Addressing STEM Disparities for the Future

Although the field of technology continues to grow, there is a shortage of qualified technology professionals. In the publication Stem Urgency, researchers Joseph S. Miller and Dr. John H. Horrigan recommend an improvement in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs in order to address this shortage and to address the disparity in minority representation in these fields, which should be a national priority.

Sources: Economics and Statistics Administration, Good Jobs Now and for the Future, 1 (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Commerce, 2011); Bureau of Labor Statistics, Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) occupations: a visual essay (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Labor, 2011).

• Only 25% of Science and Engineering degree holders and 28% of people working in Science and Engineering careers are nonwhite
• Raw SAT overall scores for Black and Hispanic students are on average 200 to 300 points lower than white students
• In 21 of the 25 states with the largest Black populations, annual spending per pupil is less than Massachusetts, which is the state with the highest education quality in the United States

Patrice Garnette, Joint Center Graduate Scholar, The George Washington University Law School