Education in the United States:
It’s Historical Roots
Do you feel that education in our
country is unique?
Our Education = Unique
• Organize schools
• Content we teach
• Teaching methods
▫ All differ from those in other countries
The Colonial Period (1607-1775)
• American education – Jamestown colony
▫ Religion – integral part of colony
▫ Schools were formed to convert people to their
religion
▫ Schools – reflected settlers’ values & beliefs
▫ Schools – wealthy white males
The Colonial Period (1607-1775)
• 3 colonies
▫ Southern
 Private tutors
▫ Middle
 Different religious groups form schools
▫ New England
 Schools – heavily based on religion
 Most influence on today’s controversy in schools
▫ All schools – memorization & recitation
The Colonial Period (1607-1775)
• Most classrooms – unpleasant
• Teachers – mostly males
• Massachusetts Act of 1647 (Old Deluder
Satan Act) – designed to produce citizens who
understood the Bible. Every town of 50+ to hire
a teacher of reading & writing
▫ Birth to the idea that public education could
contribute to the greater good of our country.
 Public support of education
The Colonial Period (1607-1775)
• European Influence – more humane, childcentered & practical views
• Legacy
▫ Source of inequality
▫ Foundation for public support & local control of
school (after Act)
▫ Relationship between religion & education
The Early National Period (1775-1820)
• Answers our questions on the differences of
education from state to state.
• Before 1775- U.S. looked to Europe for trade &
ideas
• National Period – colonies became the USA,
Constitution & the Bill of Rights
The U.S. Constitution
• 27 Amendments
▫ 1st 10 – Bill of Rights
 1st Amendment – “establishment clause”
prohibited government from passing legislation to
establish any one official religion over another
 Separation of Church and state
Separation of Church and State
• Discussion
The U.S. Constitution
• 10th Amendment
• Areas that are not explicitly assigned to the
federal government would be the responsibility
of each state.
▫ Removed federal government from a central role
in running & operating schools
▫ Gave responsibility to individual states
The U.S. Constitution
• To support states’ efforts, Congress passed the
Land Ordinance of 1785.
▫ At that time, Congress had no power to tax
Americans
▫ This raised money by selling land in territories
west of the original colonies with income from
one section reserved for support of public
education
▫ Sometimes the lines are blurry between state &
federal
The Common School Movement: The Rise of
State Support for Public Education (1820-1865)
• Still largely reserved for the wealthy
• Public Schools
▫ Federal, state & local taxes
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Salaries
Buses
Schools
Student lunches
▫ Grade level
▫ Content
▫ Licensed
The Common School Movement: The Rise of
State Support for Public Education (1820-1865)
• Making Education Available to All
▫ Private & “quasi” public education
 Public – often charged partial tuition
• States – didn’t coordinate their efforts –
education = uneven
• Common School Movement – historic
attempt to make edu. Available to all
The Common School Movement: The Rise of
State Support for Public Education (1820-1865)
• Important Events
▫ States & local government directly taxed citizens
▫ States created state education departments &
appointed state superintendents of instruction
▫ Educators organized schools by grade level &
standardized the curriculum
▫ States improved teacher preparation
Expansion of the Common School
Movement
• Parents began viewing education as a way of
improving their children’s lives
• National & local leaders saw education as the
vehicle for assimilating immigrants & improving
national productivity
• Industry & commerce were growing & required
an increasing educated populace
The Common School Movement: The Rise of
State Support for Public Education (1820-1865)
• By 1865, 50% of American children were in
school
• Elementary school = slowly free
• Free secondary schools did not happen until
later
The Common School Movement: The Rise of
State Support for Public Education (1820-1865)
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Teachers – obstacles & challenges
Workload – heavy
Content – fundamentals – reading & math
Poor working conditions (building)
Lack of training (most elementary education
only)
The Common School Movement: The Rise of
State Support for Public Education (1820-1865)
• Improving Education
• Normal Schools – schools to prepare elementary
school teachers (2 yr)
▫ 1st attempt to improve
▫ Targeted – women
▫ Content background & training beyond high
school
The Common School Movement: The Rise of
State Support for Public Education (1820-1865)
• Elementary School
▫ Grade levels
Evolution of the American High School
• Comprehensive High School – secondary high
school that attempts to meet the needs of all
students (different curricular options, interest,
ability level)
• Before the turn of the 20th century – fewer than
10% = higher school education
• Currently, 96% of teens attend high school
Evolution of the American High School
• Benjamin Franklin
▫ Academy – secondary school focused on the
practical needs of colonial America
 Shifted emphasis to practical curriculum (practical)
 Removed religion from curriculum (secular)
 Partially supported by public funds (public)
• English Classical Schools – free secondary
schools (boys not going to college)
Evolution of the American High School
• Junior high school – popular until 1970s
• Middle schools
▫ Stronger teacher-student relationships = teams
▫ Share information
Teaching & Technology
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Projectors & filmstrips
Overhead projectors
Programmed & computer based instruction
Educational television
Hand-held calculators
The war on poverty & the great
society
• War on poverty – federal programs designed to
eradiate poverty during the 60s
▫ Education – increased federal funding
▫ Support for learners with exceptionalities
▫ The development of the jobs corps
The war on poverty & the great
society
• Head Start
▫ Designed to help 3-5 year old disadvantage
children enter school ready to learn
▫ 1965
▫ Stimulate (encourage) academic achievement &
development of low-income
▫ Educate & involve parents in the education of
their children
Equality
• Civil Rights Act of 1964
▫ Prohibited discrimination against students (color,
race or national origin) in all institutions receiving
federal funds
• Title IX – gender equality
• Magnet schools – public schools that provide
innovative or specialized programs and accept
enrollment from students in all parts of a district
▫ developed to integrate white & minority students