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Data at a Glance
The U.S. will need to increase the number of students graduating with STEM degrees by 34 percent annually to maintain its standing as a leader in science and technology fields worldwide.
Source:
2012 Report to the President, President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
As the United States seeks to improve the academic achievement of its students and remain a global leader in scientific discoveries and innovations, its education policies and programs in STEM continue to draw national attention and funding. In FY 2010, 13 federal agencies invested over $3 billion in more than 200 STEM programs to promote student learning, build capacity for research and education, and foster completion of advanced degrees needed to build our scientific workforce. Mathematica Policy Research is at the forefront of efforts to ensure these investments in STEM education are evidence-based, effective, and efficient.
Mathematica has established itself as a national leader in policy-focused education research and evaluation by successfully conducting many seminal evaluation and data collection projects. Through the leadership and collaboration of its social scientists, statisticians, and survey research professionals, Mathematica conducts a range of evaluations and data collections in STEM that target students, educators, and other stakeholders as well as educational programs and institutions in K–12, higher education, and informal education. These studies often focus on populations targeted by efforts to build and diversify the scientific workforce, including women, minorities, disadvantaged students, and minority-serving institutions. The box on the right includes links to some of these projects.
STEM initiatives in K–12 education focus on increasing student achievement and encouraging students to pursue post-secondary degrees and employment in STEM fields. These initiatives are designed to improve math and science curricula, engage and inspire students, improve teacher effectiveness, and support research.
Selected projects:
Evaluation of Educational Technology Interventions (U.S. Department of Education)
Evaluation of Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) Schools (KIPP Foundation)
Evaluation of Mathematics Curricula (U.S. Department of Education)
Evaluation of the Impact of Teacher-Induction Programs (U.S. Department of Education)
Evaluation of the Upward Bound Math-Science Program (U.S. Department of Education)
Impact Evaluation of Teacher Preparation Models (U.S. Department of Education)
Impact of Elementary Math Curricula on Student Achievement in the Pittsburgh Public Schools (Pittsburgh Public Schools)
Impact on Secondary Student Math Achievement of Highly Selective Routes to Alternative Certification (U.S. Department of Education)
National Evaluation of Talent Search (U.S. Department of Education)
STEM initiatives in higher education—at the undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate levels—are ultimately designed to build the STEM workforce and increase the frontiers of knowledge. These efforts frequently encourage research among students and faculty, and emphasize diversity in education programs, improvements in student recruitment and retention, and enhancements to teaching through the use of technology and faculty professional development.
Selected projects:
Characterizing and Modeling of the Experience of Transfer Students in Engineering (National Science Foundation)
Evaluation of the National Institutes of Health’s Undergraduate Scholarship Program (Department of Health and Human Services)
Evaluation of the National Institutes of Health’s Intramural Research Loan Repayment Program (Department of Health and Human Services)
Evaluation of the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Bridge to the Doctorate Fellowship (National Science Foundation)
Evaluation of the Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation)
Process Evaluation of the ADVANCE Program (National Science Foundation)
The goal of informal education projects in STEM is to educate the public, engage parents, and motivate students to increase their knowledge and understanding of the importance of STEM fields and topics, and in so doing garner interest in and build support for STEM education and research. These projects often involve engaging parents of K–12 students in extracurricular activities and disseminating information through media outlets and museums.
Selected projects:
Design of the Evaluation of the National Science Foundation Research on Gender in Science and Engineering (GSE) Program (National Science Foundation)
Design of an Impact Evaluation of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Center for Health Policy at the University of New Mexico Fellowship Program (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation)
Evaluation of the Minority-Serving Institutions Models of Success Program (Lumina Foundation for Education)
What Works Clearinghouse Science and Math Curricula (U.S. Department of Education)
STEM in Data Collection and Management
Collecting high quality data is a critical component of STEM research and evaluations, and central to stand-alone surveys used to provide the most current statistics that allow researchers and policymakers to monitor the size and characteristics of the scientific workforce. Data collections involve identifying and sampling the appropriate populations, developing instruments, and collecting data (via telephone, web, mail, archives, etc.). Data management involves documenting and maintaining information about scientists and engineers in order to facilitate its’ use by researchers and policmakers.
Selected projects:
American Educational Research Association (AERA)-National Academy of Education (NAEd) Assessment of Education Doctorate Research Programs (American Educational Research Association)
Management of Science and Engineering Labor Force Model and Database (National Science Foundation)
National Survey of Recent College Graduates (NSRCG, National Science Foundation)
National Research Council Assessment of Research-Doctorate Programs (National Academy of Sciences)
Scientists and Engineers Statistical Data System (SESTAT, National Science Foundation)