According to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) (2010), the importance of an education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) cannot be overemphasized.

In this era of rapid technological advancement, inadequate preparation and a lack of interest in STEM, particularly among underrepresented groups, are producing a dearth of knowledge and skills required to drive innovation and strengthen our global competitiveness. Furthermore, without effective STEM education, current students and future generations will not have “the technical skills and quantitative literacy needed for individuals to earn livable wages and make better decisions for themselves, their families and their communities.”

This position reiterates the findings of the National Science Board (NSB) three years earlier. In 2007, the NSB released a report identifying the critical needs of the U.S. STEM education system.

According to the report, there is little or no integration of science, technology, engineering, and math learning taking place during students’ progression through the K-12 education system. Moreover, “…many high schools provide a curriculum that is uninspiring, poorly aligned, outdated, lacking in rigor, and fraught with low expectations.” Not surprisingly, “the low engagement with STEM-related learning is particularly acute among minority, female and lower-income students, who comprise a growing proportion of the total college-going public.”