Eric.ed.gov – Building a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Education Agenda: An Update of State Actions

STEM–science, technology, engineering, and mathematics–is critical to and supportive of many education reforms being undertaken today, from adoption of common internationally benchmarked standards to better teacher preparation to enhanced coordination across the entire K-20 education system. In fact, STEM is not a separate reform movement at all; rather, it is an emphasis. It stresses a multidisciplinary approach for better preparing all students in STEM subjects and growing the number of postsecondary graduates who are prepared for STEM occupations. The National Governors Association (NGA) first addressed STEM in its 2007 report, “Building a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Agenda.” That report provided an overview of the STEM-related challenges, opportunities, and actions from the state perspective. This report updates those recommendations in light of recent state progress to improve education standards and other efforts to advance STEM education. In addition, this report incorporates recent data from studies that make the economic case for pursuing a STEM agenda even more compelling than before. The report’s six brief chapters cover several issues. Chapter 2 defines the goals of the STEM agenda, focusing on specific measures. Chapter 3 examines why STEM is important in terms of jobs, prosperity, and future economic success. Chapter 4 reviews where the current system is preventing the graduation of more high school and college students with STEM skills. Chapter 5 examines what is being done and can be done to counter these trends. Chapter 6 concludes with a look at the work ahead. Governors, state education policy staff, and state education leaders can use this guide to further the implementation of STEM agendas. Fortunately, as current state actions demonstrate, emphasizing STEM does not shift the direction of education reforms already underway. The majority of actions called for in this report complement changes initiated in both the K-12 and postsecondary systems over the past several years. A STEM focus merely provides coherence to many of these reforms, uniting them under a common set of goals. Finally, this report also is designed to inform the public. Public commitment and public will are necessary to mobilize the efforts needed for change and to set higher expectations for the nation’s youth. (Contains 14 figures and 57 endnotes.)