The professional standards movement began in 1957 after the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, which caused Americans to question the US educational system and led to numerous reform initiatives. Major reforms included the National Defense Education Act of 1958 which provided funding for STEM education, and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 which established standards and accountability and provided funds to close achievement gaps. A Nation at Risk report in 1983 renewed emphasis on core subjects and high standards, calling for reforms like longer school days and years.

1. Professional Standards Movement
The professional standards
movement began in 1957
when the Soviet Union’s
launch of Sputnik. This created
uncertainty in the minds of
Americans in the educational
system in the United States.
Americans felt as though the
educational system was to
blame which brought about
numerous initiatives over the
past 50 years.

2. National Defense
Education Act of
1958
• Provided the country with
defense oriented
personnel
• Gave financial assistance
through government
sponsored loan programs
who enrolled at colleges
and universities
• The NDEA focuses on the
basics math, science, and
foreign languages
National Defense Education Act of 1958." American Decades. 2001.
Retrieved November 08, 2011 from Encyclopedia.com:

3. Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 (ESEA 1965)
• April 11, 1965 President Lyndon
B. Johnson signed ESEA into law
• Congress called ESEA “Johnson’s
War on Poverty”
• Establishes high standards and
accountability
• Closes gaps between students by
providing fair and equal
opportunities to achieve an
education
• Provided funds are for
professional development,
instructional materials, resources
to support educational programs,
and parental involvement
promotion
Elementary and Secondary Education Act. 1965. Public Law 89-10 April9/ll, 1965

4. National Assessment of
Educational Progress
has two goals:
* Compare student
achievement in each state
and other jurisdictions
* Track changes in
achievement of 4th, 8th,
and 12th grade students
over time in math,
reading, writing, science
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/

5. A Nation at Risk:
The Imperative For Educational Reform
• National Commission on Excellence in Education
wrote A Nation at Risk in 1983
• Renewed emphasis on the "Five New Basics“
• The commission made 38 recommendations,
across 5 categories
• Content: 4 years of English; 3 years of
mathematics; 3 years of science; 3 years of social
studies; and one-half year of computer science
for high school students.
• Standards and Expectations: four-year colleges
should raise admissions standards and
standardized tests of achievement
• Time: School districts and State legislatures
should lengthen school days to 7-hours and the
school calendar from 200- to 220-day school year.
• Teaching: Salaries for teachers be competitive
and market-sensitive as well as performance-
based
• Leadership and Fiscal Support: The Federal
government will provide fiscal support for
student programs for gifted and talented,
socioeconomically disadvantaged, minority and
language minority , and handicapped students
• Compliance with Civil Rights
http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/NatAtRisk/index.html

6. President George W. Bush signed NCLB into law January 8, 2002
Extension of Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
Aimed at improving the performance of every public school
Provides parents with more choices in their children's education
Requires all states to set high standards of achievement

7. References
• “The National Defense Education Act (NDEA) financial assistance National Defense
Education Act of 1958." American Decades. 2001. Retrieved November 08, 2011
from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-
3468301841.html
• Kasper, B. B. 2005. Educational reform 1983-1994: New ideas or the rebirth of
Quintilian's ideologies? American Educational History Jounal 32:175-182
• Elementary and Secondary Education Act. 1965. Public Law 89-10 April 9-ll, 1965
• http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard
• Watras, J. 2004. Philosophic conficts in American education, 1893-2000. Boston:
Pearson Education, Inc
• Kessinger, T. A. (2011). EFFORTS TOWARD EDUCATIONAL REFORM IN THE UNITED
STATES SINCE 1958. American Educational History Journal, 38(1/2), 263-276
• U.s. constitution online . (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html
• Lac, A. (2010). Predicting position on teaching creationism (instead of evolution) in
public schools. The Journal of Eductional Research, 103(4), 253. Retrieved from
http://proquest.umi.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/pqdweb?index=8&did=2119405591
&SrchMode=2&sid=2&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD
&TS=1318179191&clientId=48377

8. References Continued
• Steven D. Schafersman, Teaching morals and
values in the public schools: a humanist
perspective; March, 1991
• Gardner, Roy, Cairns, Jo, Lawton, Denis; Education
for Values: Morals, Ethics and Citizenship in
Contemporary Teaching, 2003
• Edwin S. Gaustad, ed., A Documentary History of
Religion in America (Grand Rapids: William B.
Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1982), pp. 259-
261
• UCSC. (n. d.). Title IX/Sexual Harassment Office.
www2.ucsc.edu/title9-sh/titleix.htm