* Early colonial period (17th century): Some colonies established rudimentary schools, often supported by religious groups or taxes, but these were far from universal and often limited in scope.
* Massachusetts Bay Colony (1647): The Old Deluder Satan Act mandated towns of a certain size to establish schools, representing an early attempt at compulsory education. This is often cited as a significant early step, but it wasn't a nationwide system.
* 19th century: The expansion of common schools, fueled by reformers like Horace Mann, saw a significant increase in public school availability and standardization across many states. This period is generally considered the era when public education began to take its modern form.
Therefore, there's no single "beginning" date. Instead, it's a process that spanned centuries, with the 19th century marking a major turning point toward the widespread establishment of public schools as we know them.