69´«Ã½

Science Report Roundup

Stem Instruction

October 11, 2012 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

A collection of on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics learning finds that in nearly every state, elementary students are getting less instructional time for science than they did in the mid-1990s, and that many students lack access to rigorous stem courses.

The statistics show, for example, that in grades 1-4 in California, the average number of hours a week spent learning science dropped from three in 1994 to 1.8 in 2008; in Maine, that figure went from 2.9 to 2.2 over the same period.

The reports were released this month by Change the Equation, a Washington-based coalition of corporate chief executives that promotes STEM education. The state reports also include scores from national assessments, the share of college graduates who earn STEM degrees, and how much advanced stem coursework the state’s science teachers took in college.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the September 19, 2012 edition of Education Week as STEM INSTRUCTION

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
AI and Educational Leadership: Driving Innovation and Equity
Discover how to leverage AI to transform teaching, leadership, and administration. Network with experts and learn practical strategies.
Content provided by 
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School Climate & Safety Webinar
Investing in Success: Leading a Culture of Safety and Support
Content provided by 
Assessment K-12 Essentials Forum Making Competency-Based Learning a Reality
Join this free virtual event to hear from educators and experts working to implement competency-based education.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

Science One Change That Can Get More Girls, 69´«Ã½ of Color Taking Computer Science
Making computer science classes a graduation requirement can be a powerful strategy.
5 min read
Two teen girls, one is a person of color and the other is white, building something in a science robotics class.
iStock/Getty
Science A Marine Science Program in a Surprising Place Shows 69´«Ã½ New Career Options
It's hard to find teachers for STEM subjects, but a school system in a landlocked state has found a way to make it work with marine science.
5 min read
Nolden Grohe, 16, feeds exotic fish during Marine Biology class at Central Campus in Des Moines, Iowa, on Sept. 27, 2024.
Nolden Grohe, 16, feeds exotic fish during Marine Biology class at Central Campus in Des Moines, Iowa, on Sept. 27, 2024. The Iowa school system has had a hands-on program for three decades that has introduced students to career possibilities in aquarium science, marine biology, and related fields.
Rachel Mummey for Education Week
Science The Biggest Barriers to STEM Education, According to Educators
Educators share the challenges schools face in teaching STEM.
1 min read
Photograph of a diverse group of elementary school kids, with a white male teacher, working on a robot design in the classroom
E+
Science The Grades Where Science Scores Have Taken the Biggest Hit
One of the first studies to examine science performance finds that elementary students' scores have rebounded. Not so in middle school.
4 min read
An illustration of a non person of color climbing a large pencil with a safety harness and rope tied around the tip of the pencil while a person of color is in the distance without a safety harness or rope attempting to climb a very large science beaker.
Collage by Gina Tomko/Education Week + Canva