Final Draft History of Public Education in the U.S. by Juan Martinez

Boston Latin School (1635)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

The Boston Latin School, which was founded on April 23, 1635, is located in Boston, Massachusetts and is the first and oldest public school in the United States.

Passage of the Massachusetts Bay School Law (1642)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

On this day in 1642, Massachusetts Bay Colony passed the first law in the New World requiring that children be taught to read and write. The English Puritans who founded Massachusetts believed that the well-being of individuals, along with the success of the colony, depended on a people literate enough to read both the Bible and the laws of the land.

Two Track Educational system (1779)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

In 1779, Thomas Jefferson proposed a two-track educational system with different tiers for, in his words, “the laboring and the learned.” Scholarship would allow a very few of the laboring class to advance, Jefferson says, by “raking a few geniuses from the rubbish.”

1st Public School in the U.S. (1821)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

The first public high school in the U.S. was organized this month in 1821. The English Classical School opened with 101 male students in Boston. An alternative to Boston Latin, the school is established to prepare boys for success in business and industry. Girls are not admitted until the 1970s.

Round Hill School (1823)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

The Round Hill School, a private school established in 1823 in Northampton, Massachusetts, was the first to include physical education as an integral part of the curriculum.

First Official American P.E. Teacher (1825)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

Charles Beck became the first official American P.E. teacher who taught German gymnastics

First College Gym (1825)

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Charles Follen opened the first college gym at Harvard University and the first public gym in Boston, Massachusetts.

Secretary of Education (1837)

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Horace Mann, who became the Massachusetts Secretary of Education in 1837, was instrumental in the establishment of a broader network of public schools. Mann focused on training teachers and expanding elementary education to all students.

Residential Facilities for Education (1850s)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

By the 1850s, almost every state had built residential facilities for education and treatment of persons with mental retardation, blindness, and deafness. The trend became educating persons with these disabilities separately, an advancement over the existing practice of ignoring and hiding them.

First Compulsory School Law (1852)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

Massachusetts passed the first compulsory school laws in 1852. New York followed the next year, and by 1918, all American children were required to attend at least elementary school.

Birth of the National Teachers Association (1857)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

Ten state education associations issue a call to “unite … to advance the dignity, respectability and usefulness of their calling.” At first, only men can join, but women are welcomed in 1866.

Normal Institute Of Physical Education (1861)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

The Normal Institute of Physical Education was founded in Boston, Massachusetts. The first teacher training school for physical education in the United States.

Physical Education Legislation (1866)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

In the year 1866 California became the first state in the nation to require physical exercise in its schools. The man responsible for the drafting and passage of this legislation was John Swett.

First Department of Education (1867)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

President Andrew Johnson created the first Department of Education. Originally, the department’s role was to collect information about the nation's schools, but it was demoted to an Office of Education in 1868 since people feared that the department had too much control over local schools.

NEA Elects Woman as Vice President (1869)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

Just three years after membership is opened to women, the NTA elects Emily Rice as Vice President of the Association. In 1910, the NTA elects a woman as president.

Association for Advancement of Physical Education (1885)

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William G. Anderson held a meeting to form the Association for Advancement of Physical Education, training people to become professional physical educators.

First Modern Olympics (1896)

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1896: First modern Olympics in Athens sparked many people’s interest in physical fitness

Physical Education Legislation (Early 1900s)

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Early1900s: Many states passed physical education legislation requiring physical training in schools.

NCAA (1906)

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The NCAA, a member-led organization, was founded in 1906 to regulate the rules of college sport and protect young athletes.

The Smith-Hughes Act (1917)

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The Smith-Hughes Act established the Federal-State Program in vocational education; created a Federal Board of Vocational Education with the authority and responsibility for vocational rehabilitation of disabled veterans.

Corrective Physical Education(1920s)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

The period in our history called Corrective Physical Education began with the year the 19th amendment to the Constitution (1920, women's right to vote) was enacted; continued with the roaring twenties, the Great Depression, a worldwide flu epidemic, and two world wars; and ended with the origin of wheelchair sports, the creation of parent advocacy groups spearheading the return of children with disabilities from residential facilities to their home environments, and the rapid development of both the physical education and special education professions.

Pierce v. Society of Sisters (1925)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

In Pierce v. Society of Sisters (1925), the court declared the Oregon School Bill unconstitutional and ruled that parents have the right to determine how their children should be educated.

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Scholastic Aptitude Tests Are Adopted Nationally (1926)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

The first SAT tests are administered. Founded as the Scholastic Aptitude Test by the College Board, a nonprofit group of universities and other educational organizations, the original test lasted 90 minutes and consisted of 315 questions testing knowledge of vocabulary and basic math.

Alvarez v. the Board of Trustees of the Lemon Grove School District decision (1931)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

Roberto Alvarez v. the Board of Trustees of the Lemon Grove School District, was the first successful school desegregation court decision in the history of the United States.

Passage of the National School Lunch Act (1946)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

Recognizing the benefits of keeping children well fed and healthy, in 1946 Congress passed the National School Lunch Act:

Educational Testing Service is founded (1947)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

Educational Testing Service, commonly known as ETS, is the world’s largest private nonprofit educational testing and assessment organization. It was founded in 1947 by three organizations namely American Council on Education, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and College Entrance Examination Board.

National Wheelchair Basketball Association (1949)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

In 1949, the National Wheelchair Basketball Association was founded, believed by many to be the first wheelchair sports organization in the world.

Physical Education for Individuals with Disabilities (Prior to 1950s)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

Prior to the 1950s, physical education for individuals with disabilities consisted of medically inspired efforts toward remediation of their “condition”.

Adapted Physical Education (1952)

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In 1952 the American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation (AAHPER) formed a committee to define adapted physical education and give direction for teachers.

Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision (1954)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

Public schools may not prevent minority students from attending white schools, declaring that “separate educational facilities are inherently unequal” and overturing Plessy v. Fergusson.

The Council on Youth Fitness (1955)

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President Eisenhower formed the Council on Youth Fitness in reaction to the Kraus-Weber test results.

Passage of the National Defense Education Act (1958)

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The Soviet Union's launching of Sputnik in 1957, allowed supporters to link educational aid to national defense and led to the passage of the NDEA the following year.

President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (1961)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

President Kennedy reforms the Council on Youth Fitness into the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Promotes healthy eating and physical activity for all people, regardless of background or ability.

Passage of the Higher Education Act (1965)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

Greatly increases federal aid to students in higher education though loans, grants, and work-study programs. The success of the Higher Education Act in enabling literally millions of students to attend college and university has transformed this country for the better, and helped create a fundamentally more equitable and creative society

Physical Education and Recreation for Handicapped (1967)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

In 1967 the federal government provided funds for professional preparation, research, and demonstration projects in physical education and recreation for the handicapped.

Bilingual Education Act (1968)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

Bilingual Education Act (BEA) from its inception in 1968 through its most recent reauthorization in 1994 as the primary federal legislative effort to provide equal educational opportunity to language minority students in the United States.

Special Olympics (1968)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

The first International Special Olympics Summer Games are held at Soldier Field in Chicago, a joint venture between the Kennedy Foundation and the Chicago Park District.

Bureau of Education for the Handicapped (1969)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

15 colleges and universities were awarded $20,000 each by the Bureau of Education for the Handicapped (BEH) to develop model professional preparation programs in adapted physical education and/or recreation.

Passage of Title IX of the Education Amendments of (1972)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) prohibits discrimination based on sex in education programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance.

The Rehabilitation Act of (1973)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

Designed to prevent discrimination and provide equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance.

Passage of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (1975)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

Amendments to the Education of the Handicapped Act to improve educational services in local public schools for children with mental, physical, emotional, and learning handicaps require that free appropriate public education be available for all handicapped children.

Health-Related Physical Fitness Test (1981)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

1981: AAHPERD developed another health-related physical fitness test. This fitness test is a motor fitness test for school-level boys and girls. It is used to measure their upper body strength, endurance, flexibility, coordination, etc.

American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (1983)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons invited recreation leaders and physical educators to Winter Park, Colorado, to seek advice regarding appropriate physical activity for handicapped pupils. One of the interesting outcomes of this meeting was the reality that long-term exemption from physical activity is seldom justified, and only rarely may a youngster not participate in a particular sport or activity if it is appropriately modified.

Amendments to the Education For All Handicapped Children Act (1983)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

Amendments to the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. Provided incentives to states to provide services to infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with handicapping conditions.

Education for all Handicapped Children Amendments of (1986)

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Expanded educational services to preschool children. Established programs of early intervention.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (1990)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) replaced the term “handicapped” with “disabilities,” expanded on types of services offered and disabilities covered.

Physical Best Fitness Testing Program (1994)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

1994: The nation established the Physical Best fitness testing program. This is a comprehensive health-related fitness education program developed by physical educators for physical educators that focuses on: Educating all children regardless of athletic talent, physical and mental abilities or disabilities.

California Passed Proposition 209 (1996)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

Proposition 209, passed in 1996, prohibited UC and other state entities from using race, ethnicity or sex as criteria in public employment, public contracting and public education.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of (1997)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

Provided several changes in the law, including provisions for free appropriate education for all children with disabilities (ages 3 to 21); extension of a “developmental delay” provisions for children ages 3 to 9; emphasis on educational results; required progress reports for children with disabilities that are the same as those for children without disabilities.

Olympic and Armature Sports Act (1998)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

The United States Olympic Committee assumed the role and responsibilities of the United States Paralympics Committee.

Physical Education for Progress Act (2000)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

Congress approved the Physical Education for Progress Act. It required at least 150 minutes per week of physical education for elementary, middle and secondary school students, and daily physical education.

No Child Left Behind Act (2001)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 was the first national law to require consequences for U.S. schools based on students’ standardized test scores. Although the NCLB era officially came to a close in December 2015, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), NCLB’s replacement, continues to include consequences for schools according to standardized test scores.

Common Core State Standards (2009)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

The Common Core State Standards arose from a simple idea: that creating one set of challenging academic expectations for all students would improve achievement and college readiness.

Let's Move Program (2010)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama established a Task Force on Childhood Obesity and began the Let’s Move program to improve national health and increase physical activity.

California Governor Signs Law to Create First State Ethnic Studies Curriculum (2016)

juanmartinez312 — 2023-12-15 04:56:30 UTC

AB-2016 is a landmark law that will ensure all California high school students have an opportunity to learn about their own or another culture's history and importance in shaping the state's past, present, and future