The Modern History of
Education in America
The Modern History of
Education in America
• Each era’s historical events impact
– expectations of the educational system
– the public’s perception of it
• Some presidents have been more involved in
educational policies, while others believe
education should be left to individual states
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For Discussion
• What modern event
do you believe has
most influenced the
evolution of
education? Why?
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Objective
• Identify links between key federal education
legislation and perceived threats to national
security or prosperity.
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American Education During the
1940s and 1950s
• Teacher positions filled by women and
African Americans during WWII
• Veterans attended college or received
training with federal money from the GI Bill
• The children of the baby boom created the
need for more schools and teachers
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For Discussion
• Do you know anyone
who was part of the
baby boom? Do you
know of other historical
periods that resulted in
“baby booms”?
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Keeping America Competitive
• Americans feared Soviets’ technological
advantage
• The National Defense Education Act
encouraged stronger math, science, and
foreign language programs
• Homework requirements increased
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Objective
• Trace the impact of the
civil rights movement
on American education.
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Brown v. the Board of
Education
• Up to this point, schools were “separate
but equal”
• Court ruled that racial segregation of schools
was unconstitutional
• Ruling was critical to the civil rights
movement
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Behaviorism
• Educators embrace B.F. Skinner’s theory
of behaviorism
• Appropriate behavior and achievement are
rewarded; punishments are common
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American Education During
the 1960s
• Teenage baby boomers question conservatism
• Political turmoil, assassinations, and the civil
rights movement
• Educational freedom spurred creative ideas
for improvement
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The Civil Rights Act
• Many schools
continued to educate
children separately
• The Civil Rights Act
of 1964 outlawed
segregation in
public schools and
public places
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The Elementary and
Secondary Education Act
• The Elementary and Secondary Education Act
of 1965 sought to
– improve schools most in need
– give federal money to schools where poor
children were enrolled
– equalize educational opportunities
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Project Head Start
• Project Head Start was designed to help
children from low-income families
• Preschool children develop skills needed for
school success
• Today, Head Start programs may be
coordinated with other programs
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For Reflection
• Why do you think so much of the civil
rights movement involved education?
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American Education During
the 1970s
• Divorce rate, number of single parents rise
• More women enter the workforce
• Unemployment, inflation rise
• Less disposable income means schools have
less funding
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Desegregation and Busing
• Neighborhood schools tended to be divided
by race
• Forced integration led to busing students to
different schools
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Objective
• Give examples of
ways the civil rights
movement prompted
improved educational
opportunities for
other groups.
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Bilingual Education
• The Supreme Court granted bilingual
education to Spanish-speaking students
• Language was a barrier to equal education
• Schools were ordered to provide basic
English language classes for those with
limited English skills
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Gender Equity
• The Equal Opportunity in
Education Act prohibited
discrimination based on
gender in all programs
and activities receiving
federal financial assistance
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Children with Disabilities
• In 1975, Congress passed the Education for
All Handicapped Children Act
– Guaranteed free education for children with
disabilities
– Education must be appropriate and take place in
the least restrictive environment
– Children with disabilities are able to spend at
least part of their day in regular classrooms
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Objective
• Research and evaluate
the impact of educational
reforms on teachers
and students.
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American Education During
the 1980s
• Regan and Bush believed the federal
government’s role in education should
be reduced
• Consumerism increased
• Baby boomers begin raising families
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The Back-to-Basics Movement
• A federal report showed that the U.S. was
falling behind other countries in business,
science, and technology
• Millions of Americans were illiterate
• The back-to-basics movement called for
emphasis on reading, writing, and math
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For Discussion
• Is the back-to-basics
movement significantly
different from
education today?
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Objective
• Identify how
educational changes
in recent decades
continue to shape
education today.
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American Education During
the 1990s and Beyond
• Technology played a major role
• Good economy, low unemployment
• Major challenges:
– Terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, leading
to war
– Financial crisis that began in 2008 and affected
the global economy
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The Computer Revolution
• Computers weren’t in the classrooms until
the mid-1990s
continued
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The Computer Revolution
• Computers became less expensive, more
available, and essential
• Education is available to the student any
convenient time and place
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Educational Standards and
Accountability
• Educational standards help bring uniformity
to education
• Teacher associations developed national
standards for various subject areas
• Competency-based education provides an
objective way of evaluating learning
continued
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Educational Standards and
Accountability
• Setting standards led to a move toward
accountability
• Standardized tests can help
– compare students from different schools
– determine which programs are working
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For Reflection
• Do you think standardized tests truly measure
student achievement? Why or why not?
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Goals 2000
• Goals 2000 Act of 1994 established six
educational goals to be reached by the
year 2000
• Implementation was left to states and local
school districts
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No Child Left Behind Act
• Goal: to improve the performance of
U.S. schools
• Components include
– increased accountability
– more choices for parents choosing schools
– increased focus on reading
continued
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No Child Left Behind Act
• Receipt of federal funds are tied to school
performance
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continued
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No Child Left Behind Act
– Schools that succeed in
meeting standards receive
more money
– Parents can move children
to higher-achieving schools
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continued
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No Child Left Behind Act
• Concerns:
– Schools already behind would become even
more poorly funded
– Teachers would spend most time preparing
students for standardized tests
• Some states established more charter schools
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Competing in the Global
Economy
• Concerns that the U.S. is losing its
competitive edge
– American jobs shifting to foreign workers
– Math and science scores are falling
– Many students do not complete high school
• Remaining competitive depends on a skilled
and well-educated workforce
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Career Clusters
• Career clusters help prepare students to
succeed in the workplace
• Sixteen general areas with related career
opportunities and knowledge and skill
requirements
continued
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Career Clusters
The Career Clusters icons are being used with permission of: States’ Career Cluster Initiative, 2008, www.careertech.org
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Key Points
• 1940s: War creates job opportunities for
women, African Americans
• 1950s: Cold War prompts emphasis on science,
technology, and foreign language education
• 1960s: The Civil Rights Act; focus on special
education needs of children living in poverty
continued
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Key Points
• 1970s: Busing, bilingual education, equality
for genders, education for children with
disabilities
• 1980s: Concern over lack of basic skills
• 1990s and later: Concern over America’s
ability to compete; emphasis on standards,
accountability; budget concerns
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Review
• What was the result of the case of Brown v.
the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas?
Racial segregation violated the Constitution and
public schools were ordered to desegregate.
• Why was busing started?
Neighborhoods tended to be divided by race, so
schools were not desegregating
continued
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Review
• What are educational standards?
Guidelines defining what students at various
levels should know and be able to do
• What educational reform act was passed in
2001 with the goal to improve the
performance of schools in the U.S.?
No Child Left Behind Act
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