1. Chapter 7: History of Education in the United States

2. Focus Questions
What were the major influences, issues, ideologies, and individuals in 17th-century American education?
What were the major influences, issues, ideologies, and individuals in 18th-century American education?
What were the major influences, issues, ideologies, and individuals in 19th-century American education?
What were the major influences, issues, ideologies, and individuals in 20th-century American education?
What major influences, issues, ideologies, and individuals are we experiencing in the 21st-century?
How are U.S. schools addressing racial and ethnic diversity in the 21st century?
How can I be aware of education history in the making?

3. 17th Century Schools Early colonial schools…
were established for religious purposes
helped secular aspects of society by teaching students to read and write
were influenced by European theorists

4. Schools in the New England Colonies
Dame schools provided tuition-based instruction in the homes of respected women.
Latin grammar schools were secondary institutions for boys to learn reading, writing, arithmetic, and literature.
Compulsory education was enacted with the Massachusetts Act of 1642.

5. Schools in the Middle Colonies
Diversity of the population led to diversity in schools.
Most schools were parochial, or private, and generally religious in nature.
Schools taught a variety of subjects, including bookkeeping and navigation.

6. Schools in the Southern Colonies
Religious and geographical diversity led to a variety of schools.
Opportunities for education were based almost solely on social class.
Southern colonists generally were not concerned with making education available to everyone.

7. 18th Century Schools
Benjamin Franklin established the Franklin Academy
Private academies emerged to prepare men for business and trade
Town schools were established to serve the community
Several colleges were created, including Yale, Brown, Dartmouth, and the University of Pennsylvania

8. 19th Century Schools
Common schools, community-supported elementary schools for all children, were formed.
Secondary schools began to emerge, heralding in the first public high schools.
Kindergarten, or “children’s garden,” was first established in 1860.

9. 19th Century Teacher Preparation
Troy Female Seminary was the first institution of higher learning for women in the United States, established in Troy, New York, in 1821 by Emma Willard.
Normal schools emerged, which were publicly- funded institutions dedicated exclusively to preparing teachers.
Very little formal training was available concerning how to teach students with special needs.

10. 19th-Century Education for Children with Disabilities and Minorities
Children with disabilities had a few schools available, but were separated from other children until 1975.
Children of color (Native American, Mexican American, African American, and Asian American) generally had little or no educational opportunities. Much of their training was based on the idea of assimilation.
Settlement houses were created to help meet the needs of poor families.

11. Important Changes in 20th Century Schools
John Dewey and progressive education
The formation of junior highs and middle schools bridged the gap between elementary and high schools.
Early childhood settings expanded, due in part to the work of Maria Montessori.
W. E. B. DuBois and Mary McLeod Bethune served as influential African American leaders.

12. The Last 5 Decades: The ’50s
Science, math, and foreign languages became increasingly important in light of the Soviet launch of Sputnik.
Brown v. Board of Education resulted in the desegregation of schools.
Benjamin Bloom and Ralph Tyler heavily influenced curriculum and instruction.

13. The Last 5 Decades: The ’60s
The Vocational Act of 1963 was enacted, quadrupling the amount of money allocated for vocational education.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed, banning federal aid to schools that continued to practice segregation.
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 provided additional money for schools serving low-income populations.
Bilingual Education Act of 1968 provided funds to assist non-English-speaking students.

14. The Last 5 Decades: The ’70s
Title IX of the Education Amendment Acts of 1975 was passed, which prohibited sexual discrimination in any education program receiving federal funding.
PL 94–142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 granted children with disabilities the right to an education that meets their needs.

15. The Last 5 Decades: The ’80s
Competition with Japan sparked interest in the quality of education.
A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform, published in 1983, criticized the state of education in the United States.
Restructuring efforts included year-round schools, longer school days, longer school years, and more funding for technology.

16. The Last 5 Decades: The ’90s
Focus moved from input to output in the form of assessments based on standards.
Teachers took on leadership roles in schools and districts.
Collaboration was key among teachers, administrators, and parents.

17. How Can I Be Aware of Education History in the Making?

18. Concluding Thoughts
Together we will face many challenges as we strive to effectively build on the past in order to do a better job of educating in, and for, the future, asking, “And how are the children? Are they all well?”