Education Reform

Education Reform

Before the mid-1800's, no uniform educational policy existed in the Inited States. School conditions varied across regions. Massachusetts and Maine were the only states before the Civil War to pass a compulsory school attendance by law. Classes were not divided by grade so younger and older children were thrown in together. Few children stayed in school beyond the age of ten. In the 1830's, Americans increasingly began to demand tax-supported public schools. In 1834, Pennsylvania established a tax-supported public school system. Within three years, about forty two percent of elementary school-aged children were attending public schools. Other states soon followed Massachusetts and Pennsylvania's example. By the 1850's, every state had established some form of publicly funded elementary schools. However, in states farther west and south, it took more time to firmly establish them.