How Thinking in Pictures Provides Perspective - Here what Temple Grandin had to say at the 2011 ECS National Forum on Education Policy about what matters most to helping all kids succeed....

STEM Performance PDF - This issue of The Progress of Education Reform identifies promising and research-based approaches for enhancing student interest and achievement in STEM disciplines, including approaches that come with a smaller state-budget price tag. (Jennifer Dounay Zinth, Education Commission of the States, February 2011)...

The Progress of Education Reform - Secondary STEM Education PDF - The next generation of Americans will likely require a solid grounding in mathematics and science for their creativity to be maximized in a world increasingly dependent on technological advances for prosperity and security. As the majority of Americans do not earn a postsecondary degree, it is essential that students be given this solid grounding during the elementary and secondary years. (Kyle Zinth, Education Commission of the States, July 2008)...

What Value Does Service Learning Have on Introductory Engineering Students' Motivation and ABET Program Outcomes? - A quasi-experimental study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of using a service learning (SL) method on influencing introductory engineering students’ motivation and ABET program outcomes, compared to the effectiveness of using a conventional, non-service-learning (NSL) method. Results showed that the SL method was significantly more effective than the NSL method in terms of positively influencing students’ interests, recognition of relevance, and satisfaction in learning and their self-assessed engineering abilities in three out of 11 ABET program outcomes. Interpretation of the results, application of the results to the course redesign, and recommendations for other engineering educators are provided. (The Institute for STEM Education and Research, July 2012)...

Integrating Scientific Practices and Service-Learning: Engaging Students in STEM - This KIDS Consortium guide, a supplement to the more comprehensive publication “KIDS As Planners: A Guide to Strengthening Students, Schools and Communities through Service-Learning,” is designed to help educators integrate service-learning into science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) content areas and make use of Curriculum Topic Study, a means of ensuring that STEM projects are developmentally appropriate and aligned with science standards. Examples in the guide are based on the experience of more than a dozen classrooms and are intended to illustrate how to plan and structure a STEM/service-learning project and how these projects benefit students, schools and communities. (Kids Consortium, 2012)...

Science and Engineering Indicators: 2012 - This report presents information on science, mathematics, and engineering education at all levels; the scientific and engineering workforce; U.S. and international research and development performance; U.S. competitiveness in high technology; and public attitudes and understanding of science and engineering. A chapter on state-level science and engineering presents state comparisons on selected indicators. (National Science Board, Jan 2012)...

Science and Engineering Indicators 2012 - This overview of the National Science Board’s Science and Engineering Indicators 2012 highlights some major developments in international and U.S. science and technology (S&T). (National Science Foundation, 2012)...

Education Supports Racial and Ethnic Equality in STEM--Executive Summary - This report follows an analysis of labor market outcomes and gender disparities among STEM workers. The authors found that regardless of race and Hispanic origin, higher college graduation rates are associated with higher shares of workers with STEM jobs. (U.S. Department of Commerce, September 2011)...

Women in STEM: A Gender Gap to Innovation--Executive Summary - An educated STEM workforce is crucial to America's innovative capacity and global competitiveness. Although women fill close to half of all jobs in the U.S. economy, they hold less than a quarter of STEM jobs. Some of the possible factors contributing to the discrepancy include: a lack of role models, gender stereotyping and less family-friendly flexibility in STEM fields. (U.S. Department of Commerce, August 2011)...

University of Chicago School Mathematics Project 6-12 Curriculum - This What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) intervention report evaluates the University of Chicago School Mathematics Project curriculum--a series of yearlong courses emphasizing problem solving, real-world applications and the use of technology. The program is designed to allow schools to offer students appropriate math, regardless of grade level. The curriculum was found to have potentially positive effects on math achievement for high school students. (Institute of Education Sciences, July 2011)...

Successful K-12 Stem Education: Identifying Effective Approaches in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics - Science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (STEM) are fundamental aspects of everyone's lives as citizens, consumers, parents, and workers. Providing all students with access to high-quality education in STEM is important to their futures and that of the U.S. (National Academies Press, 2011)...

Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts and Core Ideas - Framework for K-12 Science Education is the first step in a process that will inform state-level decisions and provide a research-grounded basis for improving science teaching and learning across the country. The document will guide standards developers, curriculum designers, assessment developers, teacher educators, state and district science administrators, teachers, and educators who work in informal science environments. (National Academies Press, 2011)...

Expanding Underrepresented Minority Populations: America's Science and Technology Talent at the Crossroads - The authors argue that developing a strategy to increase the participation of underrepresented minorities in science and engineering should play a central role in our approach to sustaining America’s research and innovation capacity because our sources for the future S&E workforce are uncertain, the demographics of our domestic population are shifting dramatically, and diversity is an asset. (National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine, 2011)...

Science and Engineering Indicators: 2010 - Science and Engineering Indicators, published by the National Science Board, provides a broad base of quantitative information on the U.S. and international science and engineering enterprise. (National Science Foundation, January 2010)...

STEM Coursetaking Among High School Graduates, 1990-2005 - Educators and experts in technical fields have expressed concern about the academic preparation of U.S. students in STEM fields. Using data from NAEP Transcript Study, this brief compares STEM coursetaking among 2005 high school graduates with that of 1990 and 2000 graduates. Graduates from the class of 2005 earned more credits in advanced mathematics, advanced science and engineering, and STEM-related technical courses than did their 1990 peers. Gains were found across gender, racial/ethnic groups, and community types. (MPR Associates Inc., December 2009)...

Steady As She Goes? Three Generations of Students Through the Science and Engineering Pipeline - What might explain the loss of high-performing students from the STEM pipeline? This analysis strongly suggests that students are not leaving STEM pathways because of lack of preparation of ability. Instead, it suggests we look at whether the future in a STEM job is attractive. Maybe better pay or a more stable professional career is the issue. (Institute for the Study of International Migration at Georgetown University, October 2009)...

Review the Effect of State High School Graduation Requirements on Student Preparation for Postsecondary Education and the Workforce - During the 2009 Legislative Session, a bill was filed to increase the rigor of math and science courses required for high school graduation in Florida. The bill did not pass. Concerns were raised as to whether the state had educators certified in mathematics and science in numbers sufficient to cover increased enrollment in more rigorous courses. Concerns were also raised as to whether the state could adequately fund the professional development for teachers necessary to enhance mathematics and science instruction in the classroom. It is anticipated that efforts to raise the high school graduation requirements will be proposed for the 2010 Legislative Session. (Florida Senate, October 2009)...

Opportunity Equation: Transforming Mathematics and Science Education for Citizenship and the Global Economy - Excellent mathematics and science learning for all American students will be possible only if we "do school differently" in ways that place math and science at the center of the educational enterprise. The Commission has crafted a comprehensive program of action that will require commitments from many quarters--from the federal government to unions. A detailed set of recommendations lays out a practical and coordinated plan. (Carnegie Corporation of New York, June 2009)...

A Special Report: Launching the 21st Century American Aerospace Workforce - This report from the aerospace industry promotes the need to convince more students to study math and science and makes proposals to senior policymakers to improve those education disciplines. The new report documents steps the industry is taking to head off a potential workforce crisis and makes nine policy recommendations to government partners. The report, a follow-up to an analysis released earlier this year, details the goals and actions the industry must take to meet the challenge. (Aerospace Industries Association, December 2008)...

Next Frontier: World-Class Math and Science Education for Texas - Findings and recommendations offering critical steps to solve and math and science education crisis facing Texas. (The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas, December 2008)...

A National Action Plan for Addressing the Critical Needs of the U.S. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education System - In this action plan the National Science Board - established by Congress in 1950 - identifies priority actions that should be taken by all stakeholders, working together cooperatively, to achieve measurable improvements in the nation’s STEM education system. (The National Science Foundation, October 2007)...

Report of the Academic Competitiveness Council - This report presents the findings and recommendations of the Academic Competitiveness Council. The Council carried out a year-long effort with officials from federal agencies to assess programs aimed at improving America's competitiveness in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. (U.S. Department of Education, May 2007) ...

Addressing the STEM Challenge by Expanding Specialty Math and Science High Schools - Much attention has lately centered on the issue of American competitiveness in a global economy requiring workers with a quality education in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects. This report argues that the role of specialty mathematics and science schools has been overlooked, and that funding the expansion of these specialty schools must be an important part of any solution to the STEM challenge. The report recommends tripling enrollment in math and science high schools to reach 140,000 by 2012. (Robert Atkinson, Janet Hugo, Dennis Lundgren, Martin Shapiro, and Jerald Thomas, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, March 2007)...

America’s Perfect Storm: Three Forces Changing Our Nation’s Future - The confluence of three powerful forces, according to this report, will lead to greater inequity and polarization within the U.S. or to an opportunity for continued prosperity. The forces include: 1) a wide disparity in literacy and numeracy skills among school-age and adult populations; 2) a changing and more global economy; and 3) a growing and more diverse population.(Educational Testing Service, January 2007) ...

A Decade of Action: Sustaining Global Competitiveness - This report synthesizes recommendations from 20 contemporary reports published by business and industry, government agencies and professional organizations. The review panel directed its attention to science and technology education and concluded the signals being sent by business and industry stressed the need for a vision, a first tactical response and a strategic plan outlining the need for clarification of the changes needed. (BSCS, January 2007)...

Transforming the Recruitment, Retention, and Renewal Of Our Nation's Mathematics and Science Teaching Workforce - This report addresses the critical shortage of high quality mathematics and science teachers, the lack of which threatens the strength, innovation and productivity of America's economy. The report proposes a comprehensive action plan to elevate the status of the teaching profession and focuses on transforming three key components that contribute to a robust, world-class teaching workforce: recruitment, retention and renewal. (Business Higher Education Forum, 2007) ...

S&E Doctorates Hit All-Time High in 2005 - In 2005, total doctorate awards in science and engineering (S&E) increased for the third year in a row, up to 27,974, surpassing the previous all-time high from 1998 (27,273). Several demographic groups (women, non-U.S. citizens and U.S. citizen Asians and underrepresented minorities) also received record numbers of S&E doctorates in 2005. Post-9/11, there is little evidence of a decline in the number of or growth in noncitizens earning S&E doctorates from U.S. institutions. There was a slight drop in 2002, but that was also true for U.S. citizens. For the entire period from 2001 to 2005, S&E doctorates awarded to noncitizens increased by 25% and accounted for virtually all of the overall growth in S&E doctorate awards during the period. (National Science Foundation, November 2006) ...

A Summary of Math and Science Education and United States Competitiveness: Does the Public Care? - The competitiveness of the United States in the global economy has been the backbone for concern about math and science education and the move to improve public school education to gain higher levels of proficiency in those areas. This study investigates public opinion and college and university roles around expectations about the United States’ ability to maintain its competitive edge in the global environment. It provides some fascinating views held by the survey respondents, such as the biggest reason for students’ avoidance of math and science is level of difficulty. (Solutions for our Future, September 2006)...

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Trends and the Role of Federal Programs - Although the United States is a world leader in scientific and technological innovation, concerns have recently been raised about the nation's ability to maintain its global technological competitive advantage in the future. This paper discusses U.S. trends in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics in relation to the changing domestic and global economies. Also available online are document highlights. (U.S. Government Accountability Office, May 2006) ...

A Compendium of Best Practice K-12 STEM Education Programs - This compendium offers a sampling of some of the country's exemplary programs that have a track record of helping students, especially girls and minorities, to achieve and participate in STEM. (Bayer Corporation, 2006) ...

Crank Up the Math and Science Engines, Here Comes Economic Development MS Word PDF - In 2005, a growing number of states addressed the issue of economic development. This Stateline provides examples of 2005 state action in several related areas, including: (1) special councils, (2) training for the trades and other work-force needs, (3) high tech and (4) higher education and business partnerships. The article also discusses implications for K-12 schools, noting that, "To the extent that state economic development initiatives emphasize high-tech research and industry, which demand strong science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills – the major disciplines supported and promoted by the National Science Foundation – calls to focus on these subjects in schools will rule." (Kathy Christie, Stateline, Phi Delta Kappan, January 2006. Reprinted with permission.)...

Standing Our Ground: A Guidebook for STEM Educators in the Post-Michigan Era - How can programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) ensure diversity after the 2003 U.S. Supreme Court cases setting boundaries on affirmative action? This report offers a primer on affirmative action, and addresses the theoretical and practical issues to consider when designing a racially-diverse STEM program, including (1) institutional mission; (2) program intent, character, target population and context; (3) faculty recruitment and retention; and (4) leadership. Among the observations: the change potentially needed for a diverse STEM program must come from the top down as well as from the bottom up, which in turn requires clear and open communication. Readers may also browse the report by chapter (bottom of page). (Shirley M. Malcom, Daryl E. Chubin and Jolene K. Jesse, American Association for the Advancement of Science and National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, October 2004)...