Abstract – The primary driving force of the US economy
depends on the advancement of Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Historically, the
“E” of STEM has been virtually silent in U.S. elementary
and secondary schools. In recent years, K–12 engineering
education started to gain attention from educators and
policy makers. However, there is a strong need for more
standardized engineering curriculum and assessment in
K-12 classrooms across the country. It is imperative that
more efforts are introduced at the local, district, and
federal level that help create strategies, education
reforms and opportunities to boost the current meagre
national STEM talent pool for a sustained U.S. economy
and meet the STEM workforce demands by the year
2020. It is imperative that more efforts are introduced at
local, districts, and federal level that helps create
strategies, education reforms and opportunities to boost
the current meagre national STEM talent pool for a
sustained US economy and meet the STEM workforce
demands by the year 2020. a team of experts was
convened by the NRC at the request of Representative
Frank Wolf (VA) to identify highly STEM focused K-12
schools and programs across the country, however this
was focused on the science and mathematics of STEM.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-
Cooperative Remote Sensing Science and Technology
Center at the City College of the City University of New
York funded by NOAA’s Educational Partnership
Program created a unique project-based integrated
STEM learning model that introduces an holistic
learning approach to instill college-readiness and STEM
motivation among HS students especially students of color
and underserved communities.