Eric.ed.gov – “Action This Day”

The U.S. has had a proud history of inventions and innovations since colonial times, but the future of its intellectual capital is now at risk. America’s size, natural resources and historical role as a superpower are no longer enough to ensure its economic future. In today’s global economy, the U.S. is losing many of its previous competitive advantages. Upgrading the knowledge and skills of its workforce is critical. U.S. students must have the relevant knowledge of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) to become a more competitive workforce. Until 2007, there was no organized national response from the private sector to this competitiveness challenge. The National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) was launched in March 2007 by top leaders in American business, education and science in response to the call for action by the National Academies in “Rising Above the Gathering Storm,” which found that low performance in math and science is hurting the United States’ global competitiveness. Today, NMSI is helping remedy this drastic decline in math and science education by replicating proven programs on a national scale. Through its Advanced Placement Training and Incentive Program (APTIP), NMSI has awarded more than $79 million in grants to non-profits in six states to promote student participation in Advanced Placement math, science and English courses. In addition, NMSI has issued nearly $30 million in grants to 13 colleges and universities across the country to replicate the UTeach program. More than 1,000 students now are enrolled in UTeach programs to train math and science teachers. APTIP and UTeach are exactly the kind of public-private cooperation that the country needs to ensure more students are college ready and work ready. They are educating a new generation for the challenges of tomorrow so the country can compete in the high-tech, high-stakes global economy.