Enhancing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education (STEM) Act of 2008

Ensuring American competitiveness in an increasingly global economy requires significant improvements in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.

I sponsored the Enhancing STEM Act to improve STEM education coordination among Federal and state governments. The Enhancing STEM Act provides Federal Agencies and states with the infrastructure required to work collaboratively, establish national STEM education goals, and to coordinate STEM education initiatives.

I developed the bill with my distinguished colleague, Senator Barack Obama (D-IL), who introduced a companion bill (S.3047) with Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN).

Additional Resources

• Supporting Organizations
• Background
• Bill Summary
• Briefing Podcasts
• Press Release
• Bill Status: House / Senate
• Cosponsors: House / Senate
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Comment on this bill

Background

According to the Academic Competitiveness Council’s (ACC) May 2007 report, in 2006 the U.S. sponsored 105 Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education programs at a dozen different Federal Agencies. These programs devote approximately $3.12 billion to STEM education activities spanning pre-kindergarten through postgraduate education and outreach. It was shown that many of these Agencies do not share information or work collaboratively on similar programs. The ACC found that

"coordination among agencies could be improved to avoid, for example, grants to numerous projects that support the same sorts of interventions… there appears to be a lack of communication among the agencies about the work they are funding and the results that are being generated … agencies are often uninformed by the results of earlier projects."

When testifying before the House Science and Technology Committee in March 2008, Bill Gates identified improvements our nation needs to implement if we are to maintain an innovative and dynamic economy.

"Ultimately, we need to identify a smaller set of clear, high and common state standards that reflect what young people truly need to know to be successful in the 21st century..."

Also in March, the National Mathematics Advisory Panel released a report calling for curricular alignment and improved teacher preparation and professional development, adding that

"mathematics preparation of elementary and middle school teachers must be strengthened… this includes pre-service teacher education, early career support, and professional development programs."

Content standards, assessments, and teacher credentials vary widely from state to state and are believed to contribute to the wide variation of scores across the nation shown in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)—the Nation’s Report Card.

More information on STEM related issues can be found in a report by the Congressional Research Service: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education: Background, Federal Policy, and Legislative Action.

Bill Summary

Reorganization of the President’s Office of Science and Technology Policy Science to establish a working STEM Education Committee

The function of the Office of Science Technology Policy’s STEM Education Committee is to coordinate all the efforts of all the Federal agencies that relate to STEM education from pre-kindergarten through the workforce. OSTP’s STEM Education Committee will be responsible for:

• Coordinating and facilitating communication and cooperation between Federal agencies;
• Developing annual goals and objectives for improving STEM education throughout the nation;
• Conducting an inventory and assessment of the effectiveness and coherence of the STEM education efforts within the Federal agencies;
• Consulting with the Interstate Consortium on STEM Education when developing Federal STEM education policy; and
• Developing, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor, a 5-year projection of the STEM workforce.

Office of STEM Education at the Department of Education

Establishing an Office of STEM Education at the Department of Education will raise the prominence and place greater emphasis on STEM education within the Department. In addition, the new Assistant Secretary of STEM Education would serve as a much-needed point of contact for Federal Agencies and states engaged in STEM education initiatives. The Office of STEM Education would be responsible for:

• Coordinating STEM education efforts within the Department of Education;
• Collaborating with other Federal Agencies;
• Enhancing educational opportunities for underrepresented populations in the STEM fields;
• Managing programs in the Department such as Math and Science Partnerships, Math Now, Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow, and Minority Science and Engineering Improvement;
• Consulting with the Interstate Consortium on STEM Education to foster communication between the Federal Government, States, Institutions of Higher Education, and other stakeholders; and
• Improving STEM teacher quality.

Consortium on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education

The purpose of the Consortium is to encourage states to work together when developing strategies for improving STEM education and conducting workforce needs assessments to enhance American innovation. The Consortium would establish an Interstate Council on STEM Education consisting of a wide range of STEM education stakeholders. The Interstate Council on STEM Education would be responsible for:

• Identifying points of weakness in the STEM education system and prioritizing strategies for addressing problem areas;
• Developing rigorous, common content standards in STEM education for grades K-12;
• Designing strategies to increase the participation and success of underrepresented populations;
• Developing innovative STEM assessment practices that measure higher order thinking skills, problem solving, analysis, and synthesis; and
• Creating curriculum tools and professional development that foster innovation and inventiveness.

National Science Education Research Repository

The National STEM Education Research Repository (NSERR) will provide a central point of access for Federally funded STEM education research and promising practices and exemplary programs. Scientifically-based STEM education research and promising practices and exemplary programs among governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations will be made widely available through the NSERR. The NSERR will be responsible for:

• Integrating existing STEM education collections at Federal agencies;
• Developing criteria for determining the credibility of STEM education research and best practices
• Making STEM education research and promising practices and exemplary programs widely available to educators; and
• Providing summaries of each piece of STEM education research and best practices, including examples of successful implementation and other information that is beneficial to educators.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is goal of the bill?
• What are the economic and public benefits of the bill?
• How is this bill different from America COMPETES Act?
• Will this create another layer of federal bureaucracy?
• Will this bill impose standards on the states?
• How many Consortia?
• What is the Department of Education’s role?
• Would the bill make the Department of Education responsible for coordinating all Federal STEM Education Programs?
• Is the National STEM Education Research Repository duplicative of the “What Works Clearing House”?
• How much does the bill cost?

What is goal of the bill?

The bill provides a mechanism for federal and state coordination and collaboration that will bring coherence to STEM education initiatives.

What are the economic and public benefits of the bill?

The bill will improve the quality of America’s STEM workforce, and help increase its quantity and diversity. The legislation will ensure that students become effective problem solvers and well-informed citizens who can contribute to our democracy, and to America’s economic competitiveness. Innovation and the development of cutting edge industries depend on this.

How is this bill different from America COMPETES Act?

The Enhancing STEM Education Act provides the structural capacity required to carryout the vision of America COMPETES. The America COMPETES Act emphasized research and development and the Enhancing STEM Education Act will provide support for the initiatives in COMPETES.

Will this create another layer of federal bureaucracy?

There are many effective STEM educational programs at the state and federal levels. Unfortunately, the work is being done in isolation. This bill provides the coordination necessary to ensure these efforts are concerted.

Will this bill impose standards on the states?

No. On the contrary, the bill provides a mechanism for the states to develop voluntary standards and to bring their input to the federal level. The Enhancing STEM Education Act creates a framework for federal-state cooperation that does not exist now. The framework is a voluntary Consortium of at least five states from across the country’s geographical regions. This Consortium will enhance the STEM education strategies developed at the state and local levels.

How many Consortia?

One. The Consortium will align STEM education across the states to reduce fragmentation within STEM education, while giving all member states input and maintaining their latitude in developing STEM policies.

What is the Department of Education’s role?

The office of the Assistant Secretary for STEM Education will coordinate the Department’s STEM education Programs (Math and Science Partnerships, Math Now, Minority Science and Engineering Improvement, and Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow as well as the non-financial aid components of the SMART, TEACH, and Academic Competiveness Grants).

Would the bill make the Department of Education responsible for coordinating all Federal STEM Education Programs?

No. The new Department of Education Office of STEM Education is only coordinating the department’s own STEM education programs. The Assistant Secretary of STEM education is only a member of the OSTP’s STEM Education Committee—at the table like each of the other agencies that are engaged in STEM education initiatives.

Is the National STEM Education Research Repository duplicative of the “What Works Clearing House”?

No. THE NSERR will:

• Make available to educators the results of the more than $3 billion the Federal Government spends annually on STEM education.
• Disseminate all federally-funded STEM education programs and promising practices that are high quality.

These programs and promising practices could be further evaluated by the What Works Clearinghouse for inclusion in the What Works Clearinghouse.

How much does the bill cost?

The cost of this bill is $22.15 million for the first five states in the State Consortium on STEM Education. This is roughly .7% of the annual Federal STEM education expenditures. $2 million is authorized for each additional state beyond the initial five in the Consortium.

Supporting Organizations