National Defense Education Act

E80278

The National Defense Education Act was a landmark 1958 U.S. law that massively expanded federal funding for science, mathematics, and foreign language education in response to Cold War pressures and the Soviet launch of Sputnik.

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Statements (50)

Predicate Object
instanceOf United States federal law
education law
administeredBy United States Department of Health and Human Services
surface form: United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare

Office of Education
surface form: United States Office of Education
citation 72 Stat. 1580
context Cold War
country United States of America
surface form: United States
enactedBy 85th United States Congress
focusArea educational media and technology
guidance, counseling, and testing programs
mathematics education
modern foreign language education
science education
technical and vocational education
historicalPeriod Eisenhower administration
impact contributed to development of standardized testing in schools
expanded access to higher education through student loans
promoted foreign language and area studies programs
stimulated growth of science and engineering education programs
increasedRoleOf federal government in education
motivatedBy Soviet launch of Sputnik 1
perceived U.S.–Soviet technological competition
provided federal funding for education
fellowships for graduate education
funds for educational research and experimentation
funds for language laboratories and equipment
student loans
support for guidance counseling and testing
publicLawNumber Public Law 85-864
purpose to expand and improve education in science, mathematics, and modern foreign languages
to strengthen national defense through improved education
relatedTo Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
Higher Education Act of 1965
section Title I – General Provisions
Title II – Loans to Students in Institutions of Higher Education
Title III – Financial Assistance for Strengthening Science, Mathematics, and Modern Foreign Language Instruction
National Defense Education Act self-linksurface differs
surface form: Title IV – National Defense Fellowships

Title IX – Science Information Service
Title V – Guidance, Counseling, and Testing; Identification and Encouragement of Able Students
Title VI – Language Development
Title VII – Research and Experimentation in More Effective Utilization of Television, Radio, Motion Pictures, and Related Media for Educational Purposes
Title VIII – Area Vocational Education Programs
Title X – Miscellaneous
shortName NDEA
signedBy Dwight D. Eisenhower
signingDate 1958-09-02
status amended
partially superseded by later education legislation
title National Defense Education Act self-linksurface differs
surface form: An Act to strengthen the national defense and to encourage and assist in the expansion and improvement of educational programs to meet critical national needs and for other purposes
yearEnacted 1958

Referenced by (8)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

National Defense Education Act amendments basedOn National Defense Education Act
this entity surface form: National Defense Education Act of 1958
Eisenhower administration educationPolicy National Defense Education Act
National Defense Education Act amendments partOf National Defense Education Act
85th United States Congress passes National Defense Education Act
Higher Education Act of 1965 relatedTo National Defense Education Act
subject surface form: Higher Education Facilities Act of 1963
National Defense Education Act section National Defense Education Act self-linksurface differs
this entity surface form: Title IV – National Defense Fellowships
National Defense Education Act title National Defense Education Act self-linksurface differs
this entity surface form: An Act to strengthen the national defense and to encourage and assist in the expansion and improvement of educational programs to meet critical national needs and for other purposes