REflection # 12

Angela Gregoire
Reflection #12
The launching of Sputnik fifty years ago by the Soviet Union was an event that changed higher education in America. This launching hit America by surprise and it began to take action to improve the education system in all states. In 1958, Congress passed an Education Act soon after the cold war as a direct response to the launch. There was a great demand for highly trained individuals in technical and scientific areas to help America compete with the Soviet Union. As a direct consequence, the National Defense Education Act increased the support for loans to college students, and for the advancement of science, mathematics and foreign languages in both elementary and secondary schools, vocational and technical schools, and graduate schools. More funds were also available for foreign languages and area studies.
Laws in the 1960s and 1970s contributed to the concept of equal access and many forms of legislation stopped discrimination based on sex, race, and disability. Civil rights Act also had some impact on the Education Department. Among the many changes in that era was the launching of the secondary and elementary schools Act. There was an increase of federal aid to disadvantaged students to deal with poverty problems in rural and urban schools. In addition to all this, financial aid was readily available for the neediest students in all schools. The education revolution continued for many years, and in the mid nineteenth century the department of education was included as a cabinet level agency. Today it is clear that the education reform following Sputnik helped shaped the system we have. It is clear that the launching of Sputnik had both positive and negative implications for the American people. The launching of this missile was a blessing for the American education system for it helped the department to remain on focus. The department continued to foster excellent student achievement and students are better prepared to compete globally and achieve equal access in educational opportunities. The education department continues to monitor and improve the system for the benefit of all. The department continues to heighten the awareness at community and national level, face challenges, and explore teaching and learning approaches. The financial budget for education ensures excellence through the administration of programs ranging from pre-kindergarten to postdoctoral studies. Sputnik changed the future for it started the space race and America was forced to create NASA. Following this, man was able to land on the moon, and GPS and the internet were invented. This was an era of great scientific advances, thanks to the Soviet Union.