Changes in Education Curriculum Standards

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Before the 19th century there were very few standards for education. A persons ability to receive an education was directly based on their status in life and their ability to pay for privet tutors or private academies. Of course this only applied if you were male and white because females, blacks and other immigrants were not simply discouraged from getting an education, in most cases they were expressly forbidden to get one. In the later part of the 19th century, this changed in a few ways. Many realized the importance of an education for all, regardless of gender or race, and education was seen as a way to bring more equality to the masses, as well as a way to "Americanize" immigrants and other "outsiders" of society. A public school education was introduced, and was offered to every child, for free. These public schools would be responsible for answering to local, state and national boards, and specific standards and requirements were put in place regarding testing, attendance, and curriculum. Setting national standards for education, allows an equal opportunity for an education for all students. Whereas at one time teachers would set their own standards, a common standard was established for both teachers curriculum, and students instruction to keep education consistent across the board. Standards allowed a clear look at what each student should be learning at different levels of their education, such as universal subject requirements, and testing by grade. Teachers once held the position of being able to simply teach what they knew and at times learned along with their students. With standards, teachers must be educated and trained in their subject/s, and have a good understanding of their state's standards. They must also le...

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... officials and other educators agree that a standardized curriculum, instruction and assessment is pertinent to our nation keeping up with or exceeding other countries educational standards, as well as being an imperative part of maintaining a fair, challenging and most importantly, available to all, school system.

Works Cited

1. History of Education in America 2008, http://www.chesapeake.edu/library/EDU_101/eduhist_20thC.asp

2. Implementing curriculum, instruction and assessment standards, 2008 - http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/content/cntareas/science/sc300.htm

3. Standards and Curriculum Overview 2008, http://www.edsource.org/edu_sta.cfm

4. Incoporating asessment into the learning process 2008 - http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/content/cntareas/science/sc3asses.htm

5. Standards Based Reform, 2008 - http://www.aft.org/topics/sbr/curr.htm

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