The Teacher is Key to STEM Education for All A Catalyst for Competitive Workforce and Economic Development

Abstract

The teacher is key to reforming K-12 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education for All students (Powell et.al., 2018) in the United States, and a catalyst for the competitive workforce and economic development. Reports based on Free or Reduced-Price Lunch (FRPL) and percent schools offering STEM courses, along with FRPL and per pupil expenditure in science adjusted for inflation, show disparity between the highest and lowest quartiles (U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2018; Banilower et al., 2018). Strategies to promote STEM for All and turn STEM education into a dependable human resource pipeline for a competitive workforce and economic development are discussed. The strategies include, promoting diversity and inclusion towards STEM for All, providing adequate STEM teacher training, increasing teacher retention in STEM subjects, and building a supportive environment for STEM teachers and teachers in general. These strategies are essential to connecting K-12 STEM education, competitive workforce and economic development.