NSF PR 96-16 - April 25, 1996
Media contact: |
Bill Noxon |
(703) 306-1070 |
|
Program contact: |
Larry Suter |
(703) 306-1651 |
lsuter@nsf.gov |
This material is available primarily for archival purposes. Telephone
numbers or other contact information may be out of date; please see current
contact information at media
contacts.
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.
"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 latest edition (1995) 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
organizations concerned with improving the performance
of U.S. schools in core subjects like science and
math.
The latest edition 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 inquirybased 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.
|