- Mann championed the cause of establishing tax-supported free schools as essential for fostering social and economic equality in 19th-century American society.
Teacher training schools and curriculum improvements
- Mann emphasized training better teachers and advocated to introduce rigorous subjects such as geography, arithmetic, grammar, rhetoric, and philosophy during children's school years.
Promoting child labor regulations
- Concerned about working conditions, Mann campaigned for legislation to protect against the employment of children below specific ages to ensure their wellbeing and educational opportunities were upheld.
Advocating school libraries and textbooks
- Under Mann's influence, states started allocating funds for textbooks libraries as he stressed school libraries to enhance learning experiences