Innovation Lightbulb: Strengthening K-12 STEM Education for a Robust U.S. Technology Workforce

Newsletter by Julia Yoon

Published June 28, 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly disrupted the learning environment for K-12 students across the country, dramatically shifting the learning environment from traditional classroom settings to remote instruction. Approximately 83 percent of public schoolteachers reportedhaving to adapt new teaching mechanisms during the pandemic, from in-person classes to distance-learning formats that relied heavily on online resources.

According to the National Science Foundation and the Nation's Report Card, the average mathematics test scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) declinedin 2022 compared to previous years. Specifically, long-term trend assessments show a 7-point drop in scores among 9-year-old students from 2020 to 2022, while 13-year-old students show a 9-point drop from 2020 to 2023. Assessment scores among fourth- and eighth-grade students show a 5-point and 8-point drop respectively, from 2019 to 2022. This means that, after the pandemic, 9-year-old students scored lower than in 2004, fourth graders lower than in 2005, 13-year-old students lower than in 1992, and eighth graders lower than in 2003. While there may be a temptation to fixate on the post-pandemic decline, there has been a 20-year-long stagnation in scoring across grade levels.

As of 2022, the United States rankedbelow average-28th out of 37-in math performance on the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) compared to other members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), a group comprising advanced economies. While U.S. mathematics scores did decline from the previous assessment in 2018, its rank remainedsimilar, reflecting a general drop in scores internationally.

The question remains whether the decline in U.S. test scores will persist or rebound to pre-pandemic levels. For example, the rate of chronic student absenteeism in the U.S. skyrocketedafter the pandemic as the transition back to in-person learning proved challenging. However, after just one academic year, rates have begun returning to pre-pandemic levels.

The United States is projectedto face a significant shortage of qualified talent in science and engineering fields. While the country currently relies onforeign-born workers for much of its high-skill technology workforce needs, educating the next generation of STEM talent domestically is a key objective, even if the impact will not be felt immediately. Improving math competency and fostering interest in STEM must start early in a child's education and must reach across all communities. Doing so will help broaden and diversify the talent pipeline into industries of strategic and economic importance, ensuring U.S. competitiveness for years to come.

Data visualization by William Taylor

Tags

Programs & Projects