The Modern History of Education in America 7 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

What modern event do you believe has most influenced the evolution of education? Why? © Michael D. Brown/Shutterstock

Identify links between key federal education legislation and perceived threats to national security or prosperity. © Daniel W. Slocum/Shutterstock

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

Do you know anyone who was part of the baby boom Do you know anyone who was part of the baby boom? Do you know of other historical periods that resulted in “baby booms”? © Michael D. Brown/Shutterstock

Keeping America Competitive Americans feared Soviets’ technological advantage The National Defense Education Act encouraged stronger math, science, and foreign language programs Homework requirements increased

Trace the impact of the civil rights movement on American education. © Dave Newman/Shutterstock

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

Behaviorism Educators embrace B.F. Skinner’s theory of behaviorism Appropriate behavior and achievement are rewarded; punishments are common

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

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 © Junial Enterprises/Shutterstock

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

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

Why do you think so much of the civil rights movement involved education? © Archipoch/Shutterstock

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

Desegregation and Busing Neighborhood schools tended to be divided by race Forced integration led to busing students to different schools

Give examples of ways the civil rights movement prompted improved educational opportunities for other groups. © Lisa F. Young/Shutterstock

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

Gender Equity The Equal Opportunity in Education Act prohibited discrimination based on gender in all programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance © Rob Marmiom/Shutterstock

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

Research and evaluate the impact of educational reforms on teachers and students. © iofoto/Shutterstock

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

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

Is the back-to-basics movement significantly different from education today? © Michael D. Brown/Shutterstock

Identify how educational changes in recent decades continue to shape education today. © iofoto/Shutterstock

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

The Computer Revolution Computers weren’t in the classrooms until the mid-1990s © Roxanne McMillen/Shutterstock continued

The Computer Revolution Computers became less expensive, more available, and essential Education is available to the student any convenient time and place

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

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

Do you think standardized tests truly measure student achievement Do you think standardized tests truly measure student achievement? Why or why not? © Archipoch/Shutterstock

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

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

No Child Left Behind Act Receipt of federal funds are tied to school performance © moshimochi/Shutterstock continued

No Child Left Behind Act Schools that succeed in meeting standards receive more money Parents can move children to higher-achieving schools © Darrin Henry/Shutterstock continued

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

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

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

Career Clusters The Career Clusters icons are being used with permission of: States’ Career Cluster Initiative, 2008, www.careertech.org

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

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

What was the result of the case of Brown v 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

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