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1802
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DC municipal government established by Congress
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before 1804
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Education in the area was provided by secular and religious private schools, some of which occasionally admitted black children
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1804
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City Council passes the first public education act, providing for free education for poor white children and allowing wealthier children to attend for a fee; a Board of Trustees (of 13 appointed members) is established
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1805
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Board of Trustees meets for the first time, electing then-President Thomas Jefferson its president; governance was generally directed by the Board and Mayor jointly; the number and composition of the Board changed periodically over the years
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1812-28
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Schools were supported by lotteries and occasional allocations from Congress
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1821-44
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Schools used the Lancastrian System of instruction, in which older or advanced students instructed younger students; the system was economical but emphasized the distinctions between wealthier and poorer students
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1831-45
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A Board of Trustees forbids children of well-to-do parents from attending the public schools; the public schools were generally viewed as "charity schools"
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1845
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Mayor Seaton reorganizes the system thoroughly, abolishing all fees, providing funding from property taxes (1858), and establishing a goal of education for all (white) children in the city; education was by the New England System; new two-room schoolhouses were built in each of the four school districts of the city
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1862
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Public education for black children established; first school buildings (one-room) constructed in the County of Washington, all for colored students
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1864
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The opening of the Wallach School (later demolished) inaugurates a period of larger, brick buildings (Franklin, Sumner) housing many grades together
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1865-80
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Instruction for blind children (in Maryland schools), deaf (in city schools), and "feeble-minded" (in Pennsylvania schools) begun
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1869
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First Superintendent of Public Schools (Zalmon Richards) appointed
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1873
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The first "normal school" (Franklin) for academic and teacher-training, and first vocational schools opened
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1874
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Administration divided between two Superintendents, one for instruction of white and one for black students; four existing Boards of Education (Washington City, Washington County, Georgetown, colored education) consolidated into one Board
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1876
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The first high school (for girls only) opens (for boys, 1877); high schools and normal schools for colored students followed soon afterward
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1882
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Over one quarter of schools rooms in the system are in rented buildings; introduction of "Cadet Training", the predecessor of JROTC
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1884
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The first school library established
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1889
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Introduction of physical education
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1895
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Textbooks for elementary students are provided free of charge
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1897
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The first Congress of Mothers leads to the present-day PTA and HSA organiztions
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1898
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Kindergarten introduced into the system
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1900
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Board of Trustees replaced with a Board of Education; the two Superintendents replaced with one
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1902
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Night school established, teaching vocational skills
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1903
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Introduction of medical facilities in schools
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1906
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The city's first compulsory school attendance law passed
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1908
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After an extensive review, the system begins a period of intensive building and renovation (eg, Central/Cardozo, Eastern)
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1916
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Summer school inaugurated
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1919
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The first Americanization School established for immigrants
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1920
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First retirement act for teachers passed
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1924
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The Teacher Salary Act ties salaries to those of the federal government, broadly reorganized pay structures and school administration
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1926
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Another period of extensive school building begins (eg, Janney, McKinley)
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1930
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Text books for junior and high school students are provided free of charge
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1939
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A new period of school building commences (Beers, Jefferson)
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1942
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The city's newly-established Board of Recreation plans playgrounds and recreation centers near city schools
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1954
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Bolling v. Sharpe decision of the U.S. Supreme Court ends racial segregation in DC (the case related to Sousa JHS)
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1959
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Board of Education approves the "track system", grouping students by achievement level
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1967
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Track system terminated as a result of court order, the court finding that it constituted a form of racial discrimination
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1968
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The Board of Education becomes an elected body
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1967
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A new period of school construction begins (Brookland, Dunbar)
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2000
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The system deaccessions many surplus buildings and begins a long-term project to renovate the remaining (Noyse, Thompson)
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Bytes of History