2013-14 STEM Plan Instructional Programs: Jennifer Chase Gary Gillespie Eric Magi Jane Miller Mike Nepean Lisa White Chief Academic Officer Steven Gering Spokane Public Schools
Spokane Public Schools STEM Plan What is STEM? S Science T Technology E Engineering M Math Today, the need for high quality science, technology, engineering and mathematics education brings STEM to the forefront as a national priority and as a priority for K-12 education. Largely driven by the concern of America s role in the global economy, policy makers are worried about the lack of a robust STEM workforce that might ultimately hinder America s productivity due to the generative economic power and social influence of STEM. Backing up the concern, recent reports have indeed confirmed that there is a shortage of STEM employers entering the workforce in the United States and there will need to be substantial shifts in the development of STEM workers to meet the demands of the next decade. In Spokane Public Schools, our implementation of STEM education has two parts. STEM for All refers to an emphasis on discrete content and skills inside each of the four disciplines, as well as robust, integrated experiences that are a part of the core curriculum for all students. Many of the STEM careers discussed later in this paper are not in discrete domains; instead they require workers to bring together science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in new and often complex ways. STEM Choices refers to pathways and experiences that allow students to choose rich, integrated classes, clubs and competitions that contribute to a well-rounded STEM education. 2
Why the focus on STEM? The focus on STEM is driven by multiple issues. First and foremost, there is the growth of STEM in the American and world job market. Figure one shows the growth of STEM jobs from 2005 and the projections as we head toward the next decade (Carnevale, 2010). This figure demonstrates that STEM careers are growing in both total numbers and as a percentage of the total job market. STEM jobs are also projected to show nearly a 17% growth which is larger than the economy (10%). Figure #1- STEM Jobs in the US Economy In addition to the growth of STEM jobs in the United States, STEM jobs also offer workers better salary and growth prospects. Figure #2 shows that STEM workers earn above average wages compared to other career clusters. STEM careers have also experienced above average real wage growth over the past twenty years. This means that state leaders are focused on securing STEM jobs in their state economy and that federal government and policy makers are spending a lot of energy in ensuring that our K-20 education systems are producing enough STEM workers to meet the demands of the 21 st Century. 3
Figure #2- Wage Earning of Workers by Career Clusters In addition to national trends, Washington State is having extensive discussions about STEM education. Again, this is driven by economic and practical reasons. Washington, Virginia, and Washington D.C. are projected to lead the nation in their share of all jobs that will be STEM jobs (Figure #4). Figure #4 - Projected growth of STEM jobs across the United States 4
While the growth in STEM jobs is encouraging for the state economy, a January 2012 report from the University of Pennsylvania is not so encouraging. Here is an excerpt from the University of Pennsylvania report (Perna, Finney, & Callan, 2012): To reach the level of educational attainment of top-performing states and countries, Washington must increase educational attainment, particularly among younger residents. The share of Washington s population that holds at least an associate degree is lower among younger adults (ages 25 to 34) than among older adults (ages 45 to 54). Based on trends in degree production and projections of population growth, Washington must increase its annual production of associate and bachelor s degrees by 6.2% each year so that by 2020, 55% of its workforce (ages 25 to 64) holds at least an associate degree, which is the level of attainment of the best-performing nations. Washington also needs to improve higher education to meet workforce demands. The state s economy is one of the most technology-intensive in the nation. By 2018, 67% of all jobs in Washington are projected to require workers to have at least some postsecondary education or training. (Introduction) This recent report examined five states K-12 and post-secondary education systems. The findings included a realization that the state of Washington is not preparing nearly enough students for college education and STEM careers and is relying on importing talent from across the United States to fill the STEM jobs that are available. In other words, Washington students are not getting the necessary education to access the jobs in our state economy and students from across the United States and around the world are moving to the state of Washington for these positions. What is the STEM agenda? The STEM agenda as outlined by the National Governor Association (Thomasian, 2011) has two basic goals. First, is to expand the number of students prepared to enter postsecondary study and pursue careers in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. This goal is designed to bolster the innovative capacity of the U.S. workforce, which is falling behind other nations that are creating higher numbers of STEM-trained individuals each year compared to the United States. The second goal is to boost the proficiency of all students in basic STEM knowledge. This goal is designed to improve the ability of students and workers to assess problems, employ STEM concepts, and apply creative solutions in their daily lives. This second goal requires that all high school graduates be ready with the basic skills to pursue work or study in both STEM and non-stem fields and meet the demands of most jobs today. Based on these two goals, the National Governor Association has established six action steps to meet the demands of the goals above. 5
Level of Responsibility K-12 Education Post - Secondary Recommended Action Steps 1. Adopted rigorous math and science standards and improved assessments. Through the Common Core State Standards Initiative, led by governors and chief state school officers, states are implementing more rigorous, internationally benchmarked math standards. A separate state led effort soon will produce improved science standards. 2. Recruited and retained more qualified classroom teachers. Several states and districts are using financial incentives, support systems, professional development, and improved institutional conditions to recruit, retain, and reward highperforming math and science teachers. 3. Provided more rigorous preparation for STEM students. Through new school and instructional designs -STEMspecialty schools and academies, early college programs, linked learning, and online courses states and schools are providing students with more focused and rigorous STEM curricula with real-world applications. 4. Used informal learning to expand math and science beyond the classroom. Many public and private institutions, such as museums, science centers, and after-school programs, provide valuable out-of-class experiences that demonstrate how math and science connect to everyday life and careers and allow students and teachers to expand their skills. These programs are proving to have a positive effect on STEM interest and achievement. 5. Enhanced the quality and supply of STEM teachers. A number of higher education institutions have established goals to improve teacher preparation programs, provide support systems and professional development, and generate more qualified math and science teachers. 6. Established goals for postsecondary institutions to meet STEM job needs. A number of states have worked with postsecondary institutions to boost the number of certificates and degrees in STEM fields. Although our policy leaders are establishing some specific STEM goals and action steps, these should not be seen as new initiatives or efforts for Spokane Public Schools. Our focus on College and Career Readiness, along with the bold goal of T-2-4, should remain the overarching strategy and focus for our school district. The effort, to ensure that more students are graduating ready for post-secondary education and aspire to post-secondary education is one and the same as the STEM agenda. Our College and Career Readiness initiative already focuses on what we teach (content and levels of rigor) and how we teach. Instead of a new initiative, the STEM goals, and action steps, should be seen as part of the work in which we have been engaged for many years. This national agenda on STEM is not antithetical in any way to college and career readiness. As schools move on the college and career readiness agenda, it is instead a call for particular focus and attention to one critical area inside of our larger college and career readiness initiative. The increased focus on STEM is the result of the changes in job and labor markets that are calling for different types of students and workers. 6
College & Career Readiness Principle One Principle Two Principle Three Recommendation #1: Create a core academic program that is aligned with and leads to college readiness by the end of 12th grade. Principle Four Principle Five STEM What are STEM careers and how can Spokane Public Schools prepare students for STEM education? U.S. News and World Reports recently published a list, Hot College Majors that Lead to Jobs: From robotics to cybersecurity, STEM majors are among the hottest for career-seeking college students. (US News, 9-10-13). This list includes college majors and careers in emerging fields that may not be on a students radar. Emerging STEM Field Description Current SPS Support STEM Choices Biomedical Engineering The intersection of life sciences, AP Biology engineering and medicine. The Bureau of Project Lead the Way Labor Statistics estimates a 62% growth in these jobs between 2010 and 2020 Institute of Science and Technology at North Central Pre-Engineering Biometrics Forensic Science Technology consisting of automated identification devices. An increased focus on technology to analyze evidence keeps this field growing and changing. AP Computer Science CyberPatriots Project Lead the Way Institute of Science and Technology at North Central CyberPatriots Computer Game Design The global market for game design is growing fast. Designers need skills in AP Computer Science 7
Cybesecurity Data Science Business Analytics Petroleum Engineering Public Health Robotics animation, audio design, programming and production management. Specialists will be able to find jobs with large companies including health care, energy, and security services as well as government positions. The global volume of computerized data doubles about every two years and will help to create about 4.4 million new jobs by 2015. This is closely related to Data Science, but is typically tied to a business major. Shale formations previously thought to be unproductive are being tapped for fuel. Drilling, Production and Reservoir Engineers are three areas of growing employment. Threat of global epidemics and health reform focusing on prevention contribute to the growth in this field. There is a potential for 2-3.5 million new jobs in robotics between 2010 and 2020. Many of these will be focused on helping to expand human capabilities. Sustainability Environmental degree programs are focusing on problem-solving. Sustainability managers are being hired in many different types of companies and agencies. U.S. News, Best Colleges Guidebook, 2014 AP Computer Science CyberPatriots AP Statistics AP Computer Science AP Statistics AP Computer Science DECA AP Environmental Science AP Chemistry Pre-Engineering Project Lead the Way Institute of Science and Technology at North Central Robotics Pre-Engineering Project Lead the Way MESA AP Environmental Science AP Biology There is some considerable debate about what actually comprises STEM careers and pathways for students. For the purposes of this paper, we will rely on the definition developed by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. For their study, they define STEM as encompassing five main areas of employment: computers, engineers, life and physical sciences, 8
architects and technicians, and mathematics (see Figure #5). Figure #5 - Composition of STEM careers: Forecast of occupational growth to 2018 While the attention on STEM is often in areas such as robotics or molecular biology, Figure #5 shows that the dominant route to employment in STEM careers (and most of the shortage of workers) will occur in people with proper training in computers. This need is also apparent in the U.S. News list of Hot College Majors. These statistics do however diminish the need for a focus on engineering and in the life sciences, which are also well-represented. Spokane Public Schools course offerings and preparation should continue to support a wide range of interests and current workforce needs. Another interesting aspect of preparing students for STEM careers is the type of education that is necessary to access STEM fields. As Figure #6 shows below, STEM careers are significantly weighted towards post-secondary study (even more so than most other career clusters). 9
Figure #6 - Percentage of STEM jobs projected in 2018 by the amount of education necessary to be employed in those jobs This has multiple implications. First and foremost, students need to be academically prepared to enter post-secondary routes of study. With only 9% of the STEM jobs being available to workers with a high school diploma (see Figure #6 above), students will not be able to access these careers without advanced education. Second, students will need to be able to navigate the transition to post-secondary studies. The research on college and career readiness is very clear that the post-secondary transition is only partially connected to post-secondary preparation. Other factors such as financial aid navigation, college application navigation, career guidance, study skills, persistence, etc all play a factor in students successfully entering and completing post-secondary degrees. This implies the need for a robust view of college and career preparation beyond discrete content based coursework. A third and final aspect to consider is the role of the gatekeeper courses in accessing STEM fields. Because such a high percentage of STEM careers require post-secondary degrees, students will need skills and knowledge in S, T, E, and M as well as skills and knowledge in STEM. For example, the data in Figure #7 and # 8 show that students most likely to major in STEM fields have been successful AP students. This presents a complex situation for a K-12 program. How do you create integrated and dynamic STEM experiences for students that spark passion, excitement, and interest in STEM fields and still ensure that at the conclusion of these experiences that they have the skills and knowledge to access the STEM content that they will need to demonstrate in their post-secondary pursuits? 10
Figure #7: The percentage of students majoring in a specific content area by the number of AP exams taken in that content area (Mattern, Shaw, & Ewing, 2011). Figure #8: Connection of STEM AP and its connection to students who go on and earn STEM majors. 11
What are the STEM goals for Spokane Public Schools? The needs for a robust, K-12 STEM education paired with College and Career Readiness are clear. In order to make clear the strategies and action steps necessary to accomplish these goals, Spokane Public Schools will distinguish between two types of STEM education. STEM for All, is the core academic curriculum available to all students at all grade levels. All students gain a deep understanding of the content areas, learning rich content that can be applied in STEM classes and future careers. All students feel comfortable working with technology and have strong technology skills. Students recognize that technology is more than computers and understand how to use a variety of tools. All students have experience with engineering practices through their science classes. They understand the engineering design process provides a structure to solve complex problems. STEM Choices are those STEM programs and projects that provide deeper study in areas that interest some students STEM areas are interconnected and integrated. Students experience core content classes parallel to STEM specific classes. This enables the deep understanding necessary in the core content and the application that support STEM thinking and problem solving. Engineering drives STEM challenges. Students frequently apply an engineering design process to solve complex problems, real-world problems. STEM learning experiences, whether in a classroom or out-of-school club, are facilitated using an inquiry-based model and exploration. STEM teachers are active learners, continuing to build their own background and teaching expertise. Students understand how STEM courses and competitions connect to future degrees and careers. They have connections to professionals that mentor and support the learning process. STEM Choices programs have strong community support and leadership. Please refer to the SPS STEM Action Steps, for detailed articulation of these goals. 12
References Carnevale, A.P. (2010). The demand for STEM and Graduate Education: STEM jobs, education, and the economy through 2018. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. Carnevale, A.P., Smith, N., & Melton, M. (2011). STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. Farr, S. (2010). Teaching as Leadership: The highly effective teacher's guide to closing the achievement gap. Jossey_Bas Publishers. Mattern, K. D., Shaw, E. J., & Ewing, M. (2011). College Board Research & Development, Info to Go Summary Series 2011-6. Perna, L., Finney, J., & Callan, P. (2012, January). State Policy Leadership Vacuum: Performance and policy in Washington Higher Education. National Center for Higher Education. Thomasian, J. (2011). Building a Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math Education Agenda: An Update of State Actions. National Governors Association. 13