Many districts have been renewing efforts to provide students in all grade levels with the opportunities they need to access and excel in STEM fields, especially as jobs in science, technology, engineering, and math industries are growing at a faster rate than other occupations.
Beyond its economic impact, STEM learning also nurtures skills—such as creativity, persistence, and problem solving—that are transferable to almost any field students choose to pursue after graduation, experts say. That’s why it’s important to show students the relevance of STEM learning.
The challenge, according to educators, is finding the resources they need to invest in STEM education—or STEAM, with the addition of the arts.
In open-ended responses to a recent EdWeek Research Center survey, teachers and administrators said the lack of funding and the difficulty filling STEM teacher positions were the most common problems districts face when it comes to providing STEM education.
Following is a sample of educators’ responses, in alphabetical order of the state they work in.
— Math teacher, Arkansas
— High school physical education/health teacher, California
— Elementary math teacher, Connecticut
— Elementary bilingual education teacher, Illinois
— Elementary school principal, Illinois
— Elementary school principal, Illinois
— District-level special education administrator, Iowa
— Elementary teacher, Michigan
— Middle school art teacher, Minnesota
— Middle school science teacher, Nebraska
— Middle school principal, Ohio
— High school principal, Ohio
— District superintendent, Oregon
— District superintendent, Pennsylvania
— Elementary science teacher, Texas
— District-level technology administrator, Texas
— Principal, Washington state
— Elementary teacher, Wisconsin
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