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K-12 SMET Education-ASME Statement
August 26, 2002
Contact: Allison Sayler
Te: 202-296-2237, ext. 14
Email: asayler@aaes.org
Experts agree that the growth of U.S. high-technology industries is threatened by low educational standards in the workforce. Federal Reserve Chairman, Alan Greenspan has said, "The U.S. educational system at the college and post-graduate level is 'exemplary' but we fall far short in the K-12 classroom." Others are concerned for our national defense. The U.S. Commission on National Security for the 21st Century warns, "The harsh fact is that the U.S. need for the highest quality human capital in science, mathematics, and engineering is not being met. Given the exigencies of advanced 21st century economies, it is not good enough that we produce a sufficient elite corps of science, math, and engineering professionals. We must raise levels of math, science, and technology literacy throughout our society."
Recent Reports
National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP)
The Department of Education's National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) released, "The Nation's Report Card: Science 2000," on November 20, 2001. This survey of U.S. student achievement in science shows little change in performance over 1996 in grades four and eight, and a slight decline in performance by twelfth-graders.
The 2000 national survey shows that 29 percent of fourth-graders, 32 percent of eighth-graders, and 18 percent of twelfth-graders performed at or above the level of 'Proficient' in science. At each grade, over 30 percent of students did not perform at even the 'Basic' level.
The report, "The Nation's Report Card: Science 2000," and accompanying materials can be found at www.nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/science/results/
U.S. Commission on National Security for the 21st Century
[Also known as] the Hart-Rudman Commission, recently issued some very stern warnings and recommendations. "The harsh fact is that the U.S. need for the highest quality human capital in science, mathematics, and engineering is not being met…There will not be enough qualified American citizens to perform the new jobs being created today-including technical jobs crucial to the maintenance of national security.
"We lack not only the homegrown science, technology, and engineering professionals necessary to ensure national prosperity and security, but also the next generation of teachers of science and math at the K-12 level… The nation is on the verge of a downward spiral in which current shortages will beget even more acute future shortages of high-quality professionals and competent teachers." Some of the recommendations follow.
Recommendation #11: The President should propose, and Congress should pass, a National Security Science and Technology Education Act (NSSTEA) with four sections: reduced-interest loans and scholarships for students to pursue degrees in science, mathematics, and engineering; loan forgiveness and scholarships for those in these fields entering government or military service; a National Security Teaching Program to foster science and math teaching at the K-12 level; and increased funding for professional development for science and math teachers.
Recommendation #12: The President should direct the Department of Education to work with the states to devise a comprehensive plan to avert a looming shortage of quality teachers. This plan should emphasize raising teacher compensation, improving infrastructure support, reforming the certification process, and expanding existing programs targeted at districts with especially acute problems.
Recommendation #13: The President and Congress should devise a targeted program to strengthen the historically black colleges and universities in our country, and should particularly support those that emphasize science, mathematics, and engineering.
Third International Mathematics and Science Study-Repeat Recent assessments of student performance in various subject areas, including science and mathematics, have concluded that in some age groups the grasp of science and math by U.S. students is less than that of their international peers. While U.S. fourth graders score high in their age group, eight and twelfth grades slide precipitously down the performance scale. The recently released report, the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS)-Repeat, found that U.S. students have shown no statistically significant changes in their level of achievement from 1995 to 1999." Visit TIMSS.
National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21st Century
On September 27, 2001, former Senator John Glenn released the final report of the National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21st Century (known as the Glenn Commission). The 48-page report, entitled "Before It's Too Late: The Report to the Nation," provides a comprehensive plan which details a number of ways to improve the quality of science and math teaching nationwide.
The recommendations made in the Glenn Commission report are based on three goals: Establish an ongoing system to improve the quality of mathematics and science teaching in grades K-12.
Increase significantly the number of mathematics and science teachers and improve the quality of their preparation.
Improve the working environment and make the teaching profession more attractive for K-12 mathematics and science teachers.
The Commission estimates the action strategies for achieving the three goals will cost more than $5 billion annually. The full text of "Before It's Too Late: The Report to the Nation from The National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21st Century" is available online at the Glenn Commission.
ASME
Engineers, too, are concerned about the quality and quantity of science, math, engineering and technology (SMET) instruction in our nation's pre-college learning institutions. K-12 SMET education is a public policy priority for ASME and several opportunities exist for ASME to contribute to its advancement.
The ASME Board of Governors approved a new general position statement in March 2000 entitled, "Strengthening Pre-College Science, Math, Engineering and Technology Education: The Technological Literacy and Workforce Imperative." The paper offers five recommendations for policy makers and other stakeholders:
Increase federally funded research focused on SMET teaching and learning to cultivate the most effective teaching methods.
Recruit, train, and retain qualified SMET teachers to meet demand.
Foster partnerships among educational institutions, industry, and non-profit organizations.
Encourage the adoption of curriculum standards that cultivate high student performance; the development of curricula that foster creativity, experiential problem-solving and critical thinking; and, the development of assessments aligned with these standards and curricula.
Encourage women and minorities to pursue SMET coursework and careers.
The ASME paper has been distributed to the entire Congress, relevant federal and state agencies. You are encouraged to distribute the paper as you see fit.
Legislative Status
President Bush signed the "Leave No Child Behind Act" on January 7, 2002. www.ehr.nsf.gov/mathandsciencepi.asp
While Eisenhower Professional Development Program for Math & Science Teachers was consolidated, the appropriations conference report strongly urges the Secretary and the States to continue to fund math and science activities within the Teacher Quality Grant program at a comparable level in fiscal year 2002 (approx. $375 million).
Science standards are required by the 2005-2006 school year. Beginning in the 2007-2008 school year, science assessments will be administered at least once during grades 3 through 5; grades 6 through 9; and grades 10 through 12.
Science, Math, Engineering & Technology (SMET) Curriculum
Many organizations are developing science, math, engineering and technology-based curriculum for various grade levels. Much of this information is available on the Internet yet, many teachers don't know how or where to access it and there is no single clearinghouse to evaluate and rank the programs. The International Technology Educators Association (ITEA) has developed a set of Standards for Technological Literacy that have been reviewed by the National Research Council and the National Academy of Engineering. The Massachusetts Board of Education recently adopted Science, Engineering/Technology Curricula developed by Tufts University. ASME curricula resources are located on ASMENET, Board on Pre-College Education.
ASME ACTION
ASME Volunteers
On April 4, 2001, Tufts' Dean of Engineering, Ioannis Miaoulis, an ASME member, will address members of Congress and staff on his university partnership activities in the state of Massachusetts where he worked with the state Board of Education to rewrite the Science and Technology/Engineering Curricula Frameworks. In December, Massachusetts became the first state to require engineering concepts be taught in the K-12 classrooms. After the congressional briefing, Miaoulis and other ASME members will visit their elected representatives and senators to discuss pending education legislation and specifically the Math & Science Partnerships as proposed by the President and the Congress. Jeff Leaf, ASME Vice President, Board on Pre-College Education and a technology instructor at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology, testified before the House Science Committee in May 2000 in support of Rep. Ehlers National Science Education Acts (see his testimony). Members of the ASME Board on Pre-College Education particpated in the April 2000 Washington Visitation and met with over 30 congressional offices to express ASME support for improved SMET education.
Engineers for Education
ASME is now working with other engineering societies through the American Association of Engineering Societies (AAES) is seeking to expand the Math & Science Partnerships to better serve K-12 SMET education.
K-12 SMET Education Coalition
The Washington Center staff spearheaded the development of a K-12 SMET Education Coalition to advance SMET learning in our K-12 classrooms. Coalition meetings are now being held on a monthly basis. (see mission statement)
Staff Contact
For more information about K-12 SMET Education, please contact Patti Burgio in the ASME Washington Center at burgiop@asme.org or (202) 785-3756.