The National Academies of Science released a detailed pre-publication study on rural STEM education commissioned in the 2022 CHIPS Act Science Act. The report addresses the significant challenges of providing high-quality STEM education and workforce development opportunities in rural areas. It provides actionable recommendations for federal, state, and local stakeholders to drive meaningful improvement.

Read the report here.

White House Releases Federal Strategic Plan on STEM Education

On November 26, the White House released the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Committee on STEM (CoSTEM)’s Federal Strategic Plan for Advancing STEM Education and Cultivating STEM Talent.

The strategic plan will guide the federal government, in coordination with multi-sector collaborators throughout the STEM ecosystem, to inspire, teach, recruit, train, and retain talent in STEM learning, working, and research settings so that people across the country can achieve their aspirations in STEM. The plan identifies three principles—access and opportunity, partnerships and ecosystem development, and transparency and accountability—that are essential to advancing the five pillars of STEM engagement, teaching and learning, workforce, research and innovation capacity, and environments.

The press release is here and you can read the 2024 federal plan here.  

The STEM Education Coalition released a document comparing the 2018 and 2024 Federal STEM Education Strategic Plans; download that document here.

TIMSS Math Report Shows Significant Declines from Pandemic

American students’ math scores took a bigger hit from the pandemic than their peers overseas, according to a closely watched international exam. Read more about the most recent round of Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), which tracks math and science performance across countries here and here.

FY2025  Appropriations -- What’s Next?

Since the election there has been no effort to pass another continuing resolution to fund the government. It is likely that Congress will extend current funding for FY25 programs until next year as part of a disaster relief funding bill that would include education funds. When that happens the Republican-led 119th Congress would likely be making decisions for the fiscal year --which started in October -- based on the House FY 2025 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education bill which proposes significant cuts to education programs.  The funding chart for FY25 programs is here.

Stay tuned for more advocacy and policy updates in future issues of NSTA Reports and NSTA Weekly.

The mission of NSTA is to transform science education to benefit all through professional learning, partnerships, and advocacy.