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Puritans believed that after settling and building government and places of worship, they should focus on education.
Here's a video to better explain their processes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xu2h8Xqabb4 -
After Massachusetts established a law allowing free education for all students in all grades, other states followed suite, creating the public school system and revolutionizing education.
Learn more about the fight for the creation of this law here:
https://www.history.com/articles/public-school-america-horace-mann -
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In 1864, Congress made it illegal for Native American children to be taught in their native language. Thus, the boarding school system was established with the intended model of "Kill the Indian, save the man"
Learn more about it here:
https://www.native-americans.org/native-american-boarding-schools-and-their-lasting-impact/ -
In 1896, the Supreme Court upheld the segregation of white and black peoples in public spaces, including in schools. This greatly impacted the education of African Americans for almost 70 years.
Learn more about the case here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbZUQGPMTjk -
The Smith-Hughes Act is passed, giving more funding to vocational education. This still has impact today. It is a deterrent from dropping out of school, a way to make academic subjects a more practical use, and it even fundraises for government issues such as in WWII.
Learn more about it here:
https://bis.centraltech.edu/the-smith-hughes-act-the-road-to-it-and-what-it-accomplished/ -
Future Supreme Court justice Thurgood Marshall led the charge to end segregations in public schools. The Supreme Court ruled that "Separate but Equal" was a lie, and segregation in schools only repressed the African American community. Despite this, schools would remain segregated until 1998.
Learn more about the case here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZkPItkNOPo -
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President Lyndon B. Johnson passed ESEA as part of his "War on Poverty." This gave more funding to school districts with high rates of underprivileged children. It also established textbook funding and disability services. Many alterations have been made to the act as administrations change.
Learn more about the changes here:
https://socialwelfare.library.vcu.edu/programs/education/elementary-and-secondary-education-act-of-1965/ -
The enactment of title nine ended gender discrimination on college campuses and in other government-funded education programs. This means women cannot be discriminated against in recruitment, housing, financial assistance, and insurance.
Learn more about it here:
https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/sex-discrimination/title-ix-education-amendments/index.html -
IDEA guarantees any children with disabilities, physical or learning, will receive free public-school education and accommodations for their disabilities. Their education will be tailored to their needs, and special education programs will be introduced. This integrated those programs into mainstream classrooms, allowing for students not to be sidelined and separated due to their needs. The education system becomes more inclusive. -
President Bush signed this act into law in early 2002. The goal of the NCLB Act is to provide students with better teachers, close achievement gaps, ensure students reach proficiency. The act cracked down on weak teachers and administration by holding them to a higher standard and requiring testing for both teachers and students.
Learn more about requirements and expectations here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0--2nhsDorg -
Many Americans believe the education systems today are failing children. Test scores are still lower than they were pre-pandemic. Rep. and Dem. both agree work needs to be done, but they cannot agree how to go about such a change. Pres. Trump wants to dismantle the Dep. of Education, much to the horror of many. He's encouraging efforts towards school choice and private schools.
Learn more about it here:
https://www.npr.org/2025/02/07/nx-s1-5288107/trump-education-department-race-gender-democrats