Key Shapers of the American Education System
Jennifer Milam
Grand Canyon University: UNV 576
Wednesday September 6, 2012

Key Shapers of the American Education System
The historical events that have shaped America and contribute to all that is quintessentially “American” can also be seen in the evolution of our country’s education system. There are many key contributors and events in history that have led up to the education system and the challenges and triumphs that we see today in schools all across America. The most significant theme that runs throughout the evolution of our modern education system is the evolvement of attitudes and philosophies that were at times controversial, but without which, the school system we know today would cease to exist. There are four notable shapers to this evolution of attitudes: John Calvin (1509), John Dewey (1916), Brown vs. the Board of Education (1954), and the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLBA) of 2002. These four shapers mark clear delineations in the purposes and attitudes that have shaped our education system at distinct fork in the roads along the path to today’s school experience in America.

John Calvin
John Calvin was the leading face and voice of the protestant reformation movement. He, along with Martin Luther of the Lutheran reformation, believed that states should sponsor schools and that the general public deserves to have access to schools. His purpose behind this idea was that every citizen should be able to read the Bible for themselves and have the knowledge to become a productive member of society (Webb et al, 2010). In order to be a great citizen, a person should be able to realize their purpose as defined by God, and be of service to God. Calvin’s original concept of how education should be executed led to the creation of “vernacular schools” that taught basic reading, writing, mathematics and religion (Web et al, 2010). The early colonist groups in America were huge supporters of Calvin’s ideas. The very first elementary schools in the colonies were modeled after his philosophies.

John Dewey
Around 1916, John Dewey, a philosopher and psychologist, created the foundation that would come to be known as the progressive education movement (Webb, et al, 2010). He did not agree with the Calvinistic purposes of education and its Christian roots. Instead, he sought to gain popularity with the ideas that the purpose of schooling was to promote citizens of a democratic state. Instead of education existing to develop students to love and serve God, Dewey argued that the purpose was to promote liberty, equality and fraternity (Cimpean, 2008). He did not favor complete autonomy for men from the government, nor did he support complete control of the government over its citizens. To this end, he outlined a whole new approach to learning. Rather than accepting the current curriculum of the day which centered around a particular subject and consisted primarily of rote memorization, Dewey taught a child centered curriculum based on experiential learning with motivation from moderators being the key ingredient in the learning process (Webb, et al, 2010). His goal was to allow students to develop as individuals and prepare to be full participants in a democratic society. His attitudes and ideas continued to play a major role in American education well into the 20th century.

Brown vs. the Board of Education
Along with evolvement of the religious and philosophical ideas that shape our education system today, the compilation of the ethnic and racial make-up of students and faculty that make up our modern schools would not exist without the Supreme Court decision of Brown vs. the Board of Education in 1954. The decision by the Supreme Court was a repeal of an earlier ruling in the Plessy vs. Ferguson case that had ruled to maintain schools as “separate but equal” (Webb, et al, 2010). The Court ruled that segregated schools “generate a feeling of inferiority that affect a child’s motivation to learn (Webb, et al, 2010).” The decision was the first significant event in the civil rights movement. There were massive protests and violence between federal enforcers, local citizens and law enforcement agents over the desegregation of community schools. The most notable of these scenarios played out in Little Rock, Arkansas, where federal troops were sent to protect nine black students entering Central High School for the first time. Later, the withholding or rewarding of federal funds to schools that were either opposed or in support of diversity among its students and faculty became the driving force in the ultimate blending of schools. The Brown vs. the Board of Education decision has paved the way for women’s rights, elderly, disabled, racial and ethnic groups within America’s school system today.

No Child Left Behind Act
As we approach the year 2013, the biggest shaper of the culture in education today is the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 (NCLBA). Initiated by President George W. Bush, NCLBA is an Act of Congress that sought to implement education standards among states and evaluate those standards through the process of standardized testing of students (Webb, et al, 2010). As a result, 95% of students in grades 3-8 and high school are tested annually. The student’s scores are compared to standards that are set by the state. If the school’s overall test scores are below the standard for more than two consecutive years, the school is put on probation. If the school does not manage to turn the results around, the ultimate sanction could lead to state takeover of the school. NCLBA is significant to the landscape of American education today because it is the first time proficiency standards have been defined in many states with states now having clear goals and objectives to strive for in the shaping of America’s students. The challenges lie in the “one shape fits all” approach that NCLBA brings to the classroom. Many students, particularly ELL and disabled students, have a hard time performing up to the standards of proficiency thus pressuring teachers to try to fit these students into a model that is not designed with their specific needs in mind. The result is that teachers spend a great deal of extra time engaging these students for purposes of performing on state tests rather than teaching to the class as a whole or initiating learning processes in the classroom to develop a lesson into greater detail. When we look back at some of the sweeping changes in attitudes, and directions of the American Education system throughout history, the challenges and the benefits of the many facets that shape our schools today become abundantly clear. Looking to the future with these same colored spectacles, it is clear to see that in the future, today’s education system will most likely look drastically different. One thing however will always remain true; Americans unanimously believe that the education of our next generation is the most important thing we can provide for the strength and longevity of the United States of America.

References
Cimpean, C. (2008). Work or love?: A Christian evaluation or John Dewey’s views on the purpose of schooling. Journal of Philosophy & History of Education, 5823-31.
Webb, L.D., Metha, A., & Jordan, K.F. (2010). Foundations of American Education (6th ed.). New Jersey, Merrill.