NSF PR 96-15 - April 25, 1996
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Progress in Math and Science Performance Prompts "Cautious Optimism" at NSF
The health of math and science education in the United
States is improving according to the National Science
Foundation's (NSF) newly published Indicators of Science
and Mathematics Education.
"The vital signs aren't peaking yet, but the recovery
process is underway," Luther S. Williams, National
Science Foundation (NSF) assistant director of education
and human resources said.
Williams released the report during a National Science
and Technology Week event which also featured a demonstration
of the GLOBE program, an NSF-supported hands-on, inquiry-
based science effort reaching 3,000 schools nationwide.
GLOBE allows students to collect data on various science-
related projects and share their findings interactively
on the worldwide web with government agencies and
scientists nationwide.
"The GLOBE program is a prime example of how we are
involving entire school systems, government and private
sector partners in the support of math and science
education," Williams said.
Williams hopes that the report on science and math
indicators will encourage school systems to believe
that reform is possible.
"It is an indication that school systems have started
to take on the challenge to totally revitalize their
math and science curricula, from classroom practices
right up through policy decisions with positive results,"
Williams explained.
Indicators of Science and Mathematics Education responds
to a Congressional mandate requiring NSF to report
periodically on the status of student and system performance
in science and math education.
The 1995 edition focuses on two central themes: excellence
(the extent to which high learning standards are attained);
and equity (the extent to which these standards are
applied to all groups of students).
The report concludes that excellence is being achieved
where high standards are applied. Equity -- defined
in terms of access to consistently high performance
standards and learning resources -- remains a significant
challenge for schools in many parts of the country.
The indicators reveal that elementary schools are
devoting more time than ever before to science and
math instruction. More high school students are taking
advanced courses in these crucial fields. And greater
numbers of high school students, regardless of race
and ethnic background, are satisfactorily completing
courses in math and science. Achievement scores are
on the rise for all of these students.
Significant issues of equity persist, however. For
example, achievement gaps nationwide between whites
and other ethnic groups remain wide despite improving
test scores for all groups. Lack of access to adequate
resources, materials, equipment, teacher enhancements
and limited commitment to implementing reforms throughout
whole school systems affect the impact of otherwise
improving achievement levels in math and science education.
Williams was cautiously optimistic in his overall
assessment.
"We need to close regional differences, see more commitment
to system-wide reform and acquire more consistent,
current, complete data," he stated. "We are still
in the middle of the pack internationally in math
and science education, but I am very encouraged by
some recent results coming from school systems where
reforms have been underway."
Williams notes that for every NSF dollar spent on
system wide reform of math, science and technology
education, another dollar and a half is invested by
industry and other groups. This return is made possible
because of increasing NSF partnerships with these
groups concerned with improving the performance of
U.S. schools in core subjects like science and math.
The latest edition (1995) of math and science indicators
updates the volume produced three years ago (1992
edition) when many education reform programs were
in their infancy. Much of the basis for the new report
focuses on changes that have occurred between 1990
and 1993.
Currently, one fifth of NSF's more than $3 billion
annual budget goes toward the improvement of math
and science education. A significant amount of the
total is devoted to state and local reform initiatives
for K-12 schools.
"NSF understands that its support of basic research
begins at the lowest levels of our education system.
This is where students need most to learn the fundamentals
of inquiry- based science and mathematics so they
learn how to seek answers to basic scientific questions
and carry a healthy inquisitiveness throughout their
learning experiences as well as into their future
careers," Williams explained.
The integration of research and education at all levels
is a NSF priority. NSF Director Dr. Neal Lane recently
testified in Congress before a House Science Subcommittee
that "in the future, employers will increasingly need
workers who are not only well versed in science and
technology concepts, but who are adept at learning
through experimentation, inquiry, critical evaluation
and discovery - all characteristics of research."
NOTE: Indicators of Science and Mathematics Education,
1995 will be available on the world wide web beginning
on or about 6:00 p.m. EDT at the following URL: http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/RED/STUDIES/index.html
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