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First Published School
Boston Latin School becomes the first school in Boston, Massachusetts of the United States. It was a boys-only public secondary school that was led by schoolmaster Philemon Pormont, a Puritan settler. The Boston Latin School was strictly for college preparation and was modeled after the Free Grammar School of Boston, England. This school only taught Latin and Greek and was centered on humanities. -
First Institution
Harvard College was the first institution of higher education in the United States. It was voted by the Great and General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. It was established in Newtowne (now Cambridge), Massachusetts and named after the young benefactor, John Harvard. -
Ursuline Academy of New Orleans
Founded by the Sisters of the Order of Saint Ursula and it was believed education was essential for women. The Ursuline tradition holds many United States firsts in its dedication to the growth of individuals. This includes the first female pharmacist, first woman to contribute a book of literary merit, first convent, first free school and first retreat center for ladies. It would provide the first classes for female African-American slaves, free women of color and Native Americans. -
The Young Ladies Academy
Founded by a Harvard graduate named John Poor was established in Philadelphia. Five years later, the Young Ladies’ Academy would become the first chartered institution for the higher education of young women in the United States. It included reading, writing, spelling, arithmetic, English grammar, composition, rhetoric, geography, history, and vocal music. -
First School for Children with Visual Disabilities
New England Asylum for the Blind was established in Boston and opened with six students. Within six years, it had ten times more students. It was the first that, blind and deaf-blind American children could attend a school that would teach them reading, writing, and mathematics. They were taught to use their sense of touch to compensate for their lack of sight. It was later renamed the Perkins Institute for the Blind, in honor of an early benefactor. -
Horace Mann
He becomes Secretary of the newly formed Massachusetts State Board of Education., Mann works nonstop to increase funding of public schools and better training for teachers. As Editor of the Common School Journal, he believed in the importance of free, universal public education gains a national audience. He resigns his position as Secretary in 1848 to take the Congressional seat vacated by the death of John Quincy Adams and would later become the first president of Antioch College. -
Association for Children with Learning Disabilities
In 1964, Samuel Kirkland uses the term "learning disability" in a Chicago meeting on children with disorders. In 1964, the Association for Children with Learning Disabilities, now the Learning Disabilities Association of America, is formed. Today many students receive special education. -
Bilingual Education Act
Congress legislated the Bilingual Education Act of 1968 in order to mandate schools to provide bilingual education programs.
"According to the Bilingual Education Act, the terms limited 'English proficiency' and 'limited English proficient' refer to individuals who were not born in the U.S. or whose native language is a language other than English, and who come from environments where a language other than English is dominant." -
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
Established in June 23, 1972 and prohibits discrimination based on sex in all aspects of education. -
IDEA
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was renamed and amends Public Law 94-142. It also made a changed to handicap to be announced as disability. This also mandates transition services and adds autism and traumatic brain injury to the list. -
No Child Left Behind
A program that was approved by Congress and signed by President George W. Bush to become a law on January 8, 2002. The law would reauthorize the ESEA of 1965 and replace the Bilingual Education Act of 1968 It only mandates high-stakes student testing, holds schools accountable for student achievement levels, and provides penalties for schools that do not make adequate yearly progress toward meeting the goals of NCLB. -
Vergara v. California
Superior Court of the State of California rules that laws regarding teacher tenure, seniority rights and dismissal are unconstitutional. Other states besides California are attempting to weaken or eliminate teacher tenure protections. -
Free Community College
President Barack Obama announces a plan to allow two years of free community college for all American students. However, with Republicans in control of both the House and Senate the purposely may not happen. -
Transgender Bathroom
Federal government orders school districts "to allow transgender students to use the bathroom that matches their gender identity." Even though this is not a law, districts that do not comply could face lawsuits or lose federal aid. -
Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District
Endrew F., a fifth grader with autism was placed into a private school due to his parents believing that public schools weren't being adequate. Later moved to the Firefly Autism House. This caused his parents to sue for reimbursement of his private school tuition and related expenses to the IDEA. They took this case to an Administrative Law Judge to review. His parent’s request for compensation concluding that his public school had provided him with (FAPE) as required by the IDEA was rejected.