Underrepresented in STEM
This document presents the Federal Government’s five-year strategic plan for STEM education, based on a vision for a future where all Americans will have lifelong access to high-quality STEM education and the United States will be the global leader in STEM literacy, innovation, and employment. The plan accordingly strengthens the Federal commitment to equity and diversity, to evidence-based practice, and […]
The rate at which women enroll in four-year colleges and complete bachelor’s degrees continues to outpace the rate for men. In fact, by 2025 women will represent nearly 60 percent of all university students. Yet despite their growing numbers on college campuses, women remain a small minority among students majoring in physical, engineering, mathematics, and computer (PEMC) sciences. It seems […]
A new 68-page report from the Pullias Center for Higher Education at the University of Southern California hopes to address underrepresented students in STEM. The report, part of a collaborative effort from eight California State University campuses, emphasizes collaboration between existing academic affairs and student affairs programs — which are often separated — as well as specific interventions for struggling […]
Low-income black students who have at least one black teacher in elementary school are significantly more likely to graduate high school and consider attending college, concludes a new study co-authored by a Johns Hopkins University economist.
Expanding access to computer science courses — now available at just one out of 4 high schools – is the focus of several efforts at the state level that complement the President’s Computer Science for All Initiative and the Computer Science Education Coalition. Loretta Goodwin, Senior Director of American Youth Policy Forum, details efforts in Arkansas and Massachusetts that provide […]
The U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Division this summer released data from the 2013-2014 Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC), a survey of all public schools and school districts in the United States. The data showed that only 48 percent of high schools with high black and Latino student enrollment offer physics, compared to 67 percent of high schools with […]
A recent STELAR blog post details the scale-up of CompuGirls, Phoenix-based program that uses social justice-based multimedia projects to engage young women in activities that increase knowledge, understanding, and awareness of careers in STEM and information and communications technology (ICT). PI Kimberly Scott of Arizona State noted, “probably the most important learning surrounds the role of teachers in the program. […]
A new report released by Techbridge identifies promising strategies – and calls for funders to adopt new approaches to ensure all girls – and particularly low-income girls of color – have access to high quality STEM learning opportunities that engage and interest them to pursue STEM education and careers.
A recent blog post at informalscience.org focused on the progress made thus far through Equity Pathways in Informal STEM Learning a Science Learning+ Phase 1 project exploring equity issues for 11-14 year olds from underserved, non-dominant backgrounds in informal STEM learning. So far the project has found that equity concerns represent an urgent and significant challenge for informal STEM learning […]
