List of United States education acts explained

This is a list of acts enacted by the United States Congress pertaining to education in the United States. Many laws related to education are codified under Title 20 of the United States Code. This list does not include resolutions designating a specific day, week, or month in honor of an educational goal.

YearTitleDescriptionPublic Law
1862Morrill Act of 1862Created the land-grant university system.
1875Civil Rights Act of 1875Guaranteed equal treatment in public accommodations, including schools. Found unconstitutional in the Civil Rights Cases.
1890Morrill Act of 1890Amended the Morrill Act of 1862 to increase federal funding for land-grant universities.
1914Smith–Lever Act of 1914Created a cooperative extension service through land-grant universities.
1917Smith–Hughes National Vocational Education Act of 1917Amended the Smith–Lever Act to fund vocational education. Repealed in 1997.
1928Reed–Jenkins ActRepealed laws that funded Americanization schools for Native Americans.
1940Community Facilities Act of 1940 (Lanham Act)Funded public works projects, including the construction of schools.
1944Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 (G.I. Bill)Provided benefits for World War II veterans, including student financial aid. Expired in 1956.
1944Public Health Service ActIncluded a provision creating a scholarship through the National Health Service Corps.
1946Richard B. Russell National School Lunch ActFunded school meals through the National School Lunch Program.
1946Vocational Education Act of 1946Funded vocational education.
1950Provided federal funding for school districts in areas affected by federal activities.
1950Provided federal funding for school districts in areas affected by federal activities.
1954Agricultural Act of 1954Included a provision establishing the Special Milk Program.
1958Made permanent programs to fund construction of schools in areas affected by federal activities.
1958National Defense Education ActAuthorized student loans. Funded math, science, and foreign language instruction. Funded graduate fellowships. Funded training of guidance counselors. Provided other education funding.
1961The Practical Nurse Training Extension Act of 1961Amended the Vocational Education Act to extend grants for nurse training.
1962McIntire–Stennis Act of 1962Funded agricultural research programs.
1963Reauthorized the National Defense Education Act. Expanded vocational education programs with the Vocational Education Act of 1963.
1964Civil Rights Act of 1964Prohibited discrimination in public accommodations, including schools. Gave the Department of Justice the power to enforce desegregation of schools.
1964Economic Opportunity Act of 1964Included a provision establishing the Head Start program.
1965Elementary and Secondary Education ActOverhauled the role of federal government in public schools. Provided funding for public schools. Funded educator recruitment and development.
1965Higher Education Act of 1965Overhauled the role of federal government in higher education. Provided financial aid for students and institutions.
1966Child Nutrition ActCreated nutritional standards for schools. Established the School Breakfast Program. Reauthorized the Special Milk Program.
1966Elementary and Secondary Education Amendments of 1966Amended distribution of aid to support education for low-income families. Supported adult education programs through the Adult Education Act of 1966.
1966National Sea Grant College and Program Act of 1966
1966Elementary and Secondary Education Amendments of 1966
1967Education Professions Development Act of 1967Amended Title V of the Higher Education Act to improve teacher training.
1968Elementary and Secondary Education Amendments of 1967Amended the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to include the Bilingual Education Act. Included the General Education Provisions Act. Made other minor amendments.
1968Vocational Education Amendments of 1968
1969Emergency Insured Student Loan Act of 1969
1970Drug Abuse Education Act of 1970
1972Education Amendments of 1972Amended education law to prohibit sex-based discrimination through Title IX. Reauthorized and amended various education laws.
1973Authorized additional funding to states for the National School Lunch Program.
1973Extended the National Sea Grant College and Program Act.
1973Rehabilitation Act of 1973Reformed vocational education funding. Established additional protections against discrimination. Provided protections for students with disabilities.
1973National School Lunch and Child Nutrition Act Amendments
1973Delayed the Head Start fee schedule to 1975.
1974Extended funding through to General Education Provisions Act to 1975.
1974Education Amendments of 1974Protected gender equality in education through the Women's Educational Equity Act. Expanded prohibition of discrimination in schools through the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974. Reauthorized and amended various education laws.
1974Extended the National Health Service Corps scholarship program through FY1975.
1974Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)Granted privacy protections over school records to parents and students.
1974Alcohol and Drug Abuse Education Act AmendmentsReauthorized the Drug Abuse Education Act.
1975Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975Provided funding for programs on Indian reservations, including schools.
1975Harry S Truman Memorial Scholarship ActCreated the Harry S. Truman Memorial Scholarship program.
1975Emergency Technical Provisions ActReauthorized the Higher Education Act and the Emergency Insured Student Loan Act through FY1976.
1975Education Division and Related Agencies Appropriation ActAuthorized funding for the Office of Education and related agencies.
1975Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975Expanded protections for students with disabilities. Guaranteed the right for all children with disabilities to receive education.
1975Authorized agreements with state educational agencies and nonprofit agencies to promote reading programs. Authorized funding for book distribution programs.
1976Authorized funds for Allen J. Ellender Fellowships and removed the cap on the number of fellowships to be awarded.
1976Sea Grant Program Improvement Act
1976Education Amendments of 1976
1977George Washington University Charter Restatement ActRestated the charter of George Washington University.
1977Made minor amendments to the Education Amendments of 1976.
1977Education of the Handicapped AmendmentsReauthorized the Education of the Handicapped Act through FY1982.
1977Education Amendments of 1977Reauthorized certain programs under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
1977National School Lunch Act and Child Nutrition AmendmentsAmended several aspects of the National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act
1977Amended the Higher Education Act to grant the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands the same benefits under the act as states.
1978Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs and the Everett McKinley Dirksen Congressional Leadership Research Center Assistance ActAuthorized financial assistance to the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute and the Everett McKinley Dirksen Congressional Leadership Research Center.
1978Alcohol and Drug Abuse Education Amendments
1978Education Amendments of 1978
1978Middle Income Student Assistance ActExpanded eligibility for student financial aid.
1978Child Nutrition AmendmentsExtended the provisions of the National School Lunch Act.
1979
1979Higher Education Technical Amendments of 1979
1979Department of Education Organization ActCreated the United States Department of Education.
1979Amended the Higher Education Act to allocate education funding reductions equally between the states.
1980Education Amendments of 1980
1980Granted the Internal Revenue Service the authority to disclose information to the Department of Education regarding students that default on student loans.
1981Authorized the George Washington University Higher Education Facilities Revenue Bond Act of 1981 of the District of Columbia to take effect immediately.
1982Student Financial Assistance Technical Amendments Act of 1982Amended the Higher Education Act to apply limitations to Pell Grants.
1982Granted the Council of the District of Columbia the power to issue revenue bonds to finance college programs.
1983Student Loan Consolidation and Technical Amendments Act of 1983Reauthorized the authority of Sallie Mae to consolidate student loans.
1983Challenge Grant Amendments of 1983Created a program to provide matching endowment grants for colleges eligible under the Challenge Grant Program.
1983Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments of 1983
1983
1984Increased funding for grants under Title III of the Higher Education Act.
1984Education for Economic Security ActImplemented measures to promote math and science. Required schools to provide equal access to extracurricular clubs without discriminating by belief through the Equal Access Act. Required measures against asbestos in schools through the Asbestos School Hazard Abatement Act of 1984.
1984Recognized arts education as a priority in the United States.
1984Education Amendments of 1984
1984Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act (Perkins I)Renamed the Vocational Education Act. Funded vocational education for students with disabilities, poor students, adult students, single parents, and students in correctional institutions.
1984Human Services Reauthorization Act
1985Nurse Education Amendments of 1985
1985Health Professions Training Assistance Act of 1985
1986Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985Included the Student Financial Assistance Amendments of 1985 under Title XVI.
1986Student Financial Assistance Technical Corrections Act of 1986Amended the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 to provide for reimbursement of costs associated with default prevention.
1986Amended state allotments under the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act.
1986Education of the Deaf Act of 1986
1986Education of the Handicapped Amendments of 1986
1986Higher Education Amendments of 1986
1986Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986Implemented measures against drugs, including a requirement for drug abuse prevention programs in colleges through the Drug Free Schools and Communities Act.
1986Authorized funds for the Joseph W. Martin Institute for Law and Society at Stonehill College.
1987Higher Education Technical Amendments Act of 1987
1987Excellence in Minority Health Education and Care ActAmended the Public Health Service Act to provide grants for health professions schools.
1987Authorized funding for the Close Up Foundation to conduct the Civic Achievement Award Program in Honor of the Office of Speaker of the House of Representatives.
1987Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987Required public accommodations to comply with federal civil rights law in all aspects of its operations to receive federal funding, including in schools.
1988Augustus F. Hawkins-Robert T. Stafford Elementary and Secondary School Improvement Amendments of 1988
1988Amended the effective date of the Augustus F. Hawkins-Robert T. Stafford Elementary and Secondary School Improvement Amendments of 1988.
1988Removed an exemption for Supplemental Loans for Students eligibility requirements.
1988National Geography Studies Centers ActReauthorized the Library Services and Construction Act through FY1989. Funded the National Geography Studies Centers. Reauthorized funding for the United States Institute of Peace through FY1993.
1989Made a correction in the Education and Training for a Competitive America Act.
1989Authorized funding for the Close Up Foundation. Loosened curriculum requirements for participation and associated grants.
1989Head Start Supplemental Authorization Act of 1989Increased funding for the Head Start Program.
1989Authorized reimbursement for expenses to personnel of the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation.
1989Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act Amendments of 1989Amended the Drug Free School Zones Act to modify regulations and requirements for federal funding.
1990Extended school dropout demonstration programs through FY1991.
1990Library Services and Construction Act Amendments of 1990
1990Authorized funding to pay for 50% of the costs to the Museum of Tolerance to operate Holocaust education programs.
19901992 National Assessment of Chapter 1 Act
1990Amended the Higher Education Act to clarify when the National Commission on Responsibilities for Financing Postsecondary Education is terminated.
1990Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990Prohibited discrimination against people with disabilities in public accommodations, including in schools.
1990Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act Amendments of 1990 (Perkins II)Reauthorized Perkins I. Created the Tech Prep program to support vocational education. Repealed the extra funding for specific groups from Perkins I.
1990Individuals with Disabilities Education ActAmended the Education for All Handicapped Children Act to guarantee a Free Appropriate Public Education for students with disabilities.
1990Privatized the Civic Achievement Award Program in Honor of the Office of Speaker of the House of Representatives.
1990Student Right-To-Know and Campus Security ActRequired universities receiving federal aid to disclose criminal statistics on campus.
1990Excellence in Mathematics, Science and Engineering Education Act of 1990
1990School Dropout Prevention and Basic Skills Improvement Act of 1990
1990Extended appropriations for the Robert A. Taft Institute of Government through FY1994.
1990Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990Prohibited firearms in school zones. Ruled unconstitutional in United States v. Lopez and amended in 1996 to comply with the Constitution.
1991Higher Education Technical Amendments of 1991
1991Education Council Act of 1991Created the National Education Commission on Time and Learning Act. Authorized a grant to the National Writing Project. Created the "We the People...the Citizen and the Constitution" program. Created the National Council on Education Standards and Testing through the National Council on Education Standards and Testing Act.
1991National Literacy Act of 1991
1991Recognized adult education as a priority of the federal government.
1991National Dropout Prevention Act of 1991
1991Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1991
1991Dropout Prevention Technical Correction Amendment of 1991Restored federal funding provisions that were eliminated by the National Dropout Prevention Act.
1992Authorized members of the Board of Trustees of the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation to serve in a transitional period after their terms expire.
1992Higher Education Amendments of 1992
1992Amended the National Education Commission on Time and Learning Act to extend its provisions by one year.
1992Education of the Deaf Act Amendments of 1992
1992Authorized financial assistance to establish the Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial Fine Arts Center at Bethune–Cookman University.
1992Scientific and Advanced-Technology Act of 1992Authorized competitive grants to colleges for technical training in technology fields.
1992Ready to Learn ActAmended the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to authorize funding for Ready to Learn television programs.
1992Head Start Improvement Act of 1992
1993Amended the General Education Provisions Act to create trial assessments for the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
1993Extended the migrant student record transfer system.
1993Higher Education Technical Amendments of 1993Made minor corrections to the Higher Education Act.
1994Extended the student loan default exemption for HBCUs and tribal colleges.
1994Abolished the National Commission on Time and Learning.
1994Improving America's Schools Act of 1994
1994Goals 2000: Educate America ActCreated a national education reform framework. Also included the National Skill Standards Act of 1994 and the Educational Research, Development, Dissemination, and Improvement Act of 1994.
1994Recognized applications by the Window Rock Unified School District for federal funding.
1995Omnibus Consolidated Rescissions and Appropriations Act of 1996Included the District of Columbia School Reform Act of 1995, adding charter schools to the Washington, D.C. school system.
1996Impact Aid Technical Amendments of 1996Made minor amendments to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
1996Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act of 1997Included a provision that amended the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 to limit its enforcement to firearms that moved through interstate commerce.
1996Amended the Higher Education Act to indefinitely extend a grant program for Historically Black Graduate or Professional Schools.
1997Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997
1997Balanced Budget Act of 1997Included a provision that repealed the Smith–Hughes Act.
1997Need-Based Educational Aid Antitrust Protection Act of 1997Extended through FY2001 the antitrust exemption of the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994.
1998Workforce Investment Act of 1998Included the creation of an adult literacy program. Replaced the Adult Education Act and the National Literacy Act.
1998Higher Education Amendments of 1998
1998Charter School Expansion Act of 1998Amended the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to make charter schools eligible for federal funding.
1998Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Amendments of 1998 (Perkins III)Reauthorized Perkins II. Set accountability requirements for state vocational education programs.
1998William F. Goodling Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act of 1998Reauthorized the Child Nutrition Act. Expanded subsidies under the bill.
1998Police, Fire, and Emergency Officers Educational Assistance Act of 1998Provided student financial aid for the dependents of first responders that are injured or killed in the line of duty.
1999Recognized applications by the Dodson, Montana school district for Impact Aid payments.
1999Education Flexibility Partnership Act of 1999Admitted all states into the Ed-Flex Partnership and extended the program through 2004.
1999District of Columbia College Access Act of 1999Provided funding for students in Washington, D.C. to attend universities in Maryland and Virginia at in-state tuition.
2000Amended the Higher Education Act to streamline the grant application process for tribal colleges.
2000National Police Athletic League Youth Enrichment Act of 2000Funded grants for the Police Athletic League.
2001Need-Based Educational Aid Act of 2001Extended through FY2008 the antitrust exemption of the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994.
2002No Child Left Behind Act of 2001Reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Required states to implement standardized tests and penalized schools with poor performance.
2002Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2001Waived student financial aid requirements for military service-members affected by national emergencies declared by reason of terrorist attacks.
2002Amended the Higher Education Act to establish fixed interest rates for student loans.
2002District of Columbia College Access Improvement Act of 2002Modified student financial aid eligibility requirements in Washington, D.C.
2002Technology, Education and Copyright Harmonization Act (TEACH Act)Exempted educators from copyright laws when distributing educational materials in some circumstances.
2002Included the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, the Educational Technical Assistance Act of 2002, and the National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act. Created the Institute of Education Sciences and various educational research centers.
2003Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003Waived student aid requirements for students serving in the military during a military conflict or national emergency.
2003Amended the Higher Education Act to modify the rules of the Federal Family Education Loan Program in regard to foreign medical schools.
2003Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004Included the D.C. School Choice Incentive Act of 2003 that supported private schools in Washington D.C.
2004Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004Reauthorized the Child Nutrition Act. Required all school districts using the act's funds to create comprehensive wellness policies.
2004Higher Education Extension Act of 2004Extended the Higher Education Act through FY2005.
2004Asthmatic Schoolchildren's Treatment and Health Management Act of 2004Amended the Public Health Service Act to give preference for grants to states that allow students to self-administer asthma medication.
2004Taxpayer-Teacher Protection Act of 2004Modified rules for student loan forgiveness for teachers.
2004Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA 2004)Reauthorized the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Authorized additional education grants.
2004American History and Civics Education Act of 2004Created 12 grants for institutions chosen for their expertise in history education.
2005Pell Grant Hurricane and Disaster Relief ActWaived conditions of Pell Grants for students affected by major disasters.
2005Student Grant Hurricane and Disaster Relief ActWaived conditions of student financial aid for students affected by major disasters.
2005Extended the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003 through 2007.
2005Higher Education Extension Act of 2005Extended the Higher Education Act to December 31, 2005
2005Natural Disaster Student Aid Fairness ActWaived matching fund and reallocation requirements for federal funding of higher education for areas affected by Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita.
2005Second Higher Education Extension Act of 2005Extended the Higher Education Act to March 31, 2006.
2006Extended waiving of regulatory requirements of federally funded education programs through the Ed-Flex program.
2006Higher Education Extension Act of 2006Extended the Higher Education Act to June 30, 2006.
2006Second Higher Education Extension Act of 2006Extended the Higher Education Act to September 30, 2006.
2006Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (Perkins IV)Reauthorized Perkins III.
2006Third Higher Education Extension Act of 2006Extended the Higher Education Act to June 30, 2007. Modified rules for the Federal Family Education Loan Program. Provided student loan forgiveness to the families of 9/11 casualties.
2006Extended through FY2007 the power of the Secretary of Education to waive conditions for federal assistance to states affected by Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita.
2007First Higher Education Extension Act of 2007Extended the Higher Education Act to July 31, 2007.
2007Second Higher Education Extension Act of 2007Extended the Higher Education Act to October 31, 2007.
2007America COMPETES ActFunded research and development programs.
2007College Cost Reduction and Access ActIncreased Pell Grant awards and reformed student loan repayment.
2007Permanently extended the provisions for active duty service members in the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003.
2007Third Higher Education Extension Act of 2007Extended the Higher Education Act to March 31, 2008.
2007Made minor amendments to the Higher Education Act.
2007Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007Reauthorized the Head Start program. Guaranteed eligibility for homeless children.
2008Higher Education Extension Act of 2008Extended the Higher Education Act to April 30, 2008.
2008Extended the Higher Education Act to May 31, 2008.
2008Extended the Higher Education Act to June 30, 2008.
2008Extended the Higher Education Act to July 31, 2008.
2008Extended the Higher Education Act to August 15, 2008.
2008Need-Based Educational Aid Act of 2008Extended through 2015 the antitrust exemption of the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994.
2008Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act of 2008Expanded the Federal Family Education Loan Program.
2008Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008Included the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008, which provided student financial aid benefits for veterans.
2008Higher Education Opportunity ActReauthorized the Higher Education Act. Expanded student loan discharges for people with disabilities.
2008Extended the Federal Family Education Loan Program to 2010.
2008Extended the Secretary of Education's authority to provide school funding for states affected by Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita.
2009American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009Included funding for the Race to the Top program.
2009Edward M. Kennedy Serve America ActIncluded a provision that created the Education Corps through the AmeriCorps program.
2009Made minor amendments to the Higher Education Act.
2009Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental Policy Amendments Act of 2009Renamed the Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental and Native American Public Policy Act of 1992. Amended the rules for use of the law's grants.
2010Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010Included the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act to expand federal Pell Grants.
2010Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010Reauthorized the Child Nutrition Act. Expanded federal nutrition standards for schools.
2011America COMPETES Reauthorization ActReauthorized the America COMPETES Act.
2011Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011Included the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act (SOAR Act) that reauthorized the DC School Choice Inventive Act of 2003.
2012SOAR Technical Corrections ActMade minor corrections to the SOAR Act.
2013Uninterrupted Scholars ActAmended FERPA to define exemptions for information released to Department of Education programs.
2013Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act of 2013Set fixed interest rates on student loans.
2014Workforce Innovation and Opportunity ActIncluded the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, which provided grants to states to create adult literacy programs.
2014Extended the Higher Education Act through FY2015.
2015STEM Education Act of 2015Funded STEM education in schools. Funded fellowships for STEM teachers.
2015Every Student Succeeds ActReauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Repealed the testing requirements established by the No Child Left Behind Act.
2015Federal Perkins Loan Program Extension Act of 2015Extended distribution of Federal Perkins Loans to 2017.
2017Nullified a Department of Education rule relating to accountability for state education plans.
2017Nullified the Teacher Preparation Issues rule established by the Department of Education.
2017Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria Education Relief Act of 2017Waived financial aid requirements for students affected by tropical storms. Expired in 2018.
2017Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act (Forever GI Bill)Extended veteran's financial aid benefits from the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act beyond the original 15 year limit.
2018Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V)Reauthorized Perkins IV.
2019Recognizing Achievement in Classified School Employees ActCreated the Recognizing Inspiring School Employees award.
2020Never Again Education ActAuthorized various Holocaust education programs.
2020Impact Aid Coronavirus Relief ActIncluded an extension to Migrant Education Program funding.
2020Stop Student Debt Relief Scams Act of 2019Criminalized fraudulent use of student loan data.
2020HBCU PARTNERS ActRequired federal agencies to create frameworks for historically black colleges and universities to participate in federal programs.
2021Consider Teachers Act of 2021Increased flexibility of the TEACH grant program.
2021K-12 Cybersecurity Act of 2021Required the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to study cybersecurity risks in schools and develop online training for school officials.
2022Supplemental Impact Aid Flexibility ActModified the Impact Aid Program.

See also