Historical Events in k-12 Public Education

  • Horace Man

    Horace Man
    Horace Mann was considered the father of public school. He standardized education so that everyone, regardless of their finical situation, could receive an education. He supported local taxes rather than having the individual households pay for the cost of a school. This helped remove the class inequalities, and made education accessible to everyone. This was crucial to the development of public schools.
  • Brown V.S Board of Education

    Brown V.S Board of Education
    This event was a supreme court case against the "separate but equal" ideologies in the public school systems during the 1950's.
    The ruling was unanimous: 9-0 voting that segregation was unconstitutional - going against the 14th amendment which states that Americans have the right to equal protection.
    The results of this case banned segregation and allowed African Americans and White students to go to the same schools as one another.
  • National Defense Education Act (NDEA)

    National Defense Education Act (NDEA)
    Inspired by the recent landing of Sputnik, this act was passed with the help of senator Jerry Hill and had the goal of increasing federal aid towards education. It was focused on science, mathematics, and foreign languages, but it also improved the quality and accessibility of education to students in all subjects. NDEA provided options for affordable student loans, and helped to expand college libraries and other services. It helped many students achieve the goal of higher education.
  • Title IX

    Title IX
    This law was passed to remove discrimination of gender from any federally funded educational system. Title 9 states that no person can be excluded from a school program based on their sex. This was created with interest especially in athletic and after school programs. This led to a rise in female athletes, and provided women with new opportunities and rights. This is very important to the historical timeline of education, because it led to a more equal, diverse learning environment.
  • No Child Left Behind Act.

    No Child Left Behind Act.
    This 2001 act of congress was intended to lesser the achievement gap and hold school accountable.
    The act stated that "each state, district, and school accountable for the academic achievement of minorities, low income, English language learners, and disabled children"
    The reason I chose this is because it was the beginning of the shift in public schools from individual learning to institutionalized learning.
    Whether or not this is a good thing, it undeniably changed the future of education.