Why did normal schools start to decline around the turn of the 20th century?

a. They were unable to keep up with the changes to federal education requirements
b. They were replaced by colleges that offered a degree in education
c. Home study for teacher training became increasingly popular
d. Teaching became an increasingly less popular career choice

1 answer

The decline of normal schools around the turn of the 20th century was primarily due to:

b. They were replaced by colleges that offered a degree in education.

Normal schools were established to train teachers and were often two-year institutions. However, as the demand for more qualified teachers grew, many states began to require advanced degrees for teaching positions. This led to the development and expansion of colleges and universities that offered bachelor's degrees in education, which ultimately replaced normal schools as the primary means of teacher training.