WASHINGTON
- U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) today introduced legislation to strengthen the nation's Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education and training programs in order to spur innovation and keep the U.S. competitive in an increasingly global economy.
The STEM Support for Teachers in Education and Mentoring (STEM²) Act includes a package of initiatives designed to improve student interest and performance in STEM skills that are critical to future economic growth and competitiveness. Among other things, this legislation will help teachers and schools better engage students in STEM fields; provide additional STEM professional development resources for teachers and facilitate collaboration among the business and education communities in order to better identify STEM skills needed by the workforce.
"The biggest problems we face as a global society - including problems with food and water supply, safe housing, economic prosperity and energy efficiency - require excellence in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields," Udall said. "We must invest in our teachers and students to ensure our country remains competitive in a global market that is quickly advancing."
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about one-third of fourth graders and one-fifth of eighth graders cannot perform basic math computations. U.S. high school seniors recently tested below the international average for 21 countries in mathematics and science.
"Our economic growth and our national security depend on a workforce skilled in STEM fields. The demand for scientists and engineers is expected to increase at four times the rate of other occupations. But students are entering our high schools without a strong foundation in STEM subjects, and too few of them are pursuing careers in technical fields. That has to change," Udall said.
Udall's STEM² bill would:
- Establish a planning grant program for states to identify future skills needed for STEM;
- Develop effective state STEM networks for communication and collaboration among school teachers and administrators, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations and businesses;
- Establish matching grant training programs using best practice models for STEM master teachers and help educators develop summer institutes and other professional enrichment programs to strengthen teacher effectiveness and evaluate outcomes for improved STEM student capacity starting in elementary and middle school;
- Develop a national panel to evaluate and identify rigorous K-12 STEM curricula models, including computer and/or web-based simulation education programs and kinesthetic learning.
The STEM² Act is supported by Citizen Schools, Innovate-Educate N.M., NMSU College of Education and the New Mexico Women's Center for Law and Poverty.
