Don’t Forget the Importance of K-12 Education
Robert Atkinson, in conjunction with several other fellows associated with the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, has just released another report addressing the STEM (Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) challenge America faces.
Most reports focus on advanced degree programs; this report highlights the critical role primary and secondary education in STEM plays in developing an educated workforce:
“If America is to succeed in the innovation-powered global economy, boosting math and science skills will be critical. This is why a wide array of task forces and organizations has recently raised the clarion call for more and better scientists and engineers. While the policy proposals are wide ranging, one key policy innovation has surprisingly been ignored: the role of specialty math and science high schools….[E]vidence shows these schools are a powerful tool for producing high school graduates with a deep knowledge and strong passion for science and math that translates into much higher rates of college attendance and graduation in scientific fields.”
You can read the rest fo the report here. How would you re-think our K-12 system in light of the ITIF’s findings?