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Washington State Academy of Sciences Washington ranks 47th when public school financing is compared to personalincome, with 40.98 per 1,000 in 2007-08, a 2 decrease from 2005-06 (beststate: Alaska, 78.08; national average, 49)xii. Washington ranked 44th out of 47 states on per capita participation in the 2011Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) with only 10 of 988 USparticipating studentsxiii. Washington ranks 2nd among the 50 states in the percent of its workforce who areengineers, surpassed only by Michigan (2008)xiv. More than 40% of the students that the UW College of Engineering is unable toaccommodate, and more than 60% of the students that the UW Department ofComputer Science & Engineering is unable to accommodate, have college gradepoint averages of 3.25 or above (2011)xv. Washington is the second largest importer of bachelor’s degree recipients amongits technology peers (4th among all 50 states), and first on a per capita basis(2007)xvi. For every 100 bachelor’s degrees awarded by one of Washington’s universities,another 76 are imported. For every 100 graduate or professional degrees awarded,Washington imports another 125xvii. Washington ranks 30th in state financial support for higher education whencompared to personal income, with 5.62 per 1,000 in 2010, a 1.40 decreasefrom 2008 (best state: New Mexico, 13.23; national average: 6.18)xviii Washington ranked 38th in on-time high school graduation rates with 71.9% in2007-08, below the national average of 74.9%xix. Almost half (48%) of all Washington high school graduates enrolled in communityand technical colleges take remedial math courses (2008-09)xx. Societal stereotypes about STEM are absorbed in childhood and begin to sculptinterests and aspirations. As early as 2nd grade, Washington girls think that “mathis for boys, not for girls”xxi. In 2010, Washington spent 850 million on 18,000 criminal inmates – a cost of 47,222 per inmate – an amount that tripled from 1982 to 2008xxii. The average Washington public school teacher’s salary in 2007 was 47,882, 7thamong the 10 technology peer states. California spent an average of 63,840. Theaverage Washington teacher salary increased 26.5% from 1997-2007, compared tothe average increase for its technology peer states of 28.2%xxiii. Every dollar spent on early learning can generate returns of up to 10 in savingsfrom reduced crime, corrections and other costsxxiv.STEM Education in Washington State: The Facts of the Matter4

Washington State Academy of Sciences 11,274 eligible low-income Washington preschoolers (36% of those eligible)were unserved by existing pre school programs in 2010xxv. Math proficiency rates for White (51%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (56%)Washington fourth graders are more than double the rates for African American(24%), Latino (20%), and Native American (21%) studentsxxvi. Washington’s Latino population increased 70% from 2000 to 2010 andconstitutes 11% of the populationxxvii. High school dropout rates in Washington for Native American (10.1%), AfricanAmerican (7.8%), and Latino (7.2%) students were nearly double the rates forWhite (4.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.3%) students in 2008-09xxviii. A variant on the 80-20 rule – In Skagit & Whatcom counties and Cape Flattery5th to 10th grades, 80% proficiency on standard science exams are achieved forclasses where 20% of the students qualify for free or reduced lunches, while only20% proficiency is achieved for classes with 80% of the students qualifying forfree or reduced lunches (2009-10)xxix. In 2010, 18.2% of Washington residents under 18 years old were in householdswith incomes below the national poverty levelxxx. More than 47 percent of single mothers with children under 5 in Washingtonwere living in poverty in ://www.societyforscience.org/document.doc?id 264Technology Alliance: The Economic Impact of Technology Based Industries inWashington State, 2010Bureau of Labor StatisticsNCH National Center for Higher Education Management Systems/U.S. CensusBureauUniversity of Washington College of Engineering and Computer Science andEngineering DepartmentNCH National Center for Higher Education Management Systems/U.S. CensusBureauWashington Research Council, Trends in Washington’s Life Science Industry2007-2011 www.washbio.orgNational Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2009National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2009National Science Foundation 8League of Education Voters vest-in-what-works/Data provided by Gary Foss, private communication. Participant list at http://www.societyforscience.org/document.doc?id 295National Science Foundation 8University of Washington College of Engineering and Computer Science andEngineering DepartmentSTEM Education in Washington State: The Facts of the Matter5

Washington State Academy of SciencesNational Center for Higher Education Management Systems/U.S. Census BureauSam Smith, “Washington higher education: When should we schedule the last AppleCup?” Seattle Times, Nov 28, 2010xviiiLeague of Education Voters vest-in-what-works/xixLeague of Education Voters epare-all-children/xxLeague of Education Voters cus-on-math-science-and-engineering/xxiCvencek, Meltzoff, & Greenwald, Child Development (2011)xxiiSeattle Times, October 15, 2010, “Invest in youngest citizens to reduce burgeoningcrime costs.”xxiiiNational Science Foundation 8xxivSeattle Times, October 15, 2010, “Invest in youngest citizens to reduce burgeoningcrime costs.” Also see James J. Heckman, “Skill formation and the economics ofinvesting in disadvantaged children”, Science Vol 312, pp 1900-1902, June 30,2006xxvLeague of Education Voters vest-in-early-learning/xxviNational Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2009, League of EducationVoters cus-on-math-scienceand-engineering/xxiiSeattle Times, Oct 6, 2011 “Washington’s redistricting commission should ensurepeople of color have more influence”xxviiiLeague of Education Voters epare-all-children/xixGeorge “Pinky” Nelson, “Preparing Teachers for Tomorrow’s Schools”, WSAS 2011Symposium, Sep 22, 2011xxxSeattle Times, Sep 21, 2011 “Census: More residents sinking into poverty”xvixviixxxiSeattle Times, Sep 21, 2011 “Census: More residents sinking into poverty”STEM Education in Washington State: The Facts of the Matter6

Washington State Academy of SciencesRECOMMENDED WSAS ACTIONSSymposium participants were asked: Consistent with its charter, what can the WSAS doas an organization to help improve STEM education in Washington; and what can WSASmembers do as individual volunteers to help improve STEM education in Washington?Responses to these questions, the content of the talks, comments during each sessions,and informal input formed the basis for these recommendations. The WSAS should take a proactive role in informing the public on “The Facts ofthe Matter” about STEM education in Washington State by: Informing the State’s Legislators; Speaking out in public; Bringing attention through the media; and/or Informing WSAS members who can carry the message to their colleagues andconstituencies.The WSAS can help to provide a forum for teachers to share best practices and findingsfrom classroom teaching as well as learning of the latest findings from STEM research.There are pockets of excellence throughout the state, but not adequate mechanisms fordiffusion across school boundaries. The forum might be online, a workshop/conferencesimilar to the annual meetings of American Society of Engineering Education, or acombination of these. The WSAS should partner with other organizations to accomplishthis goal.The WSAS should continue its program enabled by member-donated funds to sponsorone or more students to attend and represent Washington State at the annual meetingof the American Junior Academy of Sciences. Two awards were announced at the 2011Annual Meeting for students attending Duvall and Odessa high schools, respectively, toattend the 2012 meeting of the AJAS in Vancouver, BC.The WSAS should also take a proactive role in increasing the participation ofWashington’s K-12 students in science fairs and competitions. Specific actions couldinclude: Encouraging WSAS members to participate as mentors, judges, speakers anddonors; Nurturing the establishment of additional science and engineering fairs; Sponsoring a Junior Academy of Sciences; and/or Developing or contributing to an online mentoring resource for student projectsthat would encompass not only WSAS members, but their peers, employeesand/or students.The WSAS has limited financial and human resources and cannot carry through on all ofthe above actions. The WSAS Board needs to prioritize these actions based upon whichwould add the most value to improving STEM education in the State. WSAS should seekto partner with other organizations whenever possible and avoid duplication of efforts.STEM Education in Washington State: The Facts of the Matter7

Washington State Academy of SciencesSubhash Singhal, WSAS Board Member,introducing American Academy of JuniorSciences Award WinnersBonnie Dunbar, WSAS Board Member, withAJAS Award Winners Katie McClintic (l) andKira Powell (r)Senator Rosemary McAuliffe and Subhash Singhal with studentsNick Vergara, Cedarcrest HS, asks a questionNew WSAS member Sarah Keller (l) talks toWSAS Board member Kristina Katasaros (r)STEM Education in Washington State: The Facts of the Matter8

Washington State Academy of SciencesINTRODUCTIONFollowing the lead of the National Academies 2010 report to the nation, Rising Abovethe Gathering Storm, Revisited: Rapidly Approaching Category 5, the Washington StateAcademy of Sciences used its 2011 symposium to (1) document the chilling realityof the current state of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education inWashington State, (2) showcase the latest science and methods of teaching math andscience to better understand and deal with the challenges and (3) set a course for itsmembers and as the State’s premiere scientific society, partner in effecting change atboth the grass roots and policy levels.The National Academies 2010 report was a follow-up to its 2005 report, Rising Abovethe Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future.This report was produced by a blue-ribbon committee of university presidents, Nobellaureates, and corporate CEOs in response to a request by a bipartisan group of senatorsand members of congress to answer two questions:What are the top 10 actions, in priority order, that federal policy makers couldtake to enhance the science and technology enterprise so the United Statescan successfully compete, prosper, and be secure in the global community ofthe 21st century?What strategy, with several concrete steps, could be used to implement each ofthese actions?The conclusions and recommendations in the 2005 report were based on the premisethat “Without high-quality, knowledge-intensive jobs and the innovative enterprisesthat lead to discovery and new technology, our economy will suffer and our people willface a lower standard of living.” The gathering storm metaphor was used to conveythe threatening situation facing the United States if it continues on its present courseof falling behind other developed and some developing countries in the training ofscientists and engineers.The 2010 report, Rising Above the Gathering Storm, Revisited: Approaching Category5, was requested by the leaders of the National Academies and written by the originalcommittee minus two members that had since gone on to cabinet posts and one whohad deceased. Their goal was to evaluate progress over the past five years since theoriginal report was released. The report concludes that the United States made noprogress since the 2005 report in ability as a nation to “successfully compete, prosper,and be secure in the global community of the 21st century,” that, instead, America hadactually lost ground relative to its global peer technology nations. Below are factoidsincluded in the 2010 report that refer specifically to the declining status of STEMeducation in the United States.Sixty nine percent of United States public school students in fifth througheight grades are taught mathematics by a teacher without a degree orcertificate in mathematics.STEM Education in Washington State: The Facts of the Matter9

Washington State Academy of SciencesNinety three percent of United States public school students in fifth througheight grades are taught physical sciences by a teacher without a degree orcertificate in the physical sciences.The United States ranks 27th among developed nations in the proportion ofcollege students receiving undergraduate degrees in science or engineering.The United States ranks 20th in high-school completion rate amongindustrialized nations and 16th in college completion rates.China’s Tsinghua and Peking Universities are the two largest suppliers ofstudents who receive PhD’s—in the United States.The United States has fallen from first to eleventh place in the OECD in thefraction of 25-34 year olds that has graduated from high school. The olderportion of the U.S. workforce ranks first among OECD populations of the sameage.Unlike the previous two annual meeting symposia that were open to members only,the WSAS opened registration for the 2011 symposium to anyone interested in STEMeducation. Of the 125 attendees, more than half were guests including eleven K-12science teachers and eleven students grades 8 to 12 from across the state, ranging fromsmall rural to large metropolitan schools. Travel expenses and registration fees for theseteachers and students were paid with generous donations/sponsorships provided by theApex Foundation in Bellevue, Boeing, Microsoft Research Connections, Pacific NorthwestNational Laboratory operated by Battelle, and Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories inPullman.Four of the students exhibited posters of prize-winning projects previously presentedat science fairs. Two of these were honored during a noon ceremony with awards thatinclude all expenses to represent Washington State at the 2012 annual meeting of theAmerican Junior Academy of Sciences in Vancouver, BC Canada. Also attending thesymposium and invited to speak during the noon program were the directors of five ofthe seven science fairs held annually across the state for Washington grade-school andhigh-school students to exhibit their science projects and compete for the right to moveon to national and international science fair competitions.The Academy’s 2011 symposium was the second symposium since its first (founding)annual meeting in 2008 with a focus on the education. The other symposium, heldas part of the 2010 annual meeting at the Woodmark hotel in Kirkland, WA, was onthe topic, The Science for Early Childhood Development: Learning for Life. The 2011symposium takes this topic to a discussion of K-12 with a focus on STEM educationmore specifically. The Museum of Flight was a perfect backdrop for the 2011 symposiumfocused on STEM education in Washington State.STEM Education in Washington State: The Facts of the Matter10

Washington State Academy of SciencesPART I: THE GATHERING STORMFive Years of Rising Above the Gathering StormDr. C.D. (Dan) Mote, Regents Professor and President Emeritus, University of Maryland.Following a video greeting and charge to the symposiumby Governor Christine Gregoire, Dr. Dan Mote opened thesymposium with his talk, Five Years of Rising Above theGathering Storm. Dr. Mote is a member of the NationalAcademy of Engineering. He was also one of the 20 authorsof the original 2005 National Academies’ report, Rising Abovethe Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America fora Brighter Economic Future1 and one of the 17 authors of the2010 Approaching Category 52 follow-up report.Dr. Mote opened his talk by complimenting the WSAS forconnecting teachers, students, policymakers, STEM educationleaders, and university faculty as done for the symposium, stating that “this is exactlywhat the country needs” to move ahead in STEM education.He then turned his attention to the Gathering Storm report, boiling itsrecommendations for actions down to steps required to assure high-paying quality jobsfor Americans and a plentiful supply of clean affordable energy for America. He made itclear that STEM education is fundamental to achieving both of these goals.He pointed out that the 2005 report with its recommendations led to the AmericaCOMPETES Act, approved almost unanimously by both houses of congress and signedinto law by President George W. Bush, and that the 2010 follow-up report wasinstrumental in getting congressional approval for renewal of the America COMPETES Actin December 2010. In fact, he said that without the 2010 follow-up report, renewal ofthe American COMPETES Act almost certainly would have failed.Dr. Mote described their findings five years after the release of the 2005 report as“chilling,” and that “current trends affecting America’s future competitiveness weresharply negative.” He pointed out, for example, that federal support in scienceand engineering had dropped from 0.76% of GDP in 2004 to 0.24% of GDP in 2008.A significant part of the U.S. workforce in science, technology, engineering andmathematics today consists of foreign nationals, many of them educated in, and whothen have stayed in the United States on green cards or have become U.S. citizens.Brad Smith, Microsoft’s General Counsel and Vice President, Legal and Corporate Affairs,Rising above the Gathering Storm Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter EconomicFuture. 2007. National Academy Press. 564 pp2Rising Above the Gathering Storm, Revisited—Rapidly Approaching Category 5. 2010. NationalAcademy Press, 85 pp.1STEM Education in Washingt

symposium with his talk, Five Years of Rising Above the Gathering Storm. He was one of 20 authors of the original 2005 National Academies’ RAGS report that led to the 2005 America COMPETES Act, and also one of the 17 authors of the 2010 RAGS, Revisited follow-up report. He descri