Education Policy: Research: Chronology:
Federal-State
Education Policy Chronology
2000-2002
This summary lists key events and developments in the history of federal education policy. You can view the complete version of this publication in PDF format.
| 2000 | Supreme Court on aid to private/religious education, in Mitchell v. Helms, rules 6-3 to uphold the provision of federal aid to religious schools in the form of computers and library books. |
| 2001 | National Education Summit. Governors, business leaders, and educators commit to continuing emphasis on standards, paying experienced teachers more to teach in low-performing schools, creating high standards for prospective teachers, and increasing resources for education. |
| No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), a reauthorization of ESEA, enacted with bi-partisan support. Requires: All students to be “proficient” in reading, mathematics, and science by 2014, with Adequate Yearly Progress measures to determine school success; annual standardized tests (developed by the states) in grades 3-8 in reading and mathematics; reports from all schools by disaggregated groups of students; sanctions on schools not meeting AYP requirements; school plans to close achievement gaps. Opponents (including NSBA, AASA, NEA, National Conference of State Legislatures) claim that low funding and high costs will create financial crisis for state and local governments. | |
| English Language Acquisition Act (part of NCLB) replaces Bilingual Education Act; requires that LEP students be tested in English after three years in the U.S. | |
| 2002 | Supreme Court on aid to private/religious education, upholds Cleveland's school choice program allowing the use of public funds to provide vouchers for children to attend private and religious schools.
|
