“50 percent of our incoming students require some kind of math remediation. for a student who is interested in pursuing a STEM path, that can add two more years to a four-year degree track. That turns a lot of students away from those tracks.” - higher Education official instruction to be only slightly to School Finding #3: moderately effective. administrators and teachers are There is limited Finding #5: not always aligned on the STEM STEM-focused professional There is limited Finding #4: agenda development measurement of STEM Surveys of superintendents, principals, Most teachers reported that fewer than programming effectiveness and teachers showed that these groups a quarter of their professional are not aligned on the importance of About 72 percent of principals said development hours were spent on STEM. When asked how important they did not have specific metrics for topics related to STEM subjects and STEM is in their schools, more than 85 measuring the effectiveness of STEM teaching techniques includ- ing percent of superintendents29 believed programming. Of those who are project-based learning. This is largely STEM to be very important, versus 52 measuring effectiveness, most were due to a lack of opportunities; 66 percent of principals and 28 percent of using measures of student interest in percent of teachers reported that their teachers30. Similarly, when asked STEM subjects and enrollment to school districts do not provide STEM about the importance of student completion metrics for STEM professional development achievement in STEM subjects to programs, instead of student opportunities. In addition, project- future success, 70 percent of principals achievement or proficiency data. learning is not used extensively said it is very important versus only 44 Similarly, among STEM initiative in the classroom; only 43 percent of percent of teachers. The only question funders in the region, there was principals said it is used in the on which teachers and principals did limited tracking of program classroom, even though 97 percent of agree was regarding the effectiveness effectiveness beyond dollar spending teachers believed project-based of STEM instruction in their schools: and students impacted; very little data learning to be an effective teaching 77 percent of teachers and 77 percent regarding program impacts was method. of principals believe their STEM available. “We don’t use the data we have to our advantage” – Superintendent
“50 percent of our incoming students require some kind of math remediation. for a student who is interested in pursuing a STEM path, that can add two more years to a four-year degree track. That turns a lot of students away from those tracks.” - higher Education official Finding #3: School administrators and teachers are not always aligned on the STEM agenda Surveys of superintendents, principals, and teachers showed that these groups are not aligned on the importance of STEM. When asked how important STEM is in their schools, more than 85 percent of superintendents29 believed STEM to be very important, versus 52 percent of principals and 28 percent of teachers30. Similarly, when asked about the importance of student achievement in STEM subjects to future success, 70 percent of principals said it is very important versus only 44 percent of teachers. The only question on which teachers and principals did agree was regarding the effectiveness of STEM instruction in their schools: 77 percent of teachers and 77 percent of principals believe their STEM instruction to be only slightly to moderately effective. Finding #4: There is limited measurement of STEM programming effectiveness About 72 percent of principals said they did not have specific metrics for measuring the effectiveness of STEM programming. Of those who are measuring effectiveness, most were using measures of student interest in STEM subjects and enrollment to completion metrics for STEM programs, instead of student achievement or proficiency data. Similarly, among STEM initiative funders in the region, there was limited tracking of program effectiveness beyond dollar spending and students impacted; very little data regarding program impacts was available. Finding #5: There is limited STEM-focused professional development Most teachers reported that fewer than a quarter of their professional development hours were spent on topics related to STEM subjects and teaching techniques includ- ing project-based learning. This is largely due to a lack of opportunities; 66 percent of teachers reported that their school districts do not provide STEM professional development opportunities. In addition, learning is not used extensively in the classroom; only 43 percent of principals said it is used in the classroom, even though 97 percent of teachers believed project-based learning to be an effective teaching method. “We don’t use the data we have to our advantage” – Superintendent project-
GLBRA_STEM-Impact-Initiative-Full-Report_final.docx