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The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965 is the first and largest comprehensive federal education law that provides substantial monetary funds for kindergarten through twelfth grade education. As mandated in the act, the funds are authorized for an educator's professional development, instructional materials, resources to support educational programs, and parental involvement promotion.

 

ESEA was designed by Francis Keppel, Commissioner of Education and enacted by then President Lyndon B. Johnson. The Elementary and Secondary Act (ESEA) was the largest investment in elementary and  secondary education, according to the National Education Association (NEA 2002).

 

The act was originally authorized through 1970; however, the government has reauthorized the ESEA every five years since its enactment. As a result of the reauthorizations, the act has undergone numerous name changes and presidencies but the basic reasoning remains the same; targeted resources to help ensure that disadvantaged students have access to a quality public education.

 

A number of events led to the passage of the law including the Civil Rights movement, historical judicial decisions, (e.g., Brown versus the Board of Education), and congressional pressure.

 

Many programs exist today due to the ESEA Act of 1965. The act proved to be a catalyst for future educational legislation. A few of the pivotal acts that derived from the ESEA include: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Bilingual Education Act, and the Goals 2000: Educate America Act. All of these acts allocate funds and stipulate rights for all children receiving an education. Without ESEA much of the educational progress that has been made, specifically in Bilingual Education, would have been delayed or worse, suppressed.

 

Today ESEA is known as the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001. President George W. Bush signed and renamed the act on January 8, 2002. The major premise of the law is still in existence today; however, President Bush and Congress have made significant changes which include (1) stronger accountability for students and teachers, (2) increased flexibility and local control, (3) expanded options for parents, and an (4) emphasis on effective teaching methods.  Basically, the law mandates state administered standardized teasing, flexibility with the school budget (allocation of funds to various NCLB programs), parental options in regard to sending their child to a "better" public school than their home school, and professional development (e.g., Reading Programs).  In addition, NCLB has set standards for "highly qualified" teachers which states must meet in order to receive federal funding. 

 

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