The Politics of Literacy

The 20th Century was the idea of education for all people. Kindergarten came about and was in almost all public schools by 1910. The state controlled free public education. Students had to come to school, it was mandatory. All people; race, gender, background, had the right to have the same opportunity and education in schools. Early childhood education programs were more popular and students began to look at college as something that they can do, attainable.

Between 1900-1996 the percentage of teenager’s graduation from high school increased 6%. In 1940, we have over 117,000 school districts. But by 1900 the number had dropped to 15,000. The invention of automobiles in 1920, made it possible for larger districts. School buses made it possible for children living in rural areas to come to school.

Private schools were made available in 1925 when the Supreme Court ruled that children didn’t have to go to public school. They could go to private school if they wanted. The private schools were religious based schools.

Following the WWII the need for larger schools became huge. Immigrants and large birth era was two of many reasons. Programs such as Title 1, Head Start, and Job Corps came through President Kennedy and Johnson, trying to decrease the poverty rate.