There is growing concern that the United States is not preparing a sufficient
number of students, teachers, and professionals in the areas of science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics (STEM).1
Although the most recent National
Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results show improvement in U.S.
pupils’ knowledge of math and science, the large majority of students still fail to
reach adequate levels of proficiency. When compared to other nations, the
achievement of U.S. pupils appears inconsistent with the nation’s role as a world
leader in scientific innovation. For example, among the 40 countries participating
in the 2003 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), the U.S. ranked
28th in math literacy and 24th in science literacy.