1. The Common School Movement
THE RISE OF STATE SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION

2. Learning Goal
Students will be able to explain how the common school movement influenced education in our country and who contributed to it.

3. What is the common school movement?
“Age of the Common Man”
Mostly white, wealthy children went to school
Majority of children did not receive a formal education

4. The common school movement was an attempt to make education available to all

5. What were some important events?
States and local government taxed citizens to support public schools
Educators attempted to increase attendance
States created state education departments and appointed superintendents
Educators organized schools by grade level
States improved teacher preparation

6. Who contributed? Horace Mann
Secretary of Massachusetts State Board of Education
Built new schools & increased teacher salary
He believed in the idea that public education in form of tax supported elementary schools should be a right to all

7. How did education improve?
Parents began viewing education as a way of improving their children’s lives
National and local leaders saw education as a way of improving national productivity
Industry and commerce were growing and required an increasingly educated population
More and more children attended elementary school and high school

8. What were some obstacles?
The quality of building and equipment was poor or in short supply
Many teachers were not very educated and poorly trained

9. What was a normal school?
Two year institution developed to prepare prospective elementary teachers
Normal schools targeted women as potential teachers
Many of today’s state colleges and universities began as normal school – Eastern Michigan University, UCLA

10. What was the legacy of the common school movement?
The number of children who attended school steadily increased, and so did public support
All education was equal and available to all
Teacher quality also increased