Building the Talent Pipeline: Policy Recommendations for 'The Condition of STEM 2013.' BHEF/ACT Policy Brief

N

12

STEM Education; Educational Policy; Higher Education; Elementary Secondary Education; Career Development; College Readiness; Career Readiness; Mathematics Education; Science Education; Academic Standards; Academic Achievement; Females; Ethnic Groups; Professional Development; Definitions; Skill Development; Academic Persistence; Majors (Students); Disproportionate Representation; Minority Group Students; Career Exploration; Labor Force Development; Employment Opportunities; School Business Relationship; Partnerships in Education; Undergraduate Study; Government Role; Federal Aid; Introductory Courses; Educational Finance

ACT has been a leader in measuring college and career readiness trends for decades. Each August, ACT releases "The Condition of College & Career Readiness" (www.act.org/newsroom/data/2013), our annual report on the progress of the ACT-tested graduating class relative to college readiness. Nationally, 54.3% of the 2013 graduating class took the ACT® college readiness assessment. The continued increase of test takers enhances the breadth and depth of the data pool, providing a comprehensive picture of the current college readiness levels of the graduating class as well as offering a glimpse of the emerging national educational pipeline. It also allows us to review various aspects of the ACT-tested 2013 graduating class. In February 2014, ACT released "The Condition of STEM 2013" (www.act.org/stemcondition/13/), a report series that reviews the graduating class in the context of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics)-related fields. This report, "Building the Talent Pipeline: Policy Recommendations for The Condition of STEM 2013," is a collaboration between ACT and the Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF). The report was created to offer recommendations relative to the results of "The Condition of STEM 2013." The recommendations fall into three key markets: higher education, business, and government. We hope this report starts discussions and creates actionable steps to improve achievement levels in STEM-related fields. As a nation, we need to improve the STEM education pipeline, moving more individuals into the STEM jobs that will drive our economy in the future. [For "The Condition of STEM 2013," see ED546778.]

As Provided

2015

ED560227