rapid advancements in technology, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of the middle class. The period is characterized by continued efforts to improve education through standards-based reforms, charter schools, and funding efforts to support technological literacy, -
Savage Inequalities by Jonathan Kozol published
This book exposed disparities between schools in affluent and high poverty areas in the US, particularly inner city schools. -
Goals 2000: Educate America Act
This act initiated the academic standards movement on the premise that when high standards are set, students will achieve them. The Act also gave provision and funding for support for students to reach goals and instituted greater accountability steps to measure student progress. The act included mandates to support teacher education and learning, raise graduation rates and ensure safe schools. -
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Modern Conservatism
This period was influenced by terrorist attacks (9/11), the Iraq war and periods of economic recession. It was characterized by conservatism and an increased federal involvement in public schooling bolstered by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002. This period saw an increase in school privatization, homeschooling, and PreK-16 initiatives as well as an emphasis on diversity and social justice, standards to promote college readiness, and emphasis on technology and 21st century learning. -
No Child Left Behind Act
Increased accountability and federal oversight for schools. This act marked a shift of local autonomy to state and federal authority over schooling, though allowed for some flexibility a the local levels in determining how federal funds would be used. The act also advanced the school choice movement and research-based instructional practice. -
Race to the Top
Funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment act of 2009, Race for the Top dedicated billions of dollars in support states in innovations and educational reforms including establishing rigorous standards and assessments, training and retaining teachers and creating data systems to improve schools. -
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Technological Functionalism
This period is influenced by rapid change, globalization and marked diversity in US schools. The period is characterized by myths and criticism of schools and curriculum, as well as innovations in education influenced by cognitive sciences, and technological tools to advance student learning. -
Every Student Succeeds Act
ESSA replaced NCLB and gave states more scope in designing accountability measures and school improvement within their local contexts. It extended public reporting on various educational measures including expenditures per student and student outcomes and also reinforced need to close performance gaps and prepare students for future citizenship and global competition.
