An attempt to restructure Haiti's education system began with the launch of the Bernard Reform of Education in 1979, named for the former Minister of Education, Joseph C. Bernard. The reform was established in response to the growing status of the Creole language, the need to increase the level of access to basic education, and to improve the overall efficiency of the system. To address these issues, the newly formed Department of National Education (DEN) introduced the use of Creole as a language of instruction in Haitian schools. (As Creole was not recognized as an official language of Haiti until 1987, this was a rather controversial move.) Despite the intentions, this initial period of the reform was halted in the mid-1980s due to a lack of implementation, among other factors.

The 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s also saw efforts to improve literacy and rural development. Various organizations initiated projects and produced informational pamphlets in this area. These include government institutions such as the National Office for Community Education (ONEC) and the National Office for Literacy and Community Education (ONAAC), Catholic and Protestant organizations such as the Radio Soleil, and international organizations such as UNESCO, who organized a literacy project in 1979.

As Haitians immigrated to the United States, issues of bilingual education for Haitian children also needed to be addressed. Various projects formed with funding through Title VII of ESEA and bilingual programs were established in three major diaspora areas: New York, Boston, and Miami. The IU Creole Institute was also heavily involved in the instruction of Haitian Creole in the United States. In the 1980s, the institute coordinated four summer institutes in the diaspora areas to train teachers involved in the bilingual education of Haitian children.