The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), first enacted in 1965, provides legal authority for the U.S. governments financial support of K-12 education. It sets funding limits and establishes legal requirements (i.e., it attaches strings) for state and local education agencies, universities, Native American tribes, and other entities receiving federal assistance through programs such as Title 1. (Crawford, 2011)

The ESEA was passed by Congress and signed into law (P.L ) by President Johnson in 1965 as part of his Great Society Program. ESEA was originally intended to offer specific types of services to educationally disadvantaged students enrolled in public, private, and religious schools and living in areas identified as having high concentrations of low-income families. (Davis, 1999)

Born August 27, 1908 in Stonewall, Texas Enrolled in Southwest Texas State Teachers College at San Marcos, Texas in Graduated from college with a B.S. degree in 1930 and went on to teach. Married Claudia Alta Taylor on November 17, Became the Texas Director of the National Youth Administration ( provides vocational training for unempolyed youth and part-time employment for needy students. On June 21, 1940 he was appointed Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Naval Reserve. Elected to the U.S. Senate on November 2, 1948

Re-elected to the U.S. Senate for a second term Became the 36 th President of the United States following the assassination of John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas Took the Oath of Office as President of the United States on January 20, Signed the Elementary and Secondary Education Act on April 11, Died on January 22, (LBJ Presidential Library)

dia/oak/video/lbjforkids/whca285.rm (LBJ for Kids) dia/oak/video/lbjforkids/whca285.rm

1965- The ESEA began grants for migrant children were added to the original Title I and a new Title VI was created addressing education of children with disabilities Title VI was moved out of ESEA to become a freestanding law (The Education of the Handicapped Act) and Titles addressing bilingual education and special programs were added.

1970- a bypass for private and religious school children was added to the Title III the Title I allocation formula was changed and a bypass for private and religious school children was added to Title I Title I was renamed Chapter 1 and Title II was named Chapter 2, creating a block grant by combining over 20 different programs that were intended to enhance school improvement programs.

1988- the strength of the bipartisan support for ESEA and the maintenance of equitable services for private and religious school children was clearly evident when Congress added the capital expense provision that was aimed at restoring the program participation rates and the quality of services to religious school children after the 1985 Supreme Court decision in Aguilar v. Felton.

In the most recent reauthorization in 1994, both Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 were renamed Titles I and VI respectively. (Davis, 1999)