The Need for a STEM Stimulus Package

Along with the first American telegraph, the first basketball game and the first e-mail, Massachusetts was the first state in the union to hold a statewide STEM summit. It was 2004, following the U.S. Department of Education's National Summits on Mathematics and Science, when Massachusetts launched the nation's first summit on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The focus was to bring stakeholders together to define and discuss STEM issues in the Commonwealth and to pursue solutions.

The problems were clear: not enough students graduating with STEM backgrounds to fill the open positions in the marketplace; graduates choosing business rather than teaching; and fewer students indicating an interest in STEM careers.

At about the same time, the Massachusetts Legislature began investing in STEM workforce development through the Economic Stimulus Bill. This legislation was intended to improve education and preparation of students for the STEM pipeline and has provided over $10 million in funding for STEM programs.

While the programs have produced many ideas and engaged students, several people -- especially those in the private sector -- were frustrated with having to reiterate their needs and interests. Additionally, there was some repetition of initiatives, which meant that scarce resources were not being used to their best advantage. Slowly the notion emerged for a well-constructed, strategic plan. The plan would lay out an inventory and a comparison of actual resources versus needs, which would help focus the efforts of all the stakeholders in the Commonwealth.

In 2006, Jack Wilson, the president of the University of Massachusetts, himself a physicist, created a position to oversee STEM activities and a call went out at the fourth summit for volunteers interested in creating a state plan. Several networks were targeted to secure broad representation of the institutions and groups working on STEM.

Several face-to-face meetings, many e-mails and at least eight drafts, resulted in an outline. This volunteer group identified all the elements needed in a state STEM plan.

However, a volunteer group with no affiliation does not have the authority to promulgate the development of a plan. So the next step was to go to the Department of Higher Education, where the Pipeline Fund resides, and which oversees the functioning of the Robert H. Goddard Council, an oversight group mandated by the Economic Stimulus Bill. The council includes pre-kindergarten through higher education stakeholders, legislators and business representatives. The group proposed the development of a plan for Massachusetts, based on the outline created by the volunteers.

The council agreed and approved a contract to hire an overseer for the process.

On Nov. 7, 2007, the Goddard Council approved the development of a state STEM plan with the nonprofit organization Education Development Center, Inc., overseeing the planning process. An advisory committee was convened and a process determined.

In May 2008, the Massachusetts Legislature re-established its STEM Caucus to contribute to the plan. This is an informal group led by a state representative and a senator, which brings together other legislators, educators and the business sector to "resolve" policy and financial supports for STEM in Massachusetts.

Straight from the plan

The following is excerpted from the Massachusetts STEM plan:

Massachusetts STEM education goal and objectives
The goal of an integrated STEM strategy for Massachusetts is to increase, by 35 percent, the number of high school students preparing for and entering STEM careers by 2012, as measured by SAT indication of STEM career choices and college applications in STEM disciplines.

To achieve this goal, the following objectives should be met:

1. Increase significantly the number of students, including females and culturally and linguistically diverse and underserved students, who are aware of, interested in, and motivated to study STEM from elementary school through higher education graduation.
2. Raise the level of STEM achievement of all Massachusetts students, from elementary school through completion of higher education, by 10 percent a year increase in performance as measured by a variety of methodologies and indicators of achievement, including MCAS, NAEP, TIMSS, and college course completion rates within the next five years.
3. Increase, by 10 percent a year, the number of qualified teachers of STEM (pre-k - 16) who can provide solid STEM education for all students, through both teacher preparation and professional development, as measured by number of teachers licensed in STEM and hired to teach STEM subjects within the next five years.
4. Increase, by 10 percent a year, the number of students entering as STEM college majors who then graduate in these fields.
5. Improve and provide equitable STEM instruction, curriculum and programs from elementary school through higher education as indicated from an inventory to be prepared as part of the state plan.

Resources from the states

Massachusetts looked to the following state plans while developing its own:

1. Alabama: http://www.amsti.org
2. Connecticut: http://www.ctacad.org/files/2007KeepingCTCompetitive.pdf
3. Georgia: http://www.gaprism.org
4. Hawaii: http://www.hawaii.gov/dbedt/innovation
5. Kentucky: One of the recommendations of Kentucky's STEM task force is to engage business, industry and civic leaders to improve STEM education and skills in the Commonwealth and create incentives for Kentucky businesses that employ and invest in STEM-educated students.
   http://cpe.ky.gov/news/reports/cpe_reports/stem.htm
6. Minnesota's STEM Web site lets readers know that STEM is more than just math equations, lab reports and spreadsheets. It's about getting into subjects that can lead to exciting careers.
   http://www.mn-stem.com
7. Ohio: http://stem.ohio.gov
8. Rhode Island: Accountability for results in math and science has been assigned to the governor's new Statewide PK-16 Council. Through this structure, responsibility for and commitment to action will be shared among Rhode Island's educational and business leaders to ensure system improvement on each of the recommended strategies.
   http://www.governor.ri.gov/documents/TEC_M&S_FA_LR.pdf
9. Texas: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/ed_init/sec/thsp/tstem.html

*This story is from Converge magazine's Summer 2008 issue.