Timeline: The Evolution of Education in the United States by Kate Kennedy

Education in Colonial America

katekennedy0711 — 2024-10-09 16:08:21 UTC

During the colonial the New England colonies had their own version of schooling that included Dame schools and Latin Grammar Schools. These Schools were mainly for boys from wealthy families and education of the poor as well as girls was not monitored nor prioritized. This was the first introduction of formal schooling in America and it specifically excluded a large portion of American society and prioritized a small group of people who would continue to be prioritized throughout the history of education in the United States even up until today. I believe that education should be for all and in this era education was primarily for the upper class boys. There were so many groups of people who were excluded from the right to basic education at this time and I believe that it is very important that we continue growing from this era and work to continue giving more groups of people the right to a basic education.

Higher Education

katekennedy0711 — 2024-10-09 16:08:33 UTC

During the national era higher education was founded and this gave individuals the opportunity to further their education in order to try to receive higher level jobs and to further their knowledge in certain subjects. The first of these institutions were the Ivy league schools as well as some other institutions such as William & Mary. During the national era attending these institutions began to become more popular, however, the opportunity to attend these institutions was only for the wealthy boys even though basic education for other groups such as girls was becoming more popular. Now higher education in America is something that is far more popular and normalized for all. Here at Iona we are providing the opportunity for higher education to all groups of individuals that were denied it in our nation's history. However, although with the popularity of scholarships and loans to help provide education to the lower class and communities who were previously denied it, there is still a great divide in the higher education field as the wealthy are still given far more opportunities to succeed. I believe that along with the access to basic education the opportunity to further one's education should be given to larger than just one community of people.

Brown vs Board of Education

katekennedy0711 — 2024-10-09 16:08:48 UTC

This was a very famous court case in America's history in which segregation in our school system was addressed and challenged. This was a major step in the right direction to include African Americans in our education system and give them the same opportunities as their white peers. This case resulted in segregation in schools being deemed unconstitutional and thus began the first step to desegregating the United States and providing equal opportunities to the African American community. Today schools are now completely desegregated along with all rights and institutions in America. Today those in the African American community face no legislation that excludes them from opportunities given to any other American, however, unfortunately this community still does face racism and exclusion still to this day. I believe that the right to education as well as any other right shouldn't just be given to a certain community, it should be given to all Americans regardless of race, background, or social class. Brown vs Board was a monumental step in the right direction to help give education for all and this is an expectation we should still be working to make sure it is upheld for all groups of people.

Elementary and Secondary Education Act

katekennedy0711 — 2024-10-09 16:08:58 UTC

Established in 1965, this act established standards for all elementary and secondary schooling nationwide. This act ensured that all students will be given equal opportunity to learn at acceptable standards. This act allowed for all students to be given the same basic education in America and allowed for students from other communities to be given a chance to learn at acceptable standards. Today every school is mandated to reach a certain standard of education and follow a curriculum that teaches students all the basic subjects and fulfills their needs. This is very important because now every student is placed at the same starting line. Every student is required to learn certain subjects in certain details giving every student at least the same basic education they need to succeed. However, there is still a divide as many lower income areas are not able to give the same level of education as many of the higher income areas.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

katekennedy0711 — 2024-10-09 16:09:09 UTC

Established in 1973, this act prohibits the discrimination of those with disabilities and allows for them to be given equal opportunity in activities and programs when it comes to receiving financials. This act makes sure that no one with disabilities will be discriminated against and viewed as equal to their competition when it comes to receiving financial aid. It is actually now very encouraged to give financial aid to those from different backgrounds as it makes institutions look more diverse and including. This is a great step in the right direction as it is giving and encouraging those to further their education and reach for higher level positions. I think That it is incredibly important that all citizens are given the same basic learning fundamentals. All children should be required to reach the same standards regardless of social backgrounds. Although it is difficult to create total equality in education it is important that we meet the minimum requirements and give all children the same basic fundamentals to help them succeed.

Equal education opportunities act (EEOA)

katekennedy0711 — 2024-10-09 16:09:22 UTC

Established in 1974, this act prohibits the ability to discriminate against students based on race, color, sex, or national origin. This act establishes the fact that no student could be excluded or refused access into any organization based on their backgrounds. All students are given the equal opportunity to participate in any activity of organization. Today all students are able to participate in any club or organization if given the ability to do so and are not allowed to be discriminated against. As a college student athlete I was able to learn about the several organizations and rules such as title IX that protect student atlas from any type of discrimination from coaches, teammates, or institutions. I think things like these are very important because it allows for all students to comfortably participate in any organization they deem fit. This encourages a more diverse culture and allows for all groups to thrive in education and receive opportunities which were previously unavailable to them.

IEP

katekennedy0711 — 2024-10-09 16:09:32 UTC

Established in 1975, IEPs are a legal document that outline certain services children with disabilities are entitled to in order to give all students equity in education. These documents are individualized for every student and give students services such as note takers or extra time on tests in order to give all students, specifically those with disabilities, equal opportunity to thrive in education. IEPs are very much normalized today and they range from simple services like extra time on tests to more severe service depending on the severity of the disability. Here at Iona we have several services such as the CAP program that help work alongside the IEPs to give those students the best opportunity to do the best they can and to help put them on par with other students in the institution. I believe that these documents are extremely important as they provide not equality but equity to students. Some students due to their disability need extra help in order to place them on the same playing field as their fellow students. And IEPs help to provide those equal opportunities and allow for any student to be given the chance to succeed regardless of their disabilities or lack thereof.

Americans with Disabilities act (ADA)

katekennedy0711 — 2024-10-09 16:09:41 UTC

Established in 1990, ADA is an act that prohibits any discrimination based on disabilities. Similar to many of the other cats that prohibit discrimination based on race, sex, or social background, this act focuses on disabilities from mental and learning disabilities to physical disabilities. This act ensures that all students are given equal opportunity wherever it may apply whether it's for the participation of clubs and organizations or the opportunity to uphold special positions. Not only does this act apply to in school organizations but it also ensures that individuals are given equal opportunity when it comes to any job opportunities as well as simply everyday things like transportation. I believe that this an extremely important act and very important when it comes to the education of those with disabilities as it gives those individuals just as many opportunities as their peers. No student is allowed to be discouraged or excluded based on their disability allowing for all students to thrive and allow for all students to dream big and reach for what they want without having to worry about their disability getting in the way.

Individuals with disabilities education act (IDEA)

katekennedy0711 — 2024-10-09 16:09:52 UTC

Established in 1990, this piece of legislation ensures that all students' needs for their disabilities will be met for free. Prior to what education was like in the colonial and national era, this act allows for all students to be given a free education in which all their needs are met. Students, especially those from lower classes, will not have to worry about there being a financial divide setting them apart from their peers. This is extremely important because not only are students prohibited from being discriminated against based on their disability but now they are able to have all of their needs met for free. Students are able to thrive regardless of their social class and all students are given the same opportunity for equity in education as there is no need to pay in order to have their basic needs met. I strongly believe in the importance of this act because every student should be given the same opportunities and prior to this act even if students were not being discriminated against those students who were unable to afford help for their disabilities often fell through the cracks of the education system. Thanks to IDEA all students are given the same opportunity for no extra and unnecessary costs.

No Child Left Behind

katekennedy0711 — 2024-10-09 16:10:01 UTC

Established in 2002, this act reestablished the mandatory attendance of elementary and secondary education for all of America's youth regardless of race, color, sex, or background. This is a massive step from the beginning of my timeline where I discussed schooling in the colonial era in which education was not mandated and only was accessible to white boys from wealthy families. This act ensures that regardless of any child's background they will receive a thorough education from when they are young until they are nearly adults. Not only is this education mandated but it is also free, allowing for every child to be pushed to succeed and helping to stop massive amounts of our youth from falling through the cracks of the education system due to factors they cannot control. This is a humongous step and makes the the United states a country in which all children are given the opportunity to succeed. I believe heavily in this as children should not be discriminated against or excluded based on factors they are unable to control, along with that every child should have the opportunity to grow and to be a child which this law protects.

Conclusion

katekennedy0711 — 2024-10-14 00:15:44 UTC

I chose the previous events for my timeline because they all help to tell the story of the evolution of the United States education system through the lens of equity. I began my timeline describing the foundation on which our education system was built upon and how that system only favored a certain group of people. The beginnings of our education was only for those of white rich boys, all other groups were not only discouraged to learn but were simply unable to due to national laws or families being unable to afford the ability to learn. Slowly this was able to evolve into the education system we have today. The evolution was able to happen as new social acts were introduced which desegregated and prohibited discrimination of minority groups. This was a very long and slow process but slowly the education system began to include previously outside groups. Then it changed to not only including but refusing discrimination of those groups. then the system evolved into giving the freedom of education to all for free and mandating such. I focused on those certain events because I felt they were able to show not just the evolution as it strictly retained to education but it also showed the evolution of the social world as well. I felt like certain events were important to include as they paint the whole entire picture of Education in the United States. These events help to show the impact of education and how important it is in order to achieve success. These events truly help to demonstrate who the inclusion of all individuals and the gift of equity allows for all individuals to succeed.