§ We gratefully acknowledge funding from the National Science
Foundation, grant number 0827484, and helpful comments from Luke
Miller, Ryan Yeung, participants at the March 2011 AEFP meetings, the
April 2011 NYU IES-PIRT Doctoral Education Seminar, and the November
2011 APPAM meetings.
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 212 998 5758.
E-mail address: leanna.stiefel@nyu.edu (L. Stiefel).
1 Widespread support for more STEM-focused high schools has been
reflected in different government reports, particularly ‘‘Prepare and Inspire:
K-12 Education in STEM for America’s Future’’ (PCAST, 2010), ‘‘Building a
STEM Agenda’’ (National Governors Association, 2007), and ‘‘Rising Above the
Gathering Storm’’ (National Research Council, 2007). President Obama, in his
2013 State of the Union address, signaled his strong support for STEM-focused
high schools as a way to motivate and prepare students to pursue STEM.