Introduction to Education

Describe the contributions of key figures, events, and court cases in the history of American education from 1950 to 1980.
Relate controversies regarding US education from 1950 to 1980 with similar issues today.
Use a study guide to take notes from a video.

Learning Activities

Assignment #4: Recognizing the Struggle for Educational Equality
Weekly Self-Care Journal
After-Class Reflection

Instructional Materials

This module covers developments in U.S. education from the 1980s to the present time.
Watch the fourth part of the series, School: The Story of American Public Education.

The Bottom Line in Education: 1980 to the Present( Full Video 55:20). You must log in to PCC to access this video. (I suggest downloading either of the note-taking guides to help you take notes while watching the film.)

- Note-taking guide option 1
- Note-taking guide option 2
School: The Story of American Public Education. Curriculum Guide. This curriculum guide, which is a companion guide for a four-part videotape series on the history of the U.S. system of public education, is intended for use by post-secondary faculty in education who wish to infuse into their courses historical and current perspectives on the evolution of U.S. public schools and the impact of public education on U.S. society.

Accountability Systems - No Child Left Behind

No Child Left Behind ( NCLB): An Overview. In this article, learn how NCLB came into existence and its purpose.
No Child Left Behind (NCLB). In the film series “The Story of American Public Education”, we saw the beginning of the age of accountability in the 1990s when business leaders and politicians from both parties demanded higher standards from the public school system. This is what brought us to the passing of the 2002 federal act NCLB.
No Child Left Behind, Explained and Summarized. In this video, you will learn about the NCLB.
No Child Left Behind is dead. But have states learned from it? In this article, you will read the criticisms levied at No Child Left Behind.
What Teachers Thought of the No Child Left Behind Program: In this video, teachers were asked to share a word that comes to mind when they think of the effects of the No Child Left Behind program.
Reforming the Elementary and Secondary Education Act- In this video, the Center for American Progress (CAP) proposes strengthening the law for maximum effectiveness.

Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)

Elementary and Secondary Education Act ( ESSA). The Elementary and Secondary Education Act ( ESEA) of 1965, under President Johnson, was the first attempt by the federal government to address the issue of poverty in US schools. A reauthorization of ESEA signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2002, also known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. The ESSA replaced the previous No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act.
2018: The Year of ESSA - This video explains why ESSA is expected to be successful.
Head Start History. On this website, you can gain in-depth information about the Head Start Program. Early Head Start and the free lunch program originated from the ESEA. It is essential to recognize that the history of ESEA, and ultimately NCLB, is grounded in an acknowledgment of the social inequities in the US that affect educational outcomes. When you hear the phrase “Title I”, it refers to higher levels of poverty, whether referring to funding or a school; this terminology originates from this act.

The Common Core - Educational Standards

The History of Common Core State Standards. This article discusses the history of the Common Core and examines the perspectives of both supporters and critics on the standards.
Nearly a decade later, did the Common Core work? New research offers a clue. This provides an overview of why it worked and why some do not follow it.
Common Core States in 2024. Provides a list of states that follow Common Core.
United States Standards: In this interactive map, you can see the details about each state’s educational standards, including state-specific adoption of the Common Core standards.

Recent Federal Policy Shifts

How eliminating the Department of Education can impact Oregon, Washington schools (Video: 4:00)
Explainer: What Dismantling the Department of Education Really Means. ( Podcast, 18:00)
Why dismantling the education department has merit. ( Article) You must log in to PCC to access this article.
Public Education Under Threat: 4 Trump Administration Actions To Watch in the 2025-26 School Year (Webpage)
How Trump Is Changing the Federal Government’s Role in Schools ( Webpage)
The Status of Litigation Against the Trump Administration’s K-12 Education Agenda: A Guide for Education Leaders ( Webpage).
Patriotic Education Campaigns, such as the 1776 Commission ( Web page).
The Trauma Immigration Raids Leave in Classrooms (Webpage)
How the Education Department is using civil rights laws to bring schools to heel ( Webpage)

Additional Resources

The Class of 2025 is an OPB documentary that follows a diverse group of Oregon students as they journey from elementary school into high school within a rapidly changing education system. Through their stories, the film highlights how social, economic, and policy shifts shape students’ opportunities, challenges, and hopes for the future

Key policies that have had an impact on education from the 1980s to the present.

Timeline Handout Option 1 (Doc)
Timeline Handout Option 2 (PDF)

Learning Activities

Assignment #5: Case Study: The Impacts of Educational Policies

Goal: Critically analyze educational reforms since 1980 by applying them to a school or district context. Evaluate their impact on various student populations and consider their long-term implications.

Instructions: You can submit the case study assignment in either written paper form or as a video/audio presentation. If you choose the paper option, write 500–700 words. If you choose the audio/video option, record a 4–6 minute presentation. Both options should cover the same content: key figures, key terms, and critical reflection

Part A: Key Figures

Compare Ronald Reagan’s education policies (school choice, vouchers, reduced federal funding) and E.D. Hirsch’s Core Knowledge philosophy.
Apply each figure’s ideas to a real or fictional district.
- Who would benefit? Who might be left behind?
Conclude with a brief personal reflection: Have you encountered either approach in your own educational experience?

Part B: Key Terms

Choose three terms from the list:

A Nation at Risk
Public school choice
Magnet schools
Voucher programs
Homeschooling
Charter schools
Any one of the recent federal policies

For each term:

Explain the concept briefly in your own words.
Apply it to your case study district: What would it look like if implemented?
Identify beneficiaries and those who might face barriers.

Part C: Standardized Testing

Discuss one positive and one negative effect of standardized testing in your district.
Provide a personal or local example.
Suggest one alternative assessment that would better serve diverse students.

Here is a sample response to guide you through this assignment.

Weekly Journal Self-Care for Future Educators: Make Taking Care of Ourselves a Priority

Teaching is deeply meaningful work, but it can also be emotionally, mentally, and physically demanding. One of the most important professional habits you can build now, as a future educator, is the ability to care for yourself with intention. Sustainable teaching begins with sustainable you.

Why Self-Care Matters in Education

As teachers, we support students through academic challenges, emotional stress, life transitions, and moments of growth. To do this well, we need to nurture and protect our own well-being. Self-care is not indulgent; it’s an essential part of ethical and responsible teaching. When you care for yourself, you:

Strengthen your resilience and emotional regulation
Model healthy habits for your students
Improve your creativity, patience, and decision-making
Build longevity in the profession

Your Self-Care Journal

Throughout the module, you are invited to keep a simple Self-Care Journal. Make a copy of this Google Document and download the copy. Your journal’s purpose is to record one activity that you are doing to take care of yourself each week. We need to develop habits of self-care so that it can become part of our practice. The suggested prompts are provided to help you get started. If you are doing something else than the suggested activity, then add it to your journal. In your After-Class Reflection, report what you are doing each week as a self-care practice.

Week 5 –After Class Reflections

Goal: The goal of this activity is to gather feedback on your understanding of concepts each week and address any questions you may have related to the content and instructions. This is considered a form of formative assessment.

Instructions: Please complete the survey.

Open Licenses Introduction to Education by Anne Grey for Open Oregon Educational Resources is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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