The Nation’s Main K-12 Law: A Timeline of the ESEA
Federal Interactive

The Nation’s Main K-12 Law: A Timeline of the ESEA

By Alyson Klein — March 31, 2015 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Copy URL

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act has seen numerous changes in its 50-year history. View an interactive timeline showing milestones since the ESEA’s passage in 1965.

Related: ESEA’s 50-Year Legacy a Blend of Idealism, Policy Tensions

Alyson Klein
Assistant Editor,  Education Week
Alyson Klein is an assistant editor for Education Week.
Related Tags:
ESEA No Child Left Behind Act Federal Policy

Reporting: Alyson Klein | Design & Visualization: Laura Baker, Sumita Bannerjee, and Charles Borst
A version of this article appeared in the April 01, 2015 edition of Education Week

Events

Tue., March 11, 2025, 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Student Achievement Webinar Student Success Strategies: Flexibility, Recovery & More
Join us for Student Success Strategies to explore flexibility, credit recovery & more. Learn how districts keep students on track.
Content provided by Pearson
Register
Wed., March 12, 2025, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar Shaping the Future of AI in Education: A Panel for K-12 Leaders
Join K-12 leaders to explore AI’s impact on education today, future opportunities, and how to responsibly implement it in your school.
Content provided by Otus
Register
Thu., March 13, 2025, 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET
Student Achievement K-12 Essentials Forum Learning Interventions That Work
Join this free virtual event to explore best practices in academic interventions and how to know whether they are making a difference.
Register
See More Events

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs
Create Your Own Job Search

Read Next

Federal Opinion No One Should Want the Federal Government Dictating Civics Education
Whether or not you support President Trump’s plan to end “radical indoctrination” in schools, there’s a larger issue at stake.
David J. Bobb
•
4 min read
Illustration of Uncle Sam contemplating a public school building.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week + DigitalVision Vectors + iStock/Getty Images
Federal Draft of Trump Order Tells Linda McMahon to Prepare for Ed. Dept.'s Dismantling
The draft executive order says that "the federal bureaucratic hold on education must end."
Brooke Schultz
•
10 min read
Linda McMahon, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be Secretary of Education, arrives for her Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee confirmation hearing, at the U.S. Capitol, in Washington, on Feb. 13, 2025.
Linda McMahon arrives for her confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Feb. 13, 2025. The draft text of an executive order directs the newly sworn-in secretary of education to take steps to prepare for the elimination of the U.S. Department of Education.
Graeme Sloan for Education Week
Federal Explainer Linda McMahon, U.S. Secretary of Education: Background and Achievements
Background and highlights of Linda McMahon's tenure as the 13th U.S. Secretary of Education.
Education Week Library Staff
•
2 min read
Linda McMahon, former Administrator of Small Business Administration, speaks during the Republican National Convention on July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee.
Linda McMahon, former Administrator of Small Business Administration, speaks during the Republican National Convention on July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Federal Linda McMahon Is Confirmed by Senate as Education Secretary
The former wrestling mogul will become the nation's 13th secretary of education, and she has pledged to be its last.
Brooke Schultz & Matthew Stone
•
4 min read
Linda McMahon, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be Secretary of Education, testifies during her Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee confirmation hearing, at the U.S. Capitol, in Washington, on Feb. 13, 2025.
Linda McMahon testifies during her Feb. 13, 2025, confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee at the U.S. Capitol. The Senate has confirmed McMahon to serve as the next secretary of education.
Graeme Sloan for Education Week
Load More ▼