GAO HIGHER EDUCATION. Federal Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Programs and Related Trends

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1 GAO United Sttes Government Accountbility Office Report to the Chirmn, Committee on Rules, House of Representtives October 2005 HIGHER EDUCATION Federl Science, Technology, Engineering, nd Mthemtics Progrms nd Relted Trends GAO

2 Accountbility Integrity Relibility Highlights Highlights of GAO , report to the Chirmn, Committee on Rules, House of Representtives October 2005 HIGHER EDUCATION Federl Science, Technology, Engineering, nd Mthemtics Progrms nd Relted Trends Why GAO Did This Study The United Sttes hs long been known s world leder in scientific nd technologicl innovtion. To help mintin this dvntge, the federl government hs spent billions of dollrs on eduction progrms in the science, technology, engineering, nd mthemtics (STEM) fields for mny yers. However, concerns hve been rised bout the ntion s bility to mintin its globl technologicl competitive dvntge in the future. This report presents informtion on (1) the number of federl progrms funded in fiscl yer 2004 tht were designed to increse the number of students nd grdutes pursuing STEM degrees nd occuptions or improve eductionl progrms in STEM fields, nd wht gencies report bout their effectiveness; (2) how the numbers, percentges, nd chrcteristics of students, grdutes, nd employees in STEM fields hve chnged over the yers; nd (3) fctors cited by eductors nd others s ffecting students decisions bout pursing STEM degrees nd occuptions, nd suggestions tht hve been mde to encourge more prticiption. GAO received written nd/or technicl comments from severl gencies. While one gency, the Ntionl Science Foundtion, rised severl questions bout the findings, the others generlly greed with the findings nd conclusion nd severl gencies commended GAO for this work. To view the full product, including the scope nd methodology, click on the link bove. For more informtion, contct Corneli M. Ashby t (202) or [email protected]. Wht GAO Found Officils from 13 federl civilin gencies reported spending bout $2.8 billion in fiscl yer 2004 for 207 eduction progrms designed to increse the numbers of students nd grdutes or improve eductionl progrms in STEM fields, but gencies reported little bout their effectiveness. The Ntionl Institutes of Helth nd the Ntionl Science Foundtion hd most of the progrms nd spent most of the funds. Officils lso reported tht evlutions were completed or under wy for bout hlf of the progrms. Federl STEM Eduction Progrms nd Funding by Agency, Fiscl Yer 2004 Dollrs in millions 1,200 1, NIH (51) NSF (48) NASA (5) Eduction (4) Source: GAO survey responses from 13 federl gencies. EPA (21) 121 (3) 63 HRSA 154 All others (75) Ntionl Institutes of Helth (NIH) Ntionl Science Foundtion (NSF) Ntionl Aeronutics nd Spce Administrtion (NASA) Environmentl Protection Agency (EPA) Helth Resources nd Services Administrtion (HRSA) While the totl numbers of students, grdutes, nd employees in STEM fields incresed, chnges in the numbers nd percentges of women, minorities, nd interntionl students vried during the periods reviewed. From cdemic yer to , the percentge of students in STEM fields incresed from 21 to 23 percent. Chnges in the percentges of domestic minority students vried by group. From cdemic yer to , the number of grdutes in STEM fields incresed 8 percent, but this ws less thn the 30 percent increse in grdutes in non-stem fields. Interntionl grdutes continued to ern bout one-third or more of the dvnced degrees in three STEM fields. Between clendr yers 1994 nd 2003, employment in STEM fields incresed 23 percent compred to 17 percent in non-stem fields, nd there ws no sttisticlly significnt chnge in the percentge of women employees. Eductors nd others cited severl fctors tht ffected students decisions bout pursuing STEM degrees nd occuptions, nd mde suggestions to encourge more prticiption. They sid techer qulity t the kindergrten to 12th grdes, the mthemtics nd science courses completed in high school, nd mentor, especilly for women nd minorities, influenced domestic students decisions. Also, these sources sid tht opportunities outside the United Sttes nd the vis process ffected interntionl students decisions. To encourge more prticiption in STEM fields, eductors nd others mde severl suggestions. But before dopting ny of them, it is importnt to know the extent to which existing STEM eduction progrms re ppropritely trgeted nd mking the best use of vilble federl resources. United Sttes Government Accountbility Office

3 Contents Letter 1 Results in Brief 3 Bckground 5 More thn 200 Federl Eduction Progrms Are Designed to Increse the Numbers of Students nd Grdutes or Improve Eductionl Progrms in STEM Fields, but Most Hve Not Been Evluted 10 Numbers of Students, Grdutes, nd Employees in STEM Fields Generlly Incresed, but Percentge Chnges Vried 18 University Officils nd Others Cited Severl Fctors Tht Influence Decisions bout Prticiption in STEM Fields nd Suggested Wys to Encourge Greter Prticiption 32 Concluding Observtions 41 Agency Comments nd Our Evlution 42 Appendix I Objectives, Scope, nd Methodology 46 Appendix II List of 207 Federl STEM Eduction Progrms 57 Appendix III Federl STEM Eduction Progrms Funded t $10 Million or More 64 Appendix IV Dt on Students nd Grdutes in STEM Fields 74 Appendix V Confidence Intervls for Estimtes of Students t the Bchelor s, Mster s, nd Doctorl Levels 79 Appendix VI Confidence Intervls for Estimtes of STEM Employment by Gender, Rce or Ethnicity, nd Wges nd Slries 88 Pge i GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

4 Appendix VII Comments from the Deprtment of Commerce 91 Appendix VIII Comments from the Deprtment of Helth nd Humn Services 95 Appendix IX Comments from the Ntionl Science Foundtion 97 Appendix X Comments from the Ntionl Science nd Technology Council 100 Appendix XI GAO Contct nd Stff Acknowledgments 101 Bibliogrphy 102 Tbles Tble 1: Sources of Dt, Dt Obtined, Time Spn of Dt, nd Yers Anlyzed 2 Tble 2: List of STEM Fields Bsed on NCES s NPSAS nd IPEDS Dt nd BLS s CPS Dt 6 Tble 3: Percentge of the U.S. Popultion for Selected Rcil or Ethnic Groups in the Civilin Lbor Force, Clendr Yers 1994 nd Tble 4: Number of STEM Eduction Progrms Reported by Federl Civilin Agencies 11 Tble 5: Funding Levels for Federl STEM Eduction Progrms in Fiscl Yer Tble 6: Progrm Gols nd Numbers of STEM Progrms with One or Multiple Gols 14 Tble 7: Numbers of STEM Progrms with One or Multiple Types of Assistnce nd Beneficiries 14 Pge ii GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

5 Tble 8: Numbers of STEM Progrms Trgeted to One Group nd Multiple Groups 15 Tble 9: Estimted Chnges in the Numbers nd Percentges of Students in the STEM nd Non-STEM Fields cross All Eduction Levels, Acdemic Yers nd Tble 10: Estimted Percentge Chnges in the Numbers nd Percentges of Domestic Minority Students in STEM fields for All Eduction Levels for Acdemic Yers nd Tble 11: Estimted Chnges in Numbers of Interntionl Students in STEM fields by Eduction Levels from the Acdemic Yer to the Acdemic Yer 22 Tble 12: Numbers of Grdutes nd Percentge Chnges in STEM nd Non-STEM Fields cross All Degree Levels from the Acdemic Yer to the Acdemic Yer 23 Tble 13: Numbers nd Percentge Chnges in Men nd Women Grdutes with STEM Degrees by Eduction Level nd Field for Acdemic Yers nd Tble 14: Numbers nd Percentge Chnges in Domestic Minority Grdutes in STEM Fields by Eduction Levels nd Rce or Ethnicity for Acdemic Yers nd Tble 15: Chnges in Numbers nd Percentges of Interntionl Grdutes in STEM fields t the Mster s nd Doctorl Degree Levels, nd Acdemic Yers 27 Tble 16: Estimted Numbers nd Percentges of Employees in STEM Fields by Gender in Clendr Yers 1994 nd 2003 (numbers in thousnds) 29 Tble 17: Estimted Percentges of STEM Employees by Selected Rcil or Ethnic Group for Clendr Yers 1994 nd Tble 18: Sources of Dt, Dt Obtined, Time Spn of Dt, nd Yers Anlyzed 48 Tble 19: Clssifiction codes nd Occuptions, Tble 20: Clssifiction codes nd occuptions, Tble 21: Federl STEM Eduction Progrms Funded in FY Tble 22: Federl STEM Eduction Progrms Funded t $10 Million or More during Fiscl Yer 2004 or Fiscl Yer Tble 23: Estimted Numbers of Students in STEM Fields by Eduction Level for Acdemic Yers nd Tble 24: Estimted Percentges of Students by Gender nd STEM Field for Acdemic Yers nd Pge iii GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

6 Tble 25: Estimted Number of Women Students nd Percentge Chnge by Eduction Level nd STEM Field for Acdemic Yers nd Tble 26: Comprisons in the Percentge of STEM Grdutes by Field nd Gender for Acdemic Yers nd Tble 27: Estimted Chnges in the Numbers nd Percentges of Students in the STEM nd Non-STEM Fields cross All Eduction Levels, Acdemic Yers nd (95 percent confidence intervls) 79 Tble 28: Numbers of Students by Eduction Level in ll STEM Fields for Acdemic Yers nd (95 percent confidence intervls) 80 Tble 29: Estimted Numbers nd Percentge Chnges in Women Students in STEM Fields, Acdemic Yers nd (95 percent confidence intervls) 81 Tble 30: Estimted Percentge Chnges in Bchelor s, Mster s, nd Doctorl Students in STEM Fields, Acdemic Yers nd (95 percent confidence intervls) 83 Tble 31: Estimtes of STEM Students by Gender nd Field for Acdemic Yers nd (95 percent confidence intervls) 84 Tble 32: Estimtes of Students for Selected Rcil or Ethnic Groups in STEM Fields for All Eduction Levels nd Fields for the Acdemic Yers nd (95 percent fonfidence intervls) 86 Tble 33: Estimtes of Interntionl Students in STEM Fields by Eduction Levels for Acdemic Yers nd (95 percent confidence intervls) 87 Tble 34: Estimted Totl Number of Employees by STEM Field between Clendr Yers 1994 nd Tble 35: Estimted Numbers of Employees in STEM Fields by Gender for Clendr Yers 1994 nd Tble 36: Estimted Chnges in STEM Employment by Gender for Clendr Yers 1994 nd Tble 37: Estimted Percentges of STEM Employees for Selected Rcil or Ethnic Groups for Clendr Yers 1994 nd Tble 38: Estimted Chnges in Medin Annul Wges nd Slries in the STEM Fields for Clendr Yers 1994 nd Pge iv GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

7 Figures Figure 1: Amounts Funded by Agencies for STEM-Relted Federl Eduction Progrms in Fiscl Yer Figure 2: Key Chnges in Students, Grdutes, nd Employees in STEM Fields 19 Figure 3: Percentge Chnges in Bchelor s, Mster s, nd Doctorl Grdutes in STEM Fields from Acdemic Yer to Acdemic Yer Figure 4: Estimted Numbers of Employees in STEM Fields from Clendr Yers 1994 through Figure 5: Estimted Medin Annul Wges nd Slries in STEM Fields for Clendr Yers 1994 through Pge v GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

8 Abbrevitions BEST BLS CGS CLF COS CPS DHS EPA HHS HRSA IPEDS NASA NCES NCLBA NIH NPSAS NSF NSTC SAO SEVIS STEM Building Engineering nd Science Tlent Bureu of Lbor Sttistics Council of Grdute Schools civilin lbor force Committee on Science Current Popultion Survey Deprtment of Homelnd Security Environmentl Protection Agency Helth nd Humn Services Helth Resources nd Services Administrtion Integrted Postsecondry Eduction Dt System Ntionl Aeronutics nd Spce Administrtion Ntionl Center for Eduction Sttistics No Child Left Behind Act Ntionl Institutes of Helth Ntionl Postsecondry Student Aid Study Ntionl Science Foundtion Ntionl Science nd Technology Council Security Advisory Opinion Student nd Exchnge Visitor Informtion System science, technology, engineering, nd mthemtics This is work of the U.S. government nd is not subject to copyright protection in the United Sttes. It my be reproduced nd distributed in its entirety without further permission from GAO. However, becuse this work my contin copyrighted imges or other mteril, permission from the copyright holder my be necessry if you wish to reproduce this mteril seprtely. Pge vi GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

9 United Sttes Government Accountbility Office Wshington, DC October 12, 2005 The Honorble Dvid Dreier Chirmn, Committee on Rules House of Representtives Der Mr. Chirmn: The United Sttes hs long been known s world leder in scientific nd technologicl innovtion. To help mintin this dvntge, the federl government hs spent billions of dollrs on eduction progrms in the science, technology, engineering, nd mthemtics (STEM) fields for mny yers. Some of these progrms were designed to increse the numbers of women nd minorities pursuing degrees in STEM fields. In ddition, for mny yers, thousnds of interntionl students cme to the United Sttes to study nd work in STEM fields. However, concerns hve been rised bout the ntion s bility to mintin its globl technologicl competitive dvntge in the future. In spite of the billions of dollrs spent to encourge students nd grdutes to pursue studies in STEM fields or improve STEM eductionl progrms, the percentge of United Sttes students erning bchelor s degrees in STEM fields hs been reltively constnt bout third of bchelor s degrees since Furthermore, fter the events of September 11, 2001, the United Sttes estblished severl new systems nd processes to help enhnce border security. In some cses, implementtion of these new systems nd processes, which estblished requirements for severl federl gencies, higher eduction institutions, nd potentil students, mde it more difficult for interntionl students to enter this country to study nd work. In the lst few yers, mny reports nd news rticles hve been published, nd severl bills hve been introduced in Congress tht ddress issues relted to STEM eduction nd occuptions. This report presents informtion on (1) the number of federl civilin eduction progrms funded in fiscl yer 2004 tht were designed to increse the numbers of students nd grdutes pursuing STEM degrees nd occuptions or improve eductionl progrms in STEM fields nd wht gencies report bout their effectiveness; (2) how the numbers, percentges, nd chrcteristics of students, grdutes, nd employees in STEM fields hve chnged over the yers; nd (3) fctors cited by eductors nd others s influencing people s decisions bout pursuing STEM degrees nd occuptions, nd suggestions tht hve been mde to encourge greter Pge 1 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

10 prticiption in STEM fields. To determine the number of progrms designed to increse the numbers of students nd grdutes pursuing STEM degrees nd occuptions, we identified 15 federl deprtments nd gencies s hving STEM progrms, nd we developed nd conducted survey sking ech deprtment or gency to provide informtion on its eduction progrms, including informtion bout their effectiveness. 1 We received responses from 14 of them, the Deprtment of Defense did not prticipte, nd we determined tht t lest 13 gencies hd STEM eduction progrms during fiscl yer 2004 tht met our criteri. To describe how the numbers of students, grdutes, nd employees in STEM fields hve chnged, we nlyzed nd reported dt from the Deprtment of Eduction s (Eduction) Ntionl Center for Eduction Sttistics (NCES) nd the Deprtment of Lbor s (Lbor) Bureu of Lbor Sttistics (BLS). Specificlly, s shown in tble 1, we used the Ntionl Postsecondry Student Aid Study (NPSAS) nd the Integrted Postsecondry Eduction Dt System (IPEDS) from NCES nd the Current Popultion Survey (CPS) dt from BLS. We ssessed the dt for relibility nd resonbleness nd found them to be sufficiently relible for the purposes of this report. Tble 1: Sources of Dt, Dt Obtined, Time Spn of Dt, nd Yers Anlyzed Deprtment Agency Dtbse Dt obtined Time spn of dt Yers nlyzed Eduction NCES NPSAS College student enrollment 9 yers Acdemic yers nd Eduction NCES IPEDS Grdution/degrees 9 yers Acdemic yers nd Lbor BLS CPS Employment 10 yers Clendr yers 1994 through 2003 Sources: NCES s Ntionl Postsecondry Student Aid Study (NPSAS) nd Integrted Postsecondry Eduction Dt System (IPEDS) nd BLS s Current Popultion Survey (CPS) dt. Note: Enrollment nd employment informtion re bsed on smple dt nd re subject to smpling error. The 95-percent confidence intervls for student enrollment estimtes re contined in ppendix V of this report. Percentge estimtes for STEM employment hve 95-percent confidence intervls of within +/- 6 percentge points nd other employment estimtes (such s wges nd slries) hve confidence intervls of within +/- 10 percent of the estimte, unless otherwise noted. See ppendixes I, V, nd VI for dditionl informtion. 1 For the purposes of this report, we will use the term gency when referring to ny of the 13 federl deprtments nd gencies tht responded to our survey. Pge 2 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

11 To obtin perspectives on the fctors tht influence people s decisions bout pursuing STEM degrees nd occuptions, nd to obtin suggestions for encourging greter prticiption in STEM fields, we interviewed eductors nd dministrtors in eight colleges nd universities (the University of Cliforni Los Angeles nd the University of Southern Cliforni in Cliforni; Clrk Atlnt University, Georgi Institute of Technology, nd Spelmn College in Georgi; the University of Illinois; Purdue University in Indin; nd Pennsylvni Stte University). We selected these colleges nd universities to include mix of public nd privte institutions, provide geogrphic diversity, nd include few minority-serving institutions, including one (Spelmn College) tht serves only women students. In ddition, most of the institutions hd lrge totl numbers of students, including interntionl students, enrolled in STEM fields. We lso sked officils from the eight universities to identify current students to whom we could send n e-mil survey. We received responses from 31 students from five of these institutions. In ddition, we interviewed federl gency officils nd representtives from ssocitions nd eduction orgniztions, nd nlyzed reports on vrious topics relted to STEM eduction nd occuptions. Appendix I contins more detiled discussion of our scope nd methodology. We conducted our work between October 2004 nd October 2005 in ccordnce with generlly ccepted government uditing stndrds. Results in Brief Officils from 13 federl civilin gencies reported hving 207 eduction progrms funded in fiscl yer 2004 tht were designed to increse the numbers of students nd grdutes pursuing STEM degrees nd occuptions or improve eductionl progrms in STEM fields, but they reported little bout the effectiveness of these progrms. The 13 gencies reported spending bout $2.8 billion in fiscl yer 2004 for these progrms. According to the survey responses, the Ntionl Institutes of Helth (NIH) nd the Ntionl Science Foundtion (NSF) sponsored 99 of the 207 progrms nd spent bout $2 billion of the pproximte $2.8 billion. The progrm costs rnged from $4,000 for ntionl scholrs progrm sponsored by the Deprtment of Agriculture (USDA) to bout $547 million for n NIH progrm tht is designed to develop nd enhnce reserch trining opportunities for individuls in biomedicl, behviorl, nd clinicl reserch by supporting trining progrms t institutions of higher lerning. Officils reported tht most of the 207 progrms hd multiple gols, nd mny were trgeted to multiple groups. For exmple, 2 progrms were identified s hving one gol of ttrcting nd prepring students t ny eduction level to pursue coursework in STEM res, while 112 progrms hd this s one of multiple gols. Agency officils lso Pge 3 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

12 reported tht evlutions were completed or under wy for bout hlf of the progrms, nd most of the completed evlutions reported tht the progrms hd been effective nd chieved estblished gols. However, some progrms tht hve not been evluted hve operted for mny yers. While the totl numbers of students, grdutes, nd employees hve incresed in STEM fields, chnges in the numbers nd percentges of women, minorities nd interntionl students vried during the periods reviewed. From the cdemic yer to the cdemic yer, the number of students incresed in STEM fields by 21 percent more thn the 11 percent increse in non-stem fields. Also, students enrolled in STEM fields incresed from 21 percent to 23 percent of ll students. Chnges in the numbers nd percentges of domestic minority students vried by group. For exmple, the number of Africn Americn students incresed 69 percent nd the number of Hispnic students incresed 33 percent. The totl number of grdutes in STEM fields incresed by 8 percent from the cdemic yer to the cdemic yer, while grdutes in non-stem fields incresed 30 percent. Further, the numbers of grdutes decresed in t lest four of eight STEM fields t ech eduction level. The totl number of domestic minority grdutes in STEM fields incresed, nd interntionl grdutes continued to ern bout one-third or more of the mster s nd doctorl degrees in three fields. Moreover, from 1994 to 2003, employment incresed by 23 percent in STEM fields s compred with 17 percent in non-stem fields. Africn Americn employees continued to be less thn 10 percent of ll STEM employees, nd there ws no sttisticlly significnt chnge in the percentge of women employees. Eductors nd others cited severl fctors s influencing students decisions bout pursuing STEM degrees nd occuptions, nd they suggested mny wys to encourge more prticiption in STEM fields. Studies, eduction experts, university officils, nd others cited techer qulity t the kindergrten through 12th grde levels nd students high school preprtion in mthemtics nd science courses s mjor fctors tht influence domestic students decisions bout pursuing STEM degrees nd occuptions. In ddition, university officils, students, nd studies identified mentoring s key fctor for women nd minorities. Also, ccording to university officils, eduction experts, nd reports, interntionl students decisions bout pursuing STEM degrees nd occuptions in the United Sttes re influenced by yet other fctors, including more stringent vis requirements nd incresed eductionl opportunities outside the United Sttes. We hve reported tht severl Pge 4 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

13 spects of the vis process hve been improved, but further steps could be tken. In order to promote prticiption in the STEM fields, officils t most of the eight universities visited nd current students offered suggestions tht focused on four res: techer qulity, mthemtics nd science preprtion nd courses, outrech to underrepresented groups, nd the federl role in STEM eduction. The students who responded to our e-mil survey generlly greed with most of the suggestions nd expressed their desires for better mthemtics nd science preprtion for college. However, before dopting such suggestions, it is importnt to know the extent to which existing STEM eduction progrms re ppropritely trgeted nd mking the best use of vilble federl resources. We received written comments on drft of this report from the Deprtment of Commerce, the Deprtment of Helth nd Humn Services, nd the Ntionl Science nd Technology Council. These gencies generlly greed with our findings nd conclusions. We lso received written comments from the Ntionl Science Foundtion which questioned our findings relted to progrm evlutions, intergency collbortion, nd the methodology we used to support our findings on the fctors tht influenced decisions bout pursing STEM fields. Also, the Ntionl Science Foundtion provided informtion to clrify exmples cited in the report, stted tht the dt ctegories were not cler, nd commented on the grdute level enrollment dt we used. We revised the report to cknowledge tht the Ntionl Science Foundtion uses vriety of mechnisms to evlute its progrms nd we dded bibliogrphy tht identifies the reports nd reserch used during the course of this review to ddress the comment bout our methodology relted to the fctors tht influenced decisions bout pursuing STEM fields. We lso revised the report to clrify the exmples nd the dt ctegories nd to explin the resons for selecting the enrollment dt we used. However, we did not mke chnges to ddress the comment relted to intergency collbortion for the reson explined in the gency comments section of this report. The written comments re reprinted in ppendixes VII, VIII, IX, nd X. In ddition, we received technicl comments from the Deprtments of Commerce, Helth nd Humn Services, Homelnd Security, Lbor, nd Trnsporttion, nd the Environmentl Protection Agency nd Ntionl Aeronutics nd Spce Administrtion, which we incorported when pproprite. Bckground STEM includes mny fields of study nd occuptions. Bsed on the Ntionl Science Foundtions ctegoriztion of STEM fields, we Pge 5 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

14 developed STEM fields of study from NCES s Ntionl Postsecondry Student Aid Study (NPSAS) nd Integrted Postsecondry Eduction Dt System (IPEDS), nd identified occuptions from BLS s Current Popultion Survey (CPS). Using these dt sources, we developed nine STEM fields for students, eight STEM fields for grdutes, nd four brod STEM fields for occuptions. Tble 2 lists these STEM fields nd occuptions nd exmples of subfields. Additionl informtion on STEM occuptions is provided in ppendix I. Tble 2: List of STEM Fields Bsed on NCES s NPSAS nd IPEDS Dt nd BLS s CPS Dt Enrollment NCES NPSAS dt Degrees NCES IPEDS dt Occuptions BLS CPS dt Agriculturl sciences Biologicl sciences Physicl sciences Psychology Socil sciences Technology Biologicl/griculturl sciences Botny Zoology Diry Forestry Poultry Wildlife mngement Erth, tmospheric, nd ocen sciences Geology Geophysics nd seismology Physicl sciences Chemistry Physics Psychology Clinicl Socil Socil sciences Politicl science Sociology Technology Solr Automotive engineering Science Agriculturl nd food scientists Astronomers nd physicists Atmospheric nd spce scientists Biologicl scientists Chemists nd mterils scientists Environmentl scientists nd geoscientists Nurses Psychologists Sociologists Urbn nd regionl plnners Technology Clinicl lbortory technologists nd technicins Dignostic-relted technologists nd technicins Medicl, dentl, nd ophthlmic lbortory technicins Pge 6 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

15 Enrollment NCES NPSAS dt Degrees NCES IPEDS dt Occuptions BLS CPS dt Engineering Computer sciences Mthemtics Engineering Aerospce, eronuticl, nd stronuticl Architecturl Chemicl Civil Electricl, electronics, nd communiction Nucler Mthemtics/computer sciences Acturil science Applied mthemtics Mthemticl sttistics Opertions reserch Dt processing Progrmming Engineering Architects, except nvl Aerospce engineers Chemicl engineers Civil engineers Electricl nd electronic engineers Nucler engineers Mthemtics nd computer sciences Computer scientists nd systems nlysts Computer progrmmers Computer softwre engineers Acturies Mthemticins Sttisticins Sources: NCES for NPSAS nd IPEDS dt; CPS for occuptions. Note: This tble is not designed to show direct reltionship from enrollment to occuption, but to provide exmples of mjors, degrees, nd occuptions in STEM fields from the three sources of dt. Mny of the STEM fields require completion of dvnced courses in mthemtics or science, subjects tht re introduced nd developed t the kindergrten through 12th grde level, nd the federl government hs tken steps to help improve chievement in these nd other subjects. Encted in 2002, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLBA) seeks to improve the cdemic chievement of ll of the ntion s school-ged children. NCLBA requires tht sttes develop nd implement cdemic content nd chievement stndrds in mthemtics, science nd the reding or lnguge rts. All students re required to prticipte in sttewide ssessments during their elementry nd secondry school yers. Improving techer qulity is nother gol of NCLBA s strtegy to rise student cdemic chievement. Specificlly, ll techers teching core cdemic subjects must be highly qulified by the end of the school yer. 2 NCLBA generlly defines highly qulified techers s those tht hve (1) bchelor s degree, (2) stte certifiction, nd (3) subject re knowledge for ech cdemic subject they tech. 2 Core subjects include English, reding or lnguge rts, mthemtics, science, foreign lnguges, civics nd government, economics, rts, history, nd geogrphy. Pge 7 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

16 The federl government lso plys role in coordinting federl science nd technology issues. The Ntionl Science nd Technology Council (NSTC) ws estblished in 1993 nd is the principl mens for the Administrtion to coordinte science nd technology mong the diverse prts of the federl reserch nd development res. One objective of NSTC is to estblish cler ntionl gols for federl science nd technology investments in res rnging from informtion technologies nd helth reserch to improving trnsporttion systems nd strengthening fundmentl reserch. NSTC is responsible for prepring reserch nd development strtegies tht re coordinted cross federl gencies in order to ccomplish these multiple ntionl gols. In ddition, the federl government, universities nd colleges, nd others hve developed progrms to provide opportunities for ll students to pursue STEM eduction nd occuptions. 3 Additionl steps hve been tken to increse the numbers of women, minorities, nd students with disdvntged bckgrounds in the STEM fields, such s providing dditionl cdemic nd reserch opportunities. According to the 2000 Census, 52 percent of the totl U.S. popultion 18 nd over were women; in 2003, members of rcil or ethnic groups constituted from 0.5 percent to 12.6 percent of the civilin lbor force (CLF), s shown in tble 3. Tble 3: Percentge of the U.S. Popultion for Selected Rcil or Ethnic Groups in the Civilin Lbor Force, Clendr Yers 1994 nd 2003 Rce or ethnicity Percentge of U.S. popultion in the CLF, 1994 Percentge of U.S. popultion in the CLF, 2003 Hispnic or Ltino origin Blck or Africn Americn Asin Americn Indin or Alsk Ntive Source: GAO clcultions bsed upon Mrch 1994 nd Mrch 2003 CPS dt. In ddition to domestic students, interntionl students hve pursued STEM degrees nd worked in STEM occuptions in the United Sttes. To 3 Other federl progrms tht re not specificlly designed to ttrct students to STEM eduction nd occuptions, such s Pell Grnts, my provide finncil ssistnce to students who obtin degrees in STEM fields. Pge 8 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

17 do so, interntionl students nd scholrs must obtin viss. 4 Interntionl students who wish to study in the United Sttes must first pply to Student nd Exchnge Visitor Informtion System (SEVIS) certified school. In order to enroll students from other ntions, U.S. colleges nd universities must be certified by the Student nd Exchnge Visitor Progrm within the Deprtment of Homelnd Security s Immigrtion nd Customs Enforcement orgniztion. As of Februry 2004, nerly 9,000 technicl schools nd colleges nd universities hd been certified. SEVIS, is n Internet-bsed system tht mintins dt on interntionl students nd exchnge visitors before nd during their sty in the United Sttes. Upon dmitting student, the school enters the student s nme nd other informtion into the SEVIS dtbse. At this time the student my pply for student vis. In some cses, Security Advisory Opinion (SAO) from the Deprtment of Stte (Stte) my be needed to determine whether or not to issue vis to the student. SAOs re required for number of resons, including concerns tht vis pplicnt my engge in the illegl trnsfer of sensitive technology. An SAO bsed on technology trnsfer concerns is known s Viss Mntis nd, ccording to Stte officils, is the most common type of SAO pplied to science pplicnts. 5 In April 2004, the Congressionl Reserch Service reported tht Stte mintins technology lert list tht includes 16 sensitive res of study. The list ws produced in n effort to help the United Sttes prevent the illegl trnsfer of controlled technology nd includes chemicl nd biotechnology engineering, missile technology, nucler technology, robotics, nd dvnced computer technology. 6 Mny foreign workers enter the United Sttes nnully through the H-1B vis progrm, which ssists U.S. employers in temporrily filling specilty 4 There re severl types of viss tht uthorize people to study nd work in the United Sttes. F, or student, viss, re for study t 2- nd 4-yer colleges nd universities nd other cdemic institutions; the exchnge visitor, or J, viss re for people who will be prticipting in culturl exchnge progrm; nd M viss re for noncdemic study t institutions, such s voctionl nd technicl schools. In ddition, H-1B viss llow noncitizens to work in the United Sttes. 5 GAO, Border Security: Stremlined Viss Mntis Progrm Hs Lowered Burden on Foreign Science Students nd Scholrs, but Further Refinements Needed, GAO (Wshington, D.C.: Feb. 18, 2005). 6 Congressionl Reserch Service, Science, Engineering, nd Mthemtics Eduction: Sttus nd Issues, STM, April 27, 2004, Wshington, D.C. Pge 9 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

18 occuptions. 7 Employed workers my sty in the United Sttes on n H-1B vis for up to 6 yers. The current cp on the number of H-1B viss tht cn be grnted is 65,000. The lw exempts certin workers, however, from this cp, including those who re employed or hve ccepted employment in specified positions. Moreover, up to 20,000 exemptions re llowed for those holding mster s degree or higher. More thn 200 Federl Eduction Progrms Are Designed to Increse the Numbers of Students nd Grdutes or Improve Eductionl Progrms in STEM Fields, but Most Hve Not Been Evluted Officils from 13 federl civilin gencies reported hving 207 eduction progrms funded in fiscl yer 2004 tht were specificlly estblished to increse the numbers of students nd grdutes pursuing STEM degrees nd occuptions, or improve eductionl progrms in STEM fields, but they reported little bout the effectiveness of these progrms. 8 These 13 federl gencies reported spending bout $2.8 billion for their STEM eduction progrms. Tken together, NIH nd NSF sponsored nerly hlf of the progrms nd spent bout 71 percent of the funds. In ddition, gencies reported tht most of the progrms hd multiple gols, nd mny were trgeted to multiple groups. Although evlutions hve been done or were under wy for bout hlf of the progrms, little is known bout the extent to which most STEM progrms re chieving their desired results. Coordintion mong the federl STEM eduction progrms hs been limited. However, in 2003, the Ntionl Science nd Technology Council formed subcommittee to ddress STEM eduction nd workforce policy issues cross federl gencies. 7 A specilty occuption is defined s one tht requires the ppliction of body of highly specilized knowledge, nd the ttinment of t lest bchelor s degree (or its equivlent), nd the possession of license or other credentil to prctice the occuption if required. 8 GAO sked gencies to include STEM nd relted eduction progrms with one or more of the following s primry objective: (1) ttrct nd prepre students t ny eduction level to pursue coursework in STEM res, (2) ttrct students to pursue degrees (2-yer degrees through post doctorl) in STEM fields, (3) provide growth nd reserch opportunities for college nd grdute students in STEM fields, such s working with reserchers nd/or conducting reserch to further their eduction, (4) ttrct grdutes to pursue creers in STEM fields, (5) improve techer (pre-service, in-service, nd postsecondry) eduction in STEM res, nd (6) improve or expnd the cpcity of institutions to promote or foster STEM fields. Pge 10 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

19 Federl Civilin Agencies Reported Sponsoring over 200 STEM Eduction Progrms nd Spending Billions in Fiscl Yer 2004 Officils from 13 federl civilin gencies provided informtion on 207 STEM eduction progrms funded in fiscl yer The numbers of progrms rnged from 51 to 1 per gency with two gencies, NIH nd NSF, sponsoring nerly hlf of the progrms 99 of 207. Tble 4 provides summry of the numbers of progrms by gency, nd ppendix II contins list of the 207 STEM eduction progrms nd funding levels for fiscl yer 2004 by gency. Tble 4: Number of STEM Eduction Progrms Reported by Federl Civilin Agencies Number of STEM Federl gency eduction progrms Deprtment of Helth nd Humn Services/ Ntionl Institutes of Helth 51 Ntionl Science Foundtion 48 Deprtment of Energy 26 Environmentl Protection Agency 21 Deprtment of Agriculture 16 Deprtment of Commerce 13 Deprtment of the Interior 13 Ntionl Aeronutics nd Spce Administrtion 5 Deprtment of Eduction 4 Deprtment of Trnsporttion 4 Deprtment of Helth nd Humn Services/Helth Resources nd Services Administrtion 3 Deprtment of Helth nd Humn Services/Indin Helth Service 2 Deprtment of Homelnd Security 1 Totl 207 Source: GAO survey responses from 13 federl gencies. Federl civilin gencies reported tht pproximtely $2.8 billion ws spent on STEM eduction progrms in fiscl yer The funding levels for STEM eduction progrms mong the gencies rnged from bout $998 million to bout $4.7 million. NIH nd NSF ccounted for bout 71 percent of the totl bout $2 billion of the pproximte $2.8 billion. NIH spent 9 The progrm funding levels, s provided by gency officils, contin both ctul nd estimted mounts for fiscl yer Pge 11 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

20 bout $998 million in fiscl yer 2004, bout 3.6 percent of its $28 billion pproprition, nd NSF spent bout $997 million, which represented 18 percent of its pproprition. Four other gencies, some with few progrms, spent bout 23 percent of the totl: $636 million. For exmple, the Ntionl Aeronutics nd Spce Administrtion (NASA) spent bout $231 million on 5 progrms nd the Deprtment of Eduction (Eduction) spent bout $221 million on 4 progrms during fiscl yer Figure 1 shows the 6 federl civilin gencies tht used the most funds for STEM eduction progrms nd the funds used by the remining 7 gencies. Figure 1: Amounts Funded by Agencies for STEM-Relted Federl Eduction Progrms in Fiscl Yer 2004 Dollrs in millions 1,200 1, of Helth Ntionl Institutes Foundtion Ntionl Science Spce Administrtion Ntionl Aeronutics nd Eduction Enviromentl Protection 121 Helth Resources nd 63 Agency Services Administrtion 154 All Others Source: GAO survey responses from 13 federl gencies. The funding reported for individul STEM eduction progrms vried significntly, nd mny of the progrms hve been funded for more thn 10 yers. The funding rnged from $4,000 for n USDA-sponsored progrm tht offered scholrships to U.S. citizens seeking bchelor s degrees t Hispnic-serving institutions, to bout $547 million for NIH grnt progrm tht is designed to develop nd enhnce reserch trining opportunities for individuls in biomedicl, behviorl, nd clinicl reserch by supporting trining progrms t institutions of higher eduction. As shown in tble 5, most progrms were funded t $5 million or less nd 13 progrms were funded t more thn $50 million in fiscl yer About hlf of the STEM eduction progrms were first funded fter The oldest progrm begn in 1936, nd 72 progrms re over 10 Pge 12 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

21 yers old. 10 Appendix III describes the STEM eduction progrms tht received funding of $10 million or more during fiscl yer 2004 or Tble 5: Funding Levels for Federl STEM Eduction Progrms in Fiscl Yer 2004 Progrm funding levels Numbers of STEM eduction progrms Percentge of totl STEM eduction progrms Less thn $1 million $1 million to $5 million $5.1 million to $10 million 19 9 $10.1 million to $50 million More thn $50 million 13 6 Totl Source: GAO survey responses from 13 federl gencies. Federl Agencies Reported Most STEM Progrms Hd Multiple Gols nd Were Trgeted to Multiple Groups Agencies reported tht most of the STEM eduction progrms hd multiple gols. Survey respondents reported tht 80 percent (165 of 207) of the eduction progrms hd multiple gols, with bout hlf of these identifying four or more gols for individul progrms. 12 Moreover, ccording to the survey responders, few progrms hd single gol. For exmple, 2 progrms were identified s hving one gol of ttrcting nd prepring students t ny eduction level to pursue coursework in the STEM res, while 112 progrms identified this s one of multiple gols. Tble 6 shows the progrm gols nd numbers of STEM progrms ligned with them. 10 Six survey respondents did not include the dte the progrm ws initilly funded. 11 Fiscl yer 2005 funding levels were not vilble for ll of the 207 STEM eduction progrms. 12 Three survey respondents did not identify the progrm gols. Pge 13 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

22 Tble 6: Progrm Gols nd Numbers of STEM Progrms with One or Multiple Gols Progrm gol Progrms with only this gol Progrms with multiple gols including this gol Totl progrms with this gol nd other gol(s) Attrct nd prepre students t ny eduction level to pursue coursework in STEM res Attrct students to pursue degrees (2-yer through Ph.D.) nd postdoctorl ppointments Provide growth nd reserch opportunities for college nd grdute students in STEM fields Attrct grdutes to pursue creers in STEM fields Improve techer eduction in STEM res Improve or expnd the cpcity of institutions to promote or foster STEM fields Source: GAO survey responses from 13 federl gencies. The STEM eduction progrms provided finncil ssistnce to students, eductors, nd institutions. According to the survey responses, 131 progrms provided finncil support for students or scholrs, nd 84 progrms provided ssistnce for techer nd fculty development. 13 Mny of the progrms provided finncil ssistnce to multiple beneficiries, s shown in tble 7. Tble 7: Numbers of STEM Progrms with One or Multiple Types of Assistnce nd Beneficiries Type of ssistnce Progrms tht provide only this type of ssistnce Progrms tht provide this type nd other types of ssistnce Totl progrms tht provide this type of ssistnce Finncil support for students or scholrs Institutionl support to improve eductionl qulity Support for techer nd fculty development Institutionl physicl infrstructure support Source: GAO survey responses from 13 federl gencies. Most of the progrms were not trgeted to specific group but imed to serve wide rnge of students, eductors, nd institutions. Of the 207 progrms, 54 were trgeted to 1 group nd 151 hd multiple trget 13 One survey respondent did not identify the type of ssistnce supported by the progrm. Pge 14 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

23 groups. 14 In ddition, mny progrms were trgeted to the sme group. For exmple, while 12 progrms were imed solely t grdute students, 88 other progrms hd grdute students s one of multiple trget groups. Fewer progrms were trgeted to elementry nd secondry techers nd kindergrten through 12th grde students thn to other trget groups. Tble 8 summrizes the numbers of STEM progrms trgeted to one group nd multiple groups. Tble 8: Numbers of STEM Progrms Trgeted to One Group nd Multiple Groups Trgeted group Trgeted to only this group Trgeted to this nd other groups Totl progrms trgeted to this group Kindergrten through grde 12 students Elementry school students Middle or junior high school students High school students Undergrdute students 2-yer college students yer college students Grdute students nd postdoctorl scholrs Grdute students Postdoctorl scholrs Techers, college fculty nd instructionl stff Elementry school techers Secondry school techers College fculty or instructionl stff Institutions Source: GAO survey responses from13 federl gencies. Some progrms limited prticiption to certin groups. According to survey respondents, U.S. citizenship ws required to be eligible for 53 progrms, nd n dditionl 75 progrms were open only to U.S. citizens or permnent residents. 15 About one-fourth of the progrms hd no 14 Two survey respondents did not identify the group trgeted by the progrm. 15 Lwful permnent residents, lso commonly referred to s immigrnts, re leglly ccorded the privilege of residing permnently in the United Sttes. They my be issued immigrnt viss by the Deprtment of Stte overses or djusted to permnent resident sttus by the Deprtment of Homelnd Security in the United Sttes. Pge 15 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

24 citizenship requirement, nd 24 progrms llowed noncitizens or permnent residents to prticipte in some cses. According to NSF officil, students receiving scholrships or fellowships through NSF progrms must be U.S. citizens or permnent residents. In commenting on drft of this report, NSF reported tht these restrictions re considered to be n effective strtegy to support its gol of creting diverse, competitive, nd globlly-engged U.S. workforce of scientists, engineers, technologists, nd well-prepred citizens. Officils t two universities sid tht some reserch progrms re not open to non-citizens. Such restrictions my reflect concerns bout ccess to sensitive res. In ddition to these restrictions, some progrms re designed to increse minority representtion in STEM fields. For exmple, NSF sponsors progrm clled Opportunities for Enhncing Diversity in the Geosciences to increse prticiption by Africn Americns, Hispnic Americns, Ntive Americns (Americn Indins nd Alskn Ntives), Ntive Pcific Islnders (Polynesins or Micronesins), nd persons with disbilities. Agency Officils Reported Tht Evlutions Were Completed or Under Wy for About Hlf of the Federl Progrms Evlutions hd been completed or were under wy for bout hlf of the STEM eduction progrms. Agency officils responded tht evlutions were completed for 55 of the 207 progrms nd tht for 49 progrms, evlutions were under wy t the time we conducted our survey. Agency officils provided us documenttion for evlutions of 43 progrms, nd most of the completed evlutions reviewed reported tht the progrms met their objectives or gols. For exmple, Mrch 2004 report on the outcomes nd impcts of NSF s Minority Postdoctorl Reserch Fellowships progrm concluded tht there ws strong qulittive nd quntittive evidence tht this progrm is meeting its brod gol of prepring scientists from those ethnic groups tht re significntly underrepresented in tenured U.S. science nd engineering professorships nd for positions of ledership in industry nd government. However, evlutions hd not been done for 103 progrms, some of which hve been operting for mny yers. Of these, it my hve been too soon to expect evlutions for bout 32 progrms tht were initilly funded in fiscl yer 2002 or lter. However, of the remining 71 progrms, 17 hve been operting for over 15 yers nd hve not been evluted. In commenting on drft of this report NSF noted tht ll of its progrms undergo evlution nd tht it uses vriety of mechnisms for progrm evlution. We reported in 2003 tht severl gencies used vrious Pge 16 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

25 strtegies to develop nd improve evlutions. 16 Evlutions ply n importnt role in improving progrm opertions nd ensuring n efficient use of federl resources. Although some of the STEM eduction progrms re smll in terms of their funding levels, evlutions cn be designed to consider the size of the progrm nd the costs ssocited with mesuring outcomes nd collecting dt. A Subcommittee Ws Estblished in 2003 to Help Coordinte STEM Eduction Progrms mong Federl Agencies Coordintion of federl STEM eduction progrms hs been limited. In Jnury 2003 the Ntionl Science nd Technology Council (NSTC), Committee on Science (COS), estblished subcommittee on eduction nd workforce development. The purpose of the subcommittee is to dvise nd ssist COS nd NSTC on policies, procedures, nd progrms relting to STEM eduction nd workforce development. According to its chrter, the subcommittee will ddress eduction nd workforce policy issues nd reserch nd development efforts tht focus on STEM eduction issues t ll levels, s well s current nd projected STEM workforce needs, trends, nd issues. The members include representtives from 20 gencies nd offices the 13 gencies tht responded to our survey s well s the Deprtments of Defense, Stte, nd Justice, nd the Office of Science nd Technology Policy, the Office of Mngement nd Budget, the Domestic Policy Council, nd the Ntionl Economic Council. The subcommittee hs working groups on (1) humn cpcity in STEM res, (2) minority progrms, (3) effective prctices for ssessing federl efforts, nd (4) issues ffecting grdute nd postdoctorl reserchers. The Humn Cpcity in STEM working group is focused on three strtegic inititives: defining nd ssessing ntionl STEM needs, including progrms nd reserch projects; identifying nd nlyzing the vilble dt regrding the STEM workforce; nd creting nd implementing comprehensive ntionl response tht enhnces STEM workforce development. NSTC reported tht s of June 2005 the subcommittee hd number of ccomplishments nd projects under wy tht relted to ttrcting students to STEM fields. For exmple, it hs (1) surveyed federl gency eduction progrms designed to increse the prticiption of women nd underrepresented minorities in STEM studies; (2) inventoried federl fellowship progrms for grdute students nd postdoctorl fellows; nd (3) coordinted the Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering, nd 16 GAO, Progrm Evlution: An Evlution Culture nd Collbortive Prtnerships Help Build Agency Cpcity, GAO (Wshington, D.C.: My 2, 2003). Pge 17 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

26 Mthemtics Eduction Week ctivities, which provide n opportunity for the ntion s schools to focus on improving mthemtics nd science eduction. In ddition, the subcommittee is developing Web site for federl eductionl resources in STEM fields nd set of principles tht gencies would use in setting levels of support for grdute nd postdoctorl fellowships nd trineeships. Numbers of Students, Grdutes, nd Employees in STEM Fields Generlly Incresed, but Percentge Chnges Vried While the totl numbers of students, grdutes, nd employees hve incresed in STEM fields, percentge chnges for women, minorities, nd interntionl students vried during the periods reviewed. The increse in the percentge of students in STEM fields ws greter thn the increse in non-stem fields, but the chnge in percentge of grdutes in STEM fields ws less thn the percentge chnge in non-stem fields. Moreover, employment incresed more in STEM fields thn in non-stem fields. Further, chnges in the percentges of minority students vried by rce or ethnic group, interntionl grdutes continued to ern bout third or more of the dvnced degrees in three STEM fields, nd there ws no sttisticlly significnt chnge in the percentge of women employees. Figure 2 summrizes key chnges in the students, grdutes, nd employees in STEM fields. Pge 18 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

27 Figure 2: Key Chnges in Students, Grdutes, nd Employees in STEM Fields Students Grdutes Employees UNIVERSITY to Percentge increse ws greter in STEM thn non-stem Increse mostly t bchelor s nd mster s level Increse in percentge of women Increse in minority students but percentge chnges vried by rce/ethnicity Increse in interntionl students t bchelor s level to Totl increse in STEM ws less thn non-stem Decrese t doctorl level in most fields Increse in percentges of women in most fields No chnge in percentges of minorities t mster s or doctorl levels Interntionl grdutes continued to ern bout one-third or more of mster s nd Ph.D.s in three fields Increse ws greter in STEM thn non-stem No significnt chnge in percentge of women Africn Americns continued to be less thn 10 percent of the totl Medin nnul wges nd slries incresed in ll fields Source: GAO nlysis of CPS, IPEDS, nd NPSAS dt; grphics in prt by Art Explosion. Numbers of Students in STEM Fields Grew, but This Increse Vried by Eduction Level nd Student Chrcteristics Totl enrollments of students in STEM fields hve incresed, nd the percentge chnge ws greter for STEM fields thn non-stem fields, but the percentge of students in STEM fields remined bout the sme. From the cdemic yer to the cdemic yer, totl enrollments in STEM fields incresed 21 percent more thn the 11 percent enrollment increse in non-stem fields. The number of students enrolled in STEM fields represented 23 percent of ll students enrolled during the cdemic yer, modest increse from the 21 percent these students constituted in the cdemic yer. Tble 9 summrizes the chnges in overll enrollment cross ll eduction levels from the cdemic yer to the cdemic yer. Pge 19 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

28 Tble 9: Estimted Chnges in the Numbers nd Percentges of Students in the STEM nd Non-STEM Fields cross All Eduction Levels, Acdemic Yers nd Enrollment mesures Acdemic yer STEM Non- STEM Acdemic yer STEM Non- STEM Students enrolled (in thousnds) 4,132 15,243 4,997 16,883 Percentge of totl enrollment Source: GAO clcultions bsed upon NPSAS dt. Note: The totls for STEM nd non-stem enrollment include students in bchelor s, mster s, nd doctorl progrms s well s students enrolled in certificte, ssocite s, other undergrdute, firstprofessionl degree, nd post-bchelor s or post-mster s certificte progrms. The percentge chnges between the nd cdemic yers for STEM nd non-stem students re sttisticlly significnt. See ppendix V for confidence intervls ssocited with these estimtes. The increse in the numbers of students in STEM fields is mostly result of increses t the bchelor s nd mster s levels. Of the totl increse of bout 865,000 students in STEM fields, bout 740,000 ws due to the increse in the numbers of students t the bchelor s nd mster s levels. See tble 23 in ppendix IV for dditionl informtion on the estimted numbers of students in STEM fields in cdemic yers nd The percentge of students in STEM fields who re women incresed from the cdemic yer to the cdemic yer, nd in the cdemic yer women students constituted t lest 50 percent of the students in 3 STEM fields biologicl sciences, psychology, nd socil sciences. However, in the cdemic yer, men students continued to outnumber women students in STEM fields, nd men constituted n estimted 54 percent of the STEM students overll. In ddition, men constituted t lest 76 percent of the students enrolled in computer sciences, engineering, nd technology. 17 See tbles 24 nd 25 in ppendix IV for dditionl informtion on chnges in the numbers nd 17 In 2004, we reported on women s prticiption in federlly funded science progrms. Among other issues, this report discussed priorities pertining to complince with provisions of Title IX of the Eduction Amendments of For dditionl informtion, see GAO, Gender Issues: Women s Prticiption in the Sciences Hs Incresed, but Agencies Need to Do More to Ensure Complince with Title IX, GAO , (Wshington, D.C.: July 22, 2004). Pge 20 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

29 percentges of women students in the STEM fields for cdemic yers nd While the numbers of domestic minority students in STEM fields lso incresed, chnges in the percentges of minority students vried by rcil or ethnic group. For exmple, Hispnic students incresed 33 percent, from the cdemic yer to the cdemic yer. In comprison, the number of Africn Americn students incresed bout 69 percent. Africn Americn students incresed from 9 to 12 percent of ll students in STEM fields while Asin/Pcific Islnder students continued to constitute bout 7 percent. Tble 10 shows the numbers nd percentges of minority students in STEM fields for the cdemic yer nd the cdemic yer. Tble 10: Estimted Percentge Chnges in the Numbers nd Percentges of Domestic Minority Students in STEM fields for All Eduction Levels for Acdemic Yers nd Rce or ethnicity Numbers of students, (in thousnds) Numbers of students, (in thousnds) Percentge chnge in the numbers of students between cdemic yers nd Minority group s percentge of students in STEM fields, cdemic yer Minority group s percentge of students in STEM fields, cdemic yer Blck or Africn Americn Asin/Pcific Islnder Hispnic or Ltino origin Americn Indin Other/Multiple minorities Source: GAO clcultions bsed upon NPSAS dt. Note: All percentge chnges re sttisticlly significnt. See ppendix V for confidence intervls ssocited with these estimtes. From the cdemic yer to the cdemic yer, the number of interntionl students in STEM fields incresed by bout 57 percent solely becuse of n increse t the bchelor s level. The numbers of interntionl students in STEM fields t the mster s nd doctorl levels declined, with the lrgest decline occurring t the doctorl level. Tble 11 shows the numbers nd percentge chnges in interntionl students from the cdemic yer to the cdemic yer. Pge 21 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

30 Tble 11: Estimted Chnges in Numbers of Interntionl Students in STEM fields by Eduction Levels from the Acdemic Yer to the Acdemic Yer Eduction level Number of interntionl students, Number of interntionl students, Percentge chnge Bchelor s 31, , Mster s 40,025 22, Doctorl 36,461 7, Totl 108, , Source: GAO clcultions bsed upon NPSAS dt. Note: Chnges in enrollment between the nd cdemic yers re significnt t the 95 percent confidence level for interntionl students nd for ll eduction levels. See ppendix V for confidence intervls ssocited with these estimtes. According to the Institute of Interntionl Eduction, from the cdemic yer to the cdemic yer, the number of interntionl students declined for the first time in over 30 yers, nd tht ws the second such decline since the cdemic yer, when the institute begn collecting nd reporting dt on interntionl students. 18 Moreover, in November 2004, the Council of Grdute Schools (CGS) reported 6 percent decline in first-time interntionl grdute student enrollment from 2003 to Following decde of stedy growth, CGS lso reported tht the number of first-time interntionl students studying in the United Sttes decresed between 6 percent nd 10 percent for 3 consecutive yers. Totl Numbers of Grdutes with STEM Degrees Incresed, but Numbers Decresed in Some Fields, nd Percentges of Minority Grdutes t the Mster s nd Doctorl Levels Did Not Chnge The number of grdutes with degrees in STEM fields incresed by 8 percent from the cdemic yer to the cdemic yer. However, during this sme period the number of grdutes with degrees in non-stem fields incresed by 30 percent. From cdemic yer to cdemic yer , the percentge of grdutes with STEM degrees decresed from 32 percent to 28 percent of totl grdutes. Tble 12 provides dt on the chnges in the numbers nd percentges of grdutes in STEM nd non-stem fields. 18 Institute of Interntionl Eduction, Open Doors: Report on Interntionl Eductionl Exchnge, 2004, New York. Pge 22 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

31 Tble 12: Numbers of Grdutes nd Percentge Chnges in STEM nd Non-STEM Fields cross All Degree Levels from the Acdemic Yer to the Acdemic Yer STEM fields Non-STEM fields Grdution mesures Percentge chnge Percentge chnge Grdutes (in thousnds) ,112 1, Percentge of totl grdutes Source: GAO clcultions bsed upon IPEDS dt. Decreses in the numbers of grdutes occurred in some STEM fields t ech eduction level, but prticulrly t the doctorl level. The numbers of grdutes with bchelor s degrees decresed in four of eight STEM fields, the numbers with mster s degrees decresed in five of eight fields, nd the numbers with doctorl degrees decresed in six of eight STEM fields. At the doctorl level, these declines rnged from 14 percent in mthemtics/computer sciences to 74 percent in technology. Figure 3 shows the percentge chnge in grdutes with degrees in STEM fields from the cdemic yer to the cdemic yer. Pge 23 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

32 Figure 3: Percentge Chnges in Bchelor s, Mster s, nd Doctorl Grdutes in STEM Fields from Acdemic Yer to Acdemic Yer Percent chnge Biologicl/griculturl sciences Erth, tmospheric, nd ocen sciences Engineering -18 Mthemtics/computer sciences Physicl sciences -15 Psychology Socil sciences Technology -74 Bchelor s Mster s Ph.D.s Source: GAO clcultions bsed upon IPEDS dt. From the cdemic yer to the cdemic yer, the totl number of women grdutes incresed in four of the eight fields, nd the percentges of women erning degrees in STEM fields incresed in six of the eight fields t ll three eductionl levels. Conversely, the totl number of men grdutes decresed, nd the percentges of men grdutes declined in six of the eight fields t ll three levels from the cdemic yer to the cdemic yer. However, men continued to constitute over 50 percent of the grdutes in five of eight fields t ll three eduction levels. Tble 13 summrizes the numbers of grdutes by gender, level, nd field. Tble 26 in ppendix IV provides dditionl dt on the percentges of men nd women grdutes by STEM field nd eduction level. Pge 24 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

33 Tble 13: Numbers nd Percentge Chnges in Men nd Women Grdutes with STEM Degrees by Eduction Level nd Field for Acdemic Yers nd Number of men grdutes Eduction level STEM field Bchelor s level Mster s level Doctorl level Percentge chnge in Number of women grdutes men grdutes Percentge chnge in women grdutes Biologicl/griculturl sciences 36,108 23, ,648 35,546 0 Erth, tmospheric, nd ocen sciences 2,954 2, ,524 1, Engineering 52,562 48, ,960 11, Mthemtics nd computer sciences 25,258 46, ,651 20, Physicl sciences 9,607 8, ,292 6, Psychology 19,664 18, ,010 64, Socil sciences 56,643 63, ,624 77, Technology 14,349 9, ,602 1, Biologicl/griculturl sciences 4,768 2, ,340 2, Erth, tmospheric, nd ocen sciences 1, Engineering 24,031 20, ,643 5, Mthemtics nd computer sciences 10,398 14, ,474 7, Physicl sciences 2,958 2, ,283 1, Psychology 4,013 3, ,319 12, Socil sciences 11,952 11, ,398 13, Technology Biologicl/griculturl sciences 3,616 1, ,160 1, Erth, tmospheric, nd ocen sciences Engineering 5,401 4, Mthemtics nd computer sciences 1,690 1, Physicl sciences 2,939 2, Psychology 1,529 1, ,511 3, Socil sciences 2,347 2, ,463 1, Technology Source: GAO clcultions bsed upon IPEDS dt. Pge 25 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

34 The totl numbers of domestic minority grdutes in STEM fields incresed, lthough the percentge of minority grdutes with STEM degrees t the mster s or doctorl level did not chnge from the cdemic yer to the cdemic yer. For exmple, while the number of Ntive Americn grdutes incresed 37 percent, Ntive Americn grdutes remined less thn 1 percent of ll STEM grdutes t the mster s nd doctorl levels. Tble 14 shows the percentges nd numbers of domestic minority grdutes for the cdemic yer nd the cdemic yer. Tble 14: Numbers nd Percentge Chnges in Domestic Minority Grdutes in STEM Fields by Eduction Levels nd Rce or Ethnicity for Acdemic Yers nd Rce or ethnicity Blck or Africn Americn Hispnic or Ltino origin Asin/Pcific Islnders Ntive Americns Number of Number of Percentge of Percentge of grdutes in grdutes in Percentge totl grdutes totl grdutes Degree Level STEM fields, STEM fields, chnge in grdutes in STEM fields, in STEM fields, Totl 33,121 44, Bchelor s 28,236 37, Mster s 4,358 6, Doctorl Totl 25,781 37, Bchelor s 22,268 32, Mster s 3,015 4, Doctorl Totl 37,393 46, Bchelor s 29,389 39, Mster s 6,064 6, Doctorl 1,940 1, Totl 2,488 3, Bchelor s 2,115 2, Mster s Doctorl Source: GAO clcultions bsed upon IPEDS dt. Interntionl students erned bout one-third or more of the degrees t both the mster s nd doctorl levels in severl fields in the nd the cdemic yers. For exmple, in cdemic yer , interntionl students erned between 45 percent nd 57 percent of ll degrees in engineering nd mthemtics/computer sciences t the mster s nd doctorl levels. However, t ech level there were chnges in the Pge 26 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

35 numbers nd percentges of interntionl grdutes. At the mster s level, the totl number of interntionl grdutes incresed by bout 31 percent from the cdemic yer to the cdemic yer; while the number of grdutes decresed in four of the fields nd the percentges of interntionl grdutes declined in three fields. At the doctorl level, the totl number of interntionl grdutes decresed by 12 percent, while the percentge of interntionl grdutes incresed or remined the sme in ll fields. Tble 15 shows the numbers nd percentges of interntionl grdutes in STEM fields. Tble 15: Chnges in Numbers nd Percentges of Interntionl Grdutes in STEM fields t the Mster s nd Doctorl Degree Levels, nd Acdemic Yers Msters level Number Percentge of ll grdutes Number Percentge of ll grdutes Agriculture/biologicl sciences 1, Erth, tmospheric, nd ocen sciences Engineering 9, , Mthemtics/computer sciences 5, , Physicl sciences 1, , Psychology Socil sciences 3, , Technology Totl 22,537 29,460 Doctorl level Agriculture/biologicl sciences 1, Erth, tmospheric, nd ocen sciences Engineering 3, , Mthemtics/computer sciences Physicl sciences 1, , Psychology Socil sciences 1, , Technology Totl 8,335 7,310 Source: GAO clcultions bsed upon IPEDS dt. Pge 27 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

36 STEM Employment Rose, but the Percentge of Women Remined About the Sme nd Minorities Continued to be Underrepresented While the totl number of STEM employees incresed, this increse vried cross STEM fields. Employment incresed by 23 percent in STEM fields s compred to 17 percent in non-stem fields from clendr yer 1994 to clendr yer Employment incresed by 78 percent in the mthemtics/computer sciences field nd by 20 percent in the science field over this period. The chnges in number of employees in the engineering nd technology fields were not sttisticlly significnt. Employment estimtes from 1994 to 2003 in the STEM fields re shown in figure 4. Figure 4: Estimted Numbers of Employees in STEM Fields from Clendr Yers 1994 through 2003 Number of employees (in millions) Clendr yer Science Technology Engineering Mthemtics/computer sciences Source: GAO clcultions bsed upon CPS dt. Note: Estimted number of employees hve confidence intervls of within +/-9 percent of the estimte itself. See ppendix VI for confidence intervls ssocited with these estimtes. From clendr yers 1994 to 2003, the estimted number of women employees in STEM fields incresed from bout 2.7 million to bout 3.5 million. Overll, there ws not sttisticlly significnt chnge in the percentge of women employees in the STEM fields. Tble 16 shows the numbers nd percentges of men nd women employed in the STEM fields for clendr yers 1994 nd Pge 28 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

37 Tble 16: Estimted Numbers nd Percentges of Employees in STEM Fields by Gender in Clendr Yers 1994 nd 2003 (numbers in thousnds) Men Women Men Women STEM field Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Science , , Technology , Engineering 1, * , * Mthemtics/ computer sciences 1, , Totl 4, , , , Source: GAO clcultions bsed upon CPS dt. Note: Estimted employee numbers noted by n sterisk hve 95 percent confidence intervl of within +/- 25 percent of the estimte itself. All other estimted employee numbers hve 95 percent confidence intervl of within +/- 16 percent of the estimte. See ppendix VI for confidence intervls ssocited with these estimtes. Clcultions of percentges nd numbers my differ due to rounding. In ddition, the estimted number of minorities employed in the STEM fields s well s the percentge of totl STEM employees they constituted incresed, but Africn Americn nd Hispnic employees remin underrepresented reltive to their percentges in the civilin lbor force. 19 Between 1994 nd 2003, the estimted number of Africn Americn employees incresed by bout 44 percent, the estimted numbers of Hispnic employees incresed by 90 percent, s did the estimted numbers of other minorities employed in STEM fields. 20 In clendr yer 2003, Africn Americns comprised bout 8.7 percent of STEM employees compred to bout 10.7 percent of the CLF. Similrly, Hispnic employees comprised bout 10 percent of STEM employees in clendr yer 2003, compred to bout 12.6 percent of the CLF. Tble 17 shows the estimted percentges of STEM employees by selected rcil or ethnic groups in 1994 nd On the bsis of Mrch 2004 CPS estimtes, the Pew Hispnic Reserch Center reported tht over 10 million unuthorized immigrnts resided in the United Sttes nd tht people of Hispnic nd Ltino origin constituted significnt portion of these unuthorized immigrnts. 20 Other minorities include Asin/Pcific Islnders nd Americn Indin or Alsk Ntive. Pge 29 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

38 Tble 17: Estimted Percentges of STEM Employees by Selected Rcil or Ethnic Group for Clendr Yers 1994 nd 2003 Rce or ethnicity Percentge of totl STEM employees, 1994 Percentge of totl STEM employees, 2003 Blck or Africn Americn Hispnic or Ltino origin Other minorities Source: GAO clcultions bsed upon CPS dt. Note: Estimted percentges hve 95 percent confidence intervls of +/- 1 percentge point. Chnges for Africn Americns between clendr yers 1994 nd 2003 were not sttisticlly significnt t the 95-percent confidence level. Differences for Hispnic or Ltino origin nd other minorities were sttisticlly significnt. See ppendix VI for confidence intervls ssocited with these estimtes. Other minorities include Asin/Pcific Islnders nd Americn Indin or Alsk Ntive. Interntionl employees hve filled hundreds of thousnds of positions, mny in STEM fields, through the H-1B vis progrm. However, the numbers nd types of occuptions hve chnged over the yers. We reported tht while the limit for the H-1B progrm ws 115,000 in 1999, the number of viss pproved exceeded the limit by more thn 20,000 becuse of problems with the system used to trck the dt. 21 Avilble dt show tht in 1999, the mjority of the pproved occuptions were in STEM fields. Specificlly, n estimted 60 percent of the positions pproved in fiscl yer 1999 were relted to informtion technology nd 5 percent were for electricl/electronics engineering. By 2002, the limit for the H-1B progrm hd incresed to 195,000, but the number pproved, 79,000, did not rech this limit. In 2003, we reported tht the number of pproved H- 1B petitions in certin occuptions hd declined. For exmple, the number of pprovls for systems nlysis/progrmming positions declined by 106,671 from 2001 to Although the estimted totl number of employees in STEM fields incresed from 1994 to 2003, ccording to n NSF report, mny with STEM degrees were not employed in these occuptions. In 2004, NSF reported tht bout 67 percent of employees with degrees in science or engineering 21 GAO, H-1B Foreign Workers: Better Controls Needed to Help Employers nd Protect Workers, GAO/HEHS (Wshington, D.C.: Sept. 7, 2000). 22 GAO, H-1B Foreign Workers: Better Trcking Needed to Help Determine H-1B Progrm s Effects on U.S. Workforce, GAO (Wshington, D.C.: Sept. 10, 2003). Pge 30 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

39 were employed in fields somewht or not t ll relted to their degree. 23 Specificlly, 70 percent of employees with bchelor s degrees, 51 percent with mster s degrees, nd 54 percent with doctorl degrees reported tht their employment ws somewht or not t ll relted to their degree in science or engineering. In ddition to increses in the numbers of employees in STEM fields, infltion-djusted medin nnul wges nd slries incresed in ll four STEM fields over the 10-yer period (1994 to 2003). These increses rnged from 6 percent in science to 15 percent in engineering. Figure 5 shows trends in medin nnul wges nd slries for STEM fields. 23 Ntionl Science Foundtion, Science nd Engineering Indictors, 2004, Volume 1, Ntionl Science Bord, Jnury 15, Pge 31 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

40 Figure 5: Estimted Medin Annul Wges nd Slries in STEM Fields for Clendr Yers 1994 through 2003 Annul wges nd slries (in thousnds of dollrs) Clendr yer Science Technology Engineering Mthemtics/computer sciences Source: GAO clcultions bsed upon CPS dt. Note: Medin nnul wges nd slries hve been djusted for infltion. Estimted medin nnul wges nd slries hve 95 percent confidence intervls of within +/- 2.3 percent. See ppendix VI for confidence intervls ssocited with these estimtes. University Officils nd Others Cited Severl Fctors Tht Influence Decisions bout Prticiption in STEM Fields nd Suggested Wys to Encourge Greter Prticiption University officils, reserchers, nd students identified severl fctors tht influenced students decisions bout pursuing STEM degrees nd occuptions, nd they suggested some wys to encourge more prticiption in STEM fields. Specificlly, university officils sid nd reserchers reported tht the qulity of techers in kindergrten through 12th grdes nd the levels of mthemtics nd science courses completed during high school ffected students success in nd decisions bout STEM fields. In ddition, severl sources noted tht mentoring plyed key role in the prticiption of women nd minorities in STEM fields. Current students from five universities we visited generlly greed with these observtions, nd severl sid tht hving good mthemtics nd science instruction ws importnt to their overll eductionl success. Interntionl students decisions bout prticipting in STEM eduction Pge 32 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

41 nd occuptions were ffected by opportunities outside the United Sttes nd the vis process. To encourge more student prticiption in the STEM fields, university officils, reserchers, nd others hve mde severl suggestions, nd four were mde repetedly. These suggestions focused on techer qulity, high school students mth nd science preprtion, outrech ctivities, nd the federl role in STEM eduction. Techer Qulity nd Mthemtics nd Science Preprtion Were Cited s Key Fctors Affecting Domestic Students STEM Prticiption Decisions University officils frequently cited techer qulity s key fctor tht ffected domestic students interest in nd decisions bout pursuing STEM degrees nd occuptions. Officils t ll eight universities we visited expressed the view tht student s experience from kindergrten through the 12th grdes plyed lrge role in influencing whether the student pursued STEM degree. Officils t one university we visited sid tht students pursuing STEM degrees hve ssocited their interests with techers who tught them good skills in mthemtics or excited them bout science. On the other hnd, officils t mny of the universities we visited told us tht some techers were unqulified nd unble to imprt the subject mtter, cusing students to lose interest in mthemtics nd science. For exmple, officils t one university we visited sid tht some elementry nd secondry techers do not hve sufficient trining to effectively tech students in the STEM fields nd tht this hs n dverse effect on wht students lern in these fields nd reduces the interest nd enthusism students express in pursuing coursework in high school, degree progrms in college, or creers in these res. Techer qulity issues, in generl, hve been cited in pst reports by Eduction. In 2002, Eduction reported tht in the school yer, 14 to 22 percent of middle-grde students tking English, mthemtics, nd science were in clsses led by techers without mjor, minor, or certifiction in these subjects commonly referred to s out-of-field techers. 24 Also, pproximtely 30 to 40 percent of the middle-grde students in biology/life science, physicl science, or English s second lnguge/bilingul eduction clsses hd techers lcking these credentils. At the high school level, 17 percent of students enrolled in physics nd 36 percent of those enrolled in geology/erth/spce science were in clsses instructed by out-of-field techers. The percentges of 24 Ntionl Center for Eduction Sttistics, Qulifictions of the Public School Techer Workforce: Prevlence of Out-of-Field Teching to , My 2002, revised August 2004,Wshington, D.C. Pge 33 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

42 students tught by out-of-field techers were significntly higher when the criteri used were techer certifiction nd mjor in the subject tught. For exmple, 45 percent of the high school students enrolled in biology/life science nd pproximtely 30 percent of those enrolled in mthemtics, English, nd socil science clsses hd out-of-field techers. During the school yer, Eduction reported tht the number nd distribution of techers on wivers which llowed prospective techers in clssrooms while they completed their forml trining ws problemtic. Also, sttes reported tht the problem of underprepred techers ws worse on verge in districts tht serve lrge proportions of high-poverty children the percentge of techers on wivers ws lrger in high-poverty school districts thn ll other school districts in 39 sttes. Moreover, in 2004, Eduction reported tht 48 of the 50 sttes grnted wivers. 25 In ddition to techer qulity, students high school preprtion in mthemtics nd science ws cited by university officils nd others s ffecting students success in college-level courses nd their decisions bout pursuing STEM degrees nd occuptions. University officils t six of the eight universities we visited cited students bility to opt out of mthemtics nd science courses during high school s fctor tht influenced whether they would prticipte nd succeed in the STEM fields during undergrdute nd grdute school. University officils sid, for exmple, tht becuse mny students hd not tken higher-level mthemtics nd science courses such s clculus nd physics in high school, they were immeditely behind other students who were better prepred. In July 2005, on the bsis of findings from the 2004 Ntionl Assessment of Eductionl Progress, the Ntionl Center for Eduction Sttistics reported tht 17 percent of the 17-yer-olds reported tht they hd tken clculus, nd this represents the highest percentge in ny previous ssessment yer. 26 In study tht solicited the views of severl hundred students who hd left the STEM fields, reserchers found tht the effects of indequte high school preprtion contributed to college students decisions to leve the science fields. 27 These reserchers found 25 U.S. Deprtment of Eduction, The Secretry s Third Annul Report on Techer Qulity, Office of Postsecondry Eduction, 2004, Wshington, D.C. 26 U.S. Deprtment of Eduction, Ntionl Center for Eduction Sttistics, Institute of Eduction Sciences, The Ntion s Report Crd, NAEP 2004: Trends in Acdemic Progress, July 2005, Wshington, D.C. 27 Seymour, Eline, nd Nncy M. Hewitt, Tlking bout Leving: Why Undergrdutes Leve the Sciences, Westview Press, 1997, Boulder, Colordo. Pge 34 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

43 tht pproximtely 40 percent of those college students who left the science fields reported some problems relted to high school science preprtion. The underpreprtion ws often linked to problems such s not understnding clculus; lck of lbortory experience or exposure to computers, nd no introduction to theoreticl mteril or to nlytic modes of thought. Further, 12 current students we interviewed sid they were not dequtely prepred for college mthemtics or science. For exmple, one student stted tht her high school courses hd been limited becuse she ttended n ll-girls school where the curriculum ctered to students who were not interested in STEM, nd so it hd been difficult to obtin the courses tht were of interest to her. Severl other fctors were mentioned during our interviews with university officils, students, nd others s influencing decisions bout prticiption in STEM fields. These fctors included reltively low py in STEM fields, dditionl tuition costs to obtin STEM degrees, lck of commitment on the prt of some students to meet the rigorous cdemic demnds, nd the inbility of some professors in STEM fields to effectively imprt their knowledge to students in the clssrooms. For exmple, officils from five universities sid tht low py in STEM fields reltive to other fields such s lw nd business dissuded students from pursuing STEM degrees in some res. Also, in study tht solicited the views of college students who left the STEM fields s well s those who continued to pursue STEM degrees, reserchers found tht students experienced greter finncil difficulties in obtining their degrees becuse of the extr time needed to obtin degrees in certin STEM fields. Reserchers lso noted tht poor teching t the university level ws the most common complint mong students who left s well s those who remined in STEM fields. Students reported tht fculty do not like to tech, do not vlue teching s professionl ctivity, nd therefore lck ny incentive to lern to tech effectively. 28 Finlly, 11 of the students we interviewed commented bout the need for professors in STEM fields to lter their methods nd to show more interest in teching to retin students ttention. 28 Seymour nd Hewitt. Pge 35 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

44 Mentoring Cited s Key Fctor Affecting Women s nd Minorities STEM Prticiption Decisions University officils nd students sid tht mentoring is importnt for ll students but plys vitl role in the cdemic experiences of women nd minorities in the STEM fields. Officils t seven of the eight universities discussed the importnt role tht mentors ply, especilly for women nd minorities in STEM fields. For exmple, one professor sid tht mentors helped students by dvising them on the best trck to follow for obtining their degrees nd chieving professionl gols. Also, four students we interviewed three women nd one mn expressed the importnce of mentors. Specificlly, while ll four students identified mentoring s criticl to cdemic success in the STEM fields, two students expressed their stisfction since they hd mentors, while the other two students sid tht it would hve been helpful to hve hd someone who could hve been mentor or role model. Studies hve lso reported tht mentors ply significnt role in the success of women nd minorities in the STEM fields. In 2004, some of the women students nd fculty with whom we tlked reported strong mentor ws crucil prt in the cdemic trining of some of the women prticipting in sciences, nd some women hd pursued dvnced degrees becuse of the encourgement nd support of mentors. 29 In September 2000, congressionl commission reported tht women were dversely ffected throughout the STEM eduction pipeline nd creer pth by lck of role models nd mentors. 30 For exmple, the report found tht girls rejection of mthemtics nd science my be prtilly driven by techers, prents, nd peers when they subtly, nd not so subtly, steer girls wy from the informl technicl pstimes (such s working on crs, fixing bicycles, nd chnging hrdwre on computers) nd science ctivities (such s science firs nd clubs) tht too often were still thought of s the province of boys. In ddition, the commission reported tht greter proportion of women switched out of STEM mjors thn men, reltive to their representtion in the STEM mjor popultion. Resons cited for the higher ttrition rte mong women students included lck of role models, distste for the competitive nture of science nd engineering eduction, nd inbility to obtin dequte cdemic guidnce or dvice. Further, ccording to the report, women s retention nd grdution in STEM grdute progrms were ffected by their interction with fculty, 29 GAO Report of the Congressionl Commission on the Advncement of Women nd Minorities in Science, Engineering nd Technology Development, Lnd of Plenty: Diversity s Americ s Competitive Edge in Science, Engineering, nd Technology, September Pge 36 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

45 integrtion into the deprtment (versus isoltion), nd other fctors, including whether there were role models, mentors, nd women fculty. Interntionl Students STEM Prticiption Decisions Were Affected by Opportunities Outside the United Sttes nd the Vis Process Officils t seven of the eight universities visited, long with eduction policy experts, told us tht competition from other countries for top interntionl students, nd eductionl or work opportunities, ffected interntionl students decisions bout studying in the United Sttes. They told us tht other countries, including Cnd, Austrli, New Zelnd, nd the United Kingdom, hd seized the opportunity since September 11 to compete ginst the United Sttes for interntionl students who were mong the best students in the world, especilly in the STEM fields. Also, university officils told us tht students from severl countries, including Chin nd Indi, were being recruited to ttend universities nd get jobs in their own countries. In ddition, eduction orgniztions nd ssocitions hve reported tht globl competition for the best science nd engineering students nd scholrs is under wy. One orgniztion, NAFSA: Assocition of Interntionl Eductors reported tht the interntionl student mrket hs become highly competitive, nd the United Sttes is not competing s well s other countries. 31 According to university officils, interntionl students decisions bout pursuing STEM degrees nd occuptions in the United Sttes were lso influenced by the perceived unwelcoming ttitude of Americns nd the vis process. Officils from three of the universities sid tht the perceived unwelcoming ttitude of Americns hd ffected the recruitment of interntionl students to the United Sttes. Also, officils t six of the eight universities visited expressed their concern bout the impct of the tightened vis procedures nd/or incresed security mesures since September 11 on interntionl grdute school enrollments. For exmple, officils t one university stted tht becuse of the time needed to process viss, few students hd missed their clss strt dtes. Officils from one university told us tht they were being more proctive in helping new interntionl students nvigte the vis system, to the extent possible. While some university officils cknowledged tht vis processing hd significntly improved, since 2003 severl eduction ssocitions hve 31 NAFSA: Assocition of Interntionl Eductors, In Americ s Interest: Welcoming Interntionl Students, Report of the Strtegic Tsk Force on Interntionl Student Access, Jnury 14, 2003, Wshington, D.C. Pge 37 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

46 requested further chnges in U.S. vis policies becuse of the lengthy procedures nd time needed to obtin pprovl to enter the country. We hve reported on vrious spects of the vis process, mde severl recommendtions, nd noted tht some improvements hve been mde. In October 2002 we cited the need for cler policy on how to blnce ntionl security concerns with the desire to fcilitte legitimte trvel when issuing viss nd we mde severl recommendtions to help improve the vis process. 32 In 2003, we reported tht the Deprtments of Stte, Homelnd Security, nd Justice could more effectively mnge the vis function if they hd cler nd comprehensive policies nd procedures nd incresed gency coordintion nd informtion shring. 33 In Februry 2004 nd Februry 2005, we reported on the Stte Deprtment s efforts to improve the progrm for issuing viss to interntionl science students nd scholrs. In 2004 we found tht the time to djudicte vis depended lrgely on whether n pplicnt hd to undergo security check known s Viss Mntis, which is designed to protect ginst sensitive technology trnsfers. Bsed on rndom smple of Viss Mntis cses for science students nd scholrs, it took Stte n verge of 67 dys to complete the process. 34 In 2005, we reported significnt decline in Viss Mntis processing times nd in the number of cses pending more thn 60 dys. 35 We lso reported tht, in some cses, science students nd scholrs cn obtin vis within 24 hours. We hve lso issued severl reports on SEVIS opertions. In June 2004 we noted tht when SEVIS begn operting, significnt problems were reported. 36 For exmple, colleges nd universities nd exchnge progrms hd trouble gining ccess to the system, nd when ccess ws obtined, these users sessions would time out before they could complete their tsks. In tht report we lso noted tht SEVIS performnce hd improved, 32 GAO, Border Security: Vis Process Should Be Strengthened s n Antiterrorism Tool, GAO NI (Wshington, D.C.: Oct. 21, 2002). 33 GAO, Border Security: New Policies nd Incresed Intergency Coordintion Needed to Improve Vis Process, GAO T (Wshington, D. C.: July 15, 2003). 34 GAO, Border Security: Improvements Needed to Reduce Time Tken to Adjudicte Viss for Science Students nd Scholrs, GAO (Wshington, D.C.: Feb. 25, 2004). 35 GAO GAO, Homelnd Security: Performnce of Informtion System to Monitor Foreign Students nd Exchnge Visitors Hs Improved, but Issues Remin, GAO (Wshington, D.C.: June 18, 2004). Pge 38 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

47 but tht severl key system performnce requirements were not being mesured. In Mrch 2005, we reported tht the Deprtment of Homelnd Security (DHS) hd tken steps to ddress our recommendtions nd tht eductionl orgniztions generlly greed tht SEVIS performnce hd continued to improve. 37 However, eductionl orgniztions continued to cite problems, which they believe creted hrdships for students nd exchnge visitors. Severl Suggestions Were Mde to Encourge More Prticiption in the STEM Fields To increse the number of students entering STEM fields, officils from seven universities nd others stted tht techer qulity needs to improve. Officils of one university sid tht kindergrten through 12th grde clssrooms need techers who re knowledgeble in the mthemtics nd science content res. As previously noted, Eduction hs reported on the extent to which clsses hve been tught by techers with little or no content knowledge in the STEM fields. The Congressionl Commission on the Advncement of Women nd Minorities reported tht techer effectiveness is the most importnt element in good eduction. 38 The commission lso suggested tht boosting techer effectiveness cn do more to improve eduction thn ny other single fctor. Sttes re tking ction to meet NCLBA s requirement of hving ll techers of core cdemic subjects be highly qulified by the end of the school yer. University officils nd some students suggested tht better preprtion nd mndtory courses in mthemtics nd science were needed for students during their kindergrten through 12th grde school yers. Officils from five universities suggested tht mndtory mthemtics nd science courses, especilly in high school, my led to incresed student interest nd preprtion in the STEM fields. With greter interest nd depth of knowledge, students would be better prepred nd more inclined to pursue STEM degrees in college. Further, nerly hlf of the students who replied to this question suggested tht students needed dditionl mthemtics nd science trining prior to college. However, dding 37 GAO, Homelnd Security: Performnce of Foreign Student nd Exchnge Visitor Informtion System Continues to Improve, but Issues Remin, GAO T (Wshington, D.C.: Mrch 17, 2005). 38 Report of the Congressionl Commission on the Advncement of Women nd Minorities in Science, Engineering nd Technology Development, Lnd of Plenty: Diversity s Americ s Competitive Edge in Science, Engineering, nd Technology, September Pge 39 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

48 mthemtics nd science clsses hs resource implictions, since more techers in these subjects would be needed. Also this chnge could require curriculum policy chnges tht would tke time to implement. More outrech, especilly to women nd minorities from kindergrten through the 12th grde, ws suggested by university officils, students, nd other orgniztions. Officils from six of the universities we visited suggested tht incresed outrech ctivities re needed to help crete more interest in mthemtics nd science for younger students. For exmple, t one university we visited, officils told us tht through inviting students to their cmpuses or visiting locl schools, they hve provided some students with opportunities to engge in science lbortories nd hnds-on ctivities tht foster interest nd excitement for students nd cn mke these fields more relevnt in their lives. Officils from nother university told us tht these experiences were especilly importnt for women nd minorities who might not hve otherwise hd these opportunities. The current students we interviewed lso suggested more outrech ctivities. Specificlly, two students sid tht outrech ws needed to further stimulte students interest in the STEM fields. One orgniztion, Building Engineering nd Science Tlent (BEST), suggested tht reserch universities increse their presence in prekindergrten through 12th grde mthemtics nd science eduction in order to strengthen domestic students interests nd bilities. BEST reported tht one model producing results entiled universities dopting students from low-income school districts from 7th through 12th grdes nd providing them dvnced instruction in lgebr, chemistry, physics, nd trigonometry. However, officils t one university told us tht becuse of limited resources, their efforts were constrined nd only few students would benefit from this type of outrech. Furthermore, university officils from the eight schools nd other eduction orgniztions mde suggestions regrding the role of the federl government. University officils suggested tht the federl government could enhnce its role in STEM eduction by providing more effective ledership through developing nd implementing ntionl gend for STEM eduction nd incresing federl funding for cdemic reserch. Officils t six universities suggested tht the federl government undertke new inititive modeled fter the Ntionl Defense Eduction Act of 1958, encted in response to the former Soviet Union s chievement in its spce progrm, which provided new funding for mthemtics nd science eduction nd trining t ll eduction levels. In June 2005, CGS clled for renewed commitment to grdute eduction by the federl government through ctions such s providing funds to support students Pge 40 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

49 trined t the doctorl level in the sciences, technology, engineering, nd mthemtics; expnding U.S. citizen prticiption in doctorl study in selected fields through grdute support wrded competitively to universities cross the country; requiring recruitment, outrech, nd mentoring ctivities tht promote greter prticiption nd success, especilly for underrepresented groups; nd fostering interdisciplinry reserch preprtion. In August 2003, the Ntionl Science Bord recommended tht the federl government direct substntil new support to students nd institutions in order to improve success in science nd engineering studies by domestic undergrdute students from ll demogrphic groups. According to this report, such support could include scholrships nd other forms of finncil ssistnce to students, incentives to institutions to expnd nd improve the qulity of their science nd engineering progrms in res in which degree ttinment is insufficient, finncil support to community colleges to increse the success of students in trnsferring to 4-yer science nd engineering progrms, nd expnded funding for progrms tht best succeed in grduting underrepresented minorities nd women in science nd engineering. BEST lso suggested tht the federl government llocte dditionl resources to expnd the mthemtics nd science eduction opportunities for underrepresented groups. However, little is known bout how well federl resources hve been used in the pst. Chnges tht would require dditionl federl funds would likely hve n impct on other federl progrms, given the ntion s limited resources nd growing fiscl imblnce, nd chnging the federl role could tke severl yers. Concluding Observtions While the totl numbers of STEM grdutes hve incresed, some fields hve experienced declines, especilly t the mster s nd doctorl levels. Given the trends in the numbers nd percentges of students pursuing STEM degrees, prticulrly dvnced degrees, nd recent developments tht hve influenced interntionl students decisions bout pursuing degrees in the United Sttes, it is uncertin whether the number of STEM grdutes will be sufficient to meet future cdemic nd employment needs nd help the country mintin its technologicl competitive dvntge. Moreover, it is too erly to tell if the declines in interntionl grdute student enrollments will continue in the future. In terms of employment, despite some gins, the percentge of women in the STEM workforce hs not chnged significntly, minority employees remin underrepresented, nd mny with degrees in STEM fields re not employed in STEM occuptions. Pge 41 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

50 To help improve the trends in the numbers of students, grdutes, nd employees in STEM fields, university officils nd others mde severl suggestions, such s incresing the federl commitment to STEM eduction progrms. However, before mking chnges, it is importnt to know the extent to which existing STEM eduction progrms re ppropritely trgeted nd mking the best use of vilble federl resources. Additionlly, in n er of limited finncil resources nd growing federl deficits, informtion bout the effectiveness of these progrms cn help guide policy mkers nd progrm mngers. Agency Comments nd Our Evlution We received written comments on drft of this report from Commerce, the Deprtment of Helth nd Humn Services (HHS), NSF, nd NSTC. These comments re reprinted in ppendixes VII, VIII, IX, nd X, respectively. We lso received technicl comments from the Deprtments of Commerce, Helth nd Humn Services, Homelnd Security, Lbor, nd Trnsporttion; nd the Environmentl Protection Agency nd Ntionl Aeronutics nd Spce Administrtion, which we incorported when pproprite. In commenting on drft of this report, Commerce, HHS, nd NSTC commended GAO for this work. Commerce explicitly concurred with severl findings nd greed with our overll conclusion. However, Commerce suggested tht we revise the conclusion to point out tht despite overll increses in STEM students, the numbers of grdutes in certin fields hve declined. We modified the concluding observtions to mke this point. HHS greed with our conclusion tht it is importnt to evlute ongoing progrms to determine the extent to which they re chieving their desired results. The comments from NSTC cited improvements mde to help ensure tht interntionl students, exchnge visitors, nd scientists re ble to pply for nd receive viss in timely mnner. We did not mke ny chnges to the report since we hd cited nother GAO product tht discussed such improvements in the vis process. NSF commented bout severl of our findings. NSF stted tht our progrm evlutions finding my be misleding lrgely becuse the type of informtion GAO requested nd ccepted from gencies ws limited to progrm level evlutions nd did not include evlutions of individul underlying projects. NSF suggested tht we include informtion on the rnge of pproches used to ssure progrm effectiveness. Our finding is bsed on gency officils responses to survey question tht did not limit or stipulte the types of evlutions tht could hve been included. Pge 42 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

51 Nonetheless, we modified the report to cknowledge tht NSF uses vrious pproches to evlute its progrms. NSF criticized the methodology we used to support our finding on the fctors tht influence decisions bout pursuing STEM fields nd suggested tht we mke it clerer in the body of the report tht the findings re bsed on interviews with eductors nd dministrtors from 8 colleges nd universities, nd responses from 31 students. Also, NSF suggested tht we improve the report by including corroborting informtion from reports nd studies. Our finding ws not limited to interviews t the 8 colleges nd universities nd responses from 31 current students but ws lso bsed on interviews with numerous representtives nd policy experts from vrious orgniztions s well s findings from reserch nd reports which re cited in the body of the report. Using this pproch, we were ble to corroborte the testimonil evidence with dt from reports nd reserch s well s to determine whether informtion in the reports nd reserch remined ccurte by seeking the views of those currently teching or studying in STEM fields. As NSF noted, this pproch yielded resonble observtions. Additionl informtion bout our methodology is listed in ppendix I, nd we dded bibliogrphy tht identifies the reports nd reserch used during the course of this review. NSF lso commented tht the report mentions the NSTC efforts for intergency collbortion, but does not mention other collbortion efforts such s the Federl Intergency Committee on Eduction nd the Federl Intergency Coordinting Council. NSF lso pointed out tht intergency collbortion occurs t the progrm level. We did not modify the report in response to this comment. In conducting our work, we determined tht the NSTC effort ws the primry mechnism for intergency collbortion focused on STEM progrms. The coordinting groups cited by NSF re focused on different issues. The Federl Intergency Committee on Eduction ws estblished to coordinte the federl progrms, policies, nd prctices ffecting eduction brodly, nd the Federl Intergency Coordinting Council ws estblished to minimize dupliction of progrms nd ctivities relting to children with disbilities. In ddition, NSF provided informtion to clrify exmples relted to their progrms tht we cited in the report, stted tht some dt ctegories were not cler, nd commented on the grdute level enrollment dt we used in the report. NSF pointed out tht while its progrm clled Opportunities for Enhncing Diversity in the Geosciences is designed to increse prticiption by minorities, it does not limit eligibility to minorities. Also, NSF noted tht while the drft report correctly indicted Pge 43 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

52 tht students receiving scholrships or fellowships from NSF must be U.S. citizens or permnent residents, the reson given for limiting prticiption in these progrms in the drft report ws not ccurte. According to NSF, these restrictions re considered to be n effective strtegy to support its gol of creting diverse, competitive nd globlly engged U.S. workforce of scientists, engineers, technologists nd well prepred citizens. We revised the report to reflect these chnges. Further, NSF commented tht the dt ctegories were not cler, prticulrly the technology degrees nd occuptions, nd tht the dt did not include ssocite degrees. We dded informtion tht lists ll of the occuptions included in the nlysis, nd we dded footnotes to clrify which dt included ssocite degrees nd which ones did not. In ddition, NSF commented tht the grdute level enrollment dt for interntionl students bsed on NPSAS dt re questionble in comprison with other vilble dt nd tht this my be becuse the NPSAS dt include reltively smll smple for grdute eduction. We considered using NPSAS nd other dt but decided to use the NPSAS dt for two resons: NPSAS dt were more comprehensive nd more current. Specificlly, the NPSAS dt were vilble through the cdemic yer nd included numbers nd chrcteristics of students enrolled for ll degree fields STEM nd non-stem for ll eduction levels, nd citizenship informtion. Copies of this report re being sent to the Secretries of Agriculture, Commerce, Eduction, Energy, Helth nd Humn Services, Interior, Homelnd Security, Lbor, nd Trnsporttion; the Administrtors for the Environmentl Protection Agency nd the Ntionl Aeronutics nd Spce Administrtion; nd the Directors of the Ntionl Science Foundtion nd the Ntionl Science nd Technology Council; pproprite congressionl committees; nd interested prties. Copies will be mde vilble to others upon request. The report is lso vilble on GAO s Web site t Pge 44 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

53 If you or your stff hve ny questions bout this report, plese contct me on (202) or Contct points for our Offices of Congressionl Reltions nd Public Affirs my be found on the lst pge of this report. GAO stff who mde mjor contributions to this report re listed in ppendix VII. Sincerely yours, Corneli M. Ashby, Director Eduction, Workforce, nd Income Security Issues Pge 45 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

54 Appendix I: nd Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, nd Methodology Methodology Objectives The objectives of our study were to determine (1) the number of federl civilin eduction progrms funded in fiscl yer 2004 tht were specificlly designed to increse the number of students nd grdutes pursuing science, technology, engineering, nd mthemtics (STEM) degrees nd occuptions, or improve eductionl progrms in STEM fields, nd wht gencies report bout their effectiveness; (2) how the numbers, percentges, nd chrcteristics of students, grdutes, nd employees in STEM fields hve chnged over the yers; nd (3) fctors cited by eductors nd others s influencing people s decisions bout pursuing STEM degrees nd occuptions, nd suggestions to encourge greter prticiption in STEM fields. Scope nd Methodology In conducting our review, we used multiple methodologies. We (1) conducted survey of federl deprtments nd gencies tht sponsored eduction progrms specificlly designed to increse the number of students nd grdutes pursuing STEM degrees nd occuptions or improve eductionl progrms in STEM fields; (2) obtined nd nlyzed dt, including the most recent dt vilble, on students, grdutes, nd employees in STEM fields nd occuptions; (3) visited eight colleges nd universities; (4) reviewed reports nd studies; nd (5) interviewed gency officils, representtives nd policy experts from vrious orgniztions, nd current students. We conducted our work between October 2004 nd October 2005 in ccordnce with generlly ccepted government uditing stndrds. Survey To provide Congress with better understnding of wht progrms federl gencies were supporting to increse the ntion s pool of scientists, technologists, engineers, nd mthemticins, we designed survey to determine (1) the number of federl eduction progrms (prekindergrten through postdoctorte) designed to increse the quntity of students nd grdutes pursuing STEM degrees nd occuptions or improve the eductionl progrms in STEM fields nd (2) wht gencies reported bout the effectiveness of these progrms. The survey sked the officils to describe the gols, trget popultion, nd funding levels for fiscl yers 2003, 2004, nd 2005 of such progrms. In ddition, the officils were sked when the progrms begn nd if the progrms hd been or were being evluted. We identified the gencies likely to support STEM eduction progrms by reviewing the Ctlog of Federl Domestic Assistnce nd the Deprtment of Eduction s Eisenhower Ntionl Cleringhouse, Guidebook of Federl Pge 46 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

55 Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, nd Methodology Resources for K-12 Mthemtics nd Science, Using these resources, we identified 15 gencies with STEM eduction progrms. The survey ws conducted vi e-mil using n ActiveX enbled MSWord ttchment. A contct point ws designted for ech gency, nd questionnires were sent to tht individul. One questionnire ws completed for ech progrm the gency sponsored. Agency officils were sked to provide confirming documenttion for their responses whenever possible. The questionnire ws forwrded to gencies on Februry 15, 2005, nd responses were received through erly My We received 244 completed surveys nd determined tht 207 of them met the criteri for STEM progrms. The following gencies prticipted in our survey: the Deprtments of Agriculture, Commerce, Eduction, Energy, Homelnd Security, Interior, Lbor, nd Trnsporttion. In ddition, the Helth Resources nd Services Administrtion, Indin Helth Service, nd Ntionl Institutes of Helth, ll prt of Helth nd Humn Services, took prt in the survey. Also prticipting were the U.S. Environmentl Protection Agency; the Ntionl Aeronutics nd Spce Administrtion; nd the Ntionl Science Foundtion. Lbor s progrms did not meet our criteri for 2004 nd the Deprtment of Defense (DOD) did not submit survey. According to DOD officils, DOD needed 3 months to complete the survey nd therefore could not provide responses within the time frmes of our work. We obtined vried mounts of documenttion from 13 civilin gencies for the 207 STEM eduction progrms funded in 2004 nd informtion bout the effectiveness of some progrms. Becuse we dministered the survey to ll of the known federl gencies sponsoring STEM eduction progrms, our results re not subject to smpling error. However, the prcticl difficulties of conducting ny survey my introduce other types of errors, commonly referred to s nonsmpling errors. For exmple, differences in how prticulr question is interpreted, the sources of informtion vilble to respondents in nswering question, or the types of people who do not respond cn introduce unwnted vribility into the survey results. We included steps in the development of the survey, the collection of dt, nd the editing nd nlysis of dt for the purpose of minimizing such nonsmpling errors. To reduce nonsmpling error, the questionnire ws reviewed by survey specilists nd pretested in person with three officils from gencies fmilir with STEM eduction progrms to develop questionnire tht ws relevnt, esy to comprehend, unmbiguous, nd unbised. We mde chnges to the content nd formt of the questionnire bsed on the specilists reviews nd the results of the pretests. To further Pge 47 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

56 Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, nd Methodology reduce nonsmpling error, dt for this study returned electroniclly were entered directly into the instrument by the respondents nd converted into dtbse for nlysis. Completed questionnires returned s hrd copy were keypunched, nd smple of these records ws verified by compring them with their corresponding questionnires, nd ny errors were corrected. When the dt were nlyzed, second, independent nlyst checked ll computer progrms. Finlly, to ssess the relibility of key dt obtined from our survey bout some of the progrms, we compred the responses with the documenttion provided, or we independently reserched the informtion from other publicly vilble sources. Anlyses of Student, Grdute, nd Employee Dt To determine how the numbers nd chrcteristics of students, grdutes, nd employees in STEM fields hve chnged, we obtined nd nlyzed dt from the Deprtment of Eduction (Eduction) nd the Deprtment of Lbor. Specificlly, we nlyzed the Ntionl Postsecondry Student Aid Study (NPSAS) dt nd the Integrted Postsecondry Eduction Dt System (IPEDS) dt from the Deprtment of Eduction s Ntionl Center for Eduction Sttistics (NCES), nd we nlyzed dt from the Deprtment of Lbor s Bureu of Lbor Sttistics (BLS) Current Popultion Survey (CPS). Bsed on Ntionl Science Foundtion s ctegoriztion of STEM fields, we developed STEM fields of study from NPSAS nd IPEDS, nd identified occuptions from the CPS. Using these dt sources, we developed nine STEM fields for students, eight STEM fields for grdutes, nd four brod STEM fields for occuptions. For our dt relibility ssessment, we reviewed gency documenttion on the dt sets nd conducted electronic tests of the files. On the bsis of these reviews, we determined tht the required dt elements from NPSAS, IPEDS nd CPS were sufficiently relible for our purposes. These dt sources, type, time spn, nd yers nlyzed re shown in tble 18. Tble 18: Sources of Dt, Dt Obtined, Time Spn of Dt, nd Yers Anlyzed Deprtment Agency Dtbse Dt obtined Time spn of dt Yers nlyzed Eduction NCES NPSAS College student enrollment 9 yers Acdemic yers nd Eduction NCES IPEDS Grdution/degrees 9 yers Acdemic yers nd Lbor BLS CPS Employment 10 yers Clendr yers 1994 through 2003 Sources: NPSAS, IPEDS, nd CPS dt. Pge 48 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

57 Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, nd Methodology NPSAS is comprehensive ntionwide study designed to determine how students nd their fmilies py for postsecondry eduction, nd to describe some demogrphic nd other chrcteristics of those enrolled. The study is bsed on ntionlly representtive smple of students in postsecondry eduction institutions, including undergrdute, grdute, nd first-professionl students. The NPSAS hs been conducted every severl yers since the cdemic yer. For this report, we nlyzed the results of the NPSAS survey for the cdemic yer nd the cdemic yer to compre student enrollment nd demogrphic chrcteristics between these two periods for the nine STEM fields nd non-stem fields. Becuse the NPSAS smple is probbility smple of students, the smple is only one of lrge number of smples tht might hve been drwn. Since ech smple could hve provided different estimtes, confidence in the precision of the prticulr smple s results is expressed s 95-percent confidence intervl (for exmple, plus or minus 4 percentge points). This is the intervl tht would contin the ctul popultion vlue for 95 percent of the smples tht could hve been drwn. As result, we re 95 percent confident tht ech of the confidence intervls in this report will include the true vlues in the study popultion. NPSAS estimtes used in this report nd the upper nd lower bounds of the 95 percent confidence intervls for ech estimte relied on in this report re presented in ppendix V. IPEDS is single, comprehensive system designed to encompss ll institutions nd eductionl orgniztions whose primry purpose is to provide postsecondry eduction. IPEDS is built round series of interrelted surveys to collect institution-level dt in such res s enrollments, progrm completions, fculty, stff, nd finnces. For this report, we nlyzed the results of IPEDS dt for the cdemic yer nd the cdemic yer to compre the numbers nd chrcteristics of grdutes with degrees in eight STEM fields nd non- STEM fields. To nlyze chnges in employees in STEM nd non-stem fields, we obtined employment estimtes from BLS s Current Popultion Survey Mrch supplement for 1995 through 2004 (clendr yers 1994 through 2003). The CPS is monthly survey of households conducted by the U.S. Census Bureu (Census) for BLS. The CPS provides comprehensive body of informtion on the employment nd unemployment experience of the ntion s popultion, clssified by ge, sex, rce, nd vriety of other chrcteristics. A more complete description of the survey, including Pge 49 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

58 Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, nd Methodology smple design, estimtion, nd other methodology cn be found in the CPS documenttion prepred by Census nd BLS. 1 This Mrch supplement (the Annul Demogrphic Supplement) is specificlly designed to estimte fmily chrcteristics, including income from ll sources nd occuption nd industry clssifiction of the job held longest during the previous yer. It is conducted during the month of Mrch ech yer becuse it is believed tht since Mrch is the month before the dedline for filing federl income tx returns, respondents would be more likely to report income more ccurtely thn t ny other point during the yer. 2 We used the CPS dt to produce estimtes on (1) four STEM fields, (2) men nd women, (3) two seprte minority groups (Blck or Africn Americn, nd Hispnic or Ltino origin), nd (4) medin nnul wges nd slries. The mesures of medin nnul wges nd slries could include bonuses, but do not include noncsh benefits such s helth insurnce or pensions. CPS slry reported in Mrch of ech yer ws for the longest held position ctully worked the yer before nd reported by the worker himself (or knowledgeble member of the household). Tbles 19 nd 20 list the clssifiction codes nd occuptions included in our nlysis of CPS dt over 10-yer period ( ). In developing the STEM groups, we considered the occuptionl requirements nd eductionl ttinment of individuls in certin occuptions. We lso excluded doctors nd other helth cre providers except registered nurses. During the period of review, some codes nd occuption titles were chnged; we worked with BLS officils to identify vritions in codes nd occuptions nd ccounted for these chnges where pproprite nd possible. 1 See Technicl Pper 63RV:Current Popultion Survey Design nd Methodology, issued Mr Electronic version vilble t 2 See Technicl Pper 63RV, pge Pge 50 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

59 Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, nd Methodology Tble 19: Clssifiction codes nd Occuptions, Science Technology Engineering 1600 Agriculturl nd food scientists Mthemtics/Computer Science 1540 Drfters 1300 Architects, except nvl 1000 Computer scientists nd systems nlysts 1610 Biologicl scientists 1550 Engineering technicins, except drfters 1640 Conservtion scientists nd foresters 1560 Surveying nd mpping technicins 1650 Medicl scientists 1900 Agriculturl nd food science technicins 1700 Astronomers nd physicists 1710 Atmospheric nd spce scientists 1720 Chemists nd mterils scientists 1740 Environmentl scientists nd geoscientists 1760 Physicl scientists, ll other 1310 Surveyors, crtogrphers, nd photogrmmetrists 1010 Computer progrmmers 1320 Aerospce engineers 1020 Computer softwre engineers 1330 Agriculturl engineers 1040 Computer support specilists 1910 Biologicl technicins 1340 Biomedicl engineers 1060 Dtbse dministrtors 1920 Chemicl technicins 1350 Chemicl engineers 1100 Network nd computer systems dministrtors 1930 Geologicl nd petroleum technicins 1940 Nucler technicins 1400 Computer hrdwre engineers 1960 Other life, physicl, nd socil science technicins 1800 Economists 3300 Clinicl lbortory technologists nd technicins 1810 Mrket nd survey reserchers 7010 Computer, utomted teller nd office mchine repirers 1820 Psychologists 8760 Medicl, dentl, nd ophthlmic lbortory technicins 1360 Civil engineers 1110 Network systems nd dt communictions nlysts 1410 Electricl nd electronic engineers 1200 Acturies 1210 Mthemticins 1420 Environmentl engineers 1220 Opertions reserch nlysts 1430 Industril engineers, including helth nd sfety 1440 Mrine engineers nd nvl rchitects 1830 Sociologists 1450 Mterils engineers 1840 Urbn nd regionl 1460 Mechnicl engineers plnners 1860 Miscellneous socil scientists nd relted workers 1500 Mining nd geologicl engineers, including mining sfety engineers 2010 Socil workers 1510 Nucler engineers 3130 Registered nurses 1520 Petroleum engineers 6010 Agriculturl inspectors 1530 Engineers, ll other Source: GAO nlysis of CPS occuption clssifictions Sttisticins 1240 Miscellneous mthemticl science occuptions Pge 51 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

60 Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, nd Methodology Tble 20: Clssifiction codes nd occuptions, Science Technology Engineering 069 Physicists nd stronomers 073 Chemists, except biochemists 074 Atmospheric nd spce scientists 075 Geologists nd geodesists 076 Physicl scientists, n.e.c. 077 Agriculturl nd food scientists 078 Biologicl nd life scientists 079 Forestry nd conservtion scientists 203 Clinicl lbortory technologists nd technicins 213 Electricl nd electronic technicins 214 Industril engineering technicins 215 Mechnicl engineering technicins 216 Engineering technicins, n.e.c. Mthemtics/Computer Science 043 Architects 064 Computer systems nlysts nd scientists 044 Aerospce engineers 065 Opertions nd systems reserchers nd nlysts 045 Metllurgicl nd mterils engineers 066 Acturies 046 Mining engineers 067 Sttisticins 047 Petroleum engineers 068 Mthemticl scientists, n.e.c. 217 Drfting occuptions 048 Chemicl engineers 229 Computer progrmmers 218 Surveying nd mpping technicins 049 Nucler engineers 223 Biologicl technicins 053 Civil engineers 083 Medicl scientists 224 Chemicl technicins 054 Agriculturl engineers 095 Registered Nurses 225 Science technicins, n.e.c. 055 Electricl nd electronic engineers 166 Economists 235 Technicins, n.e.c. 056 Industril engineers 167 Psychologists 525 Dt processing equipment repirers 057 Mechnicl engineers 168 Sociologists 058 Mrine nd nvl rchitects 169 Socil scientists, n.e.c. 059 Engineers, n.e.c. 173 Urbn plnners 063 Surveyors nd mpping scientists 174 Socil workers 489 Inspectors, griculturl products Source: GAO nlysis of CPS occuption clssifictions. Note: For occuptions not elsewhere clssified (n.e.c.). Becuse the CPS is probbility smple bsed on rndom selections, the smple is only one of lrge number of smples tht might hve been drwn. Since ech smple could hve provided different estimtes, confidence in the precision of the prticulr smple s results is expressed s 95 percent confidence intervl (e.g., plus or minus 4 percentge points). This is the intervl tht would contin the ctul popultion vlue Pge 52 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

61 Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, nd Methodology for 95 percent of the smples tht could hve been drwn. As result, we re 95 percent confident tht ech of the confidence intervls in this report will include the true vlues in the study popultion. We use the CPS generl vrince methodology to estimte this smpling error nd report it s confidence intervls. Percentge estimtes we produce from the CPS dt hve 95 percent confidence intervls of plus or minus 6 percentge points or less. Estimtes other thn percentges hve 95 percent confidence intervls of no more thn plus or minus 10 percent of the estimte itself, unless otherwise noted. Consistent with the CPS documenttion guidelines, we do not produce estimtes bsed on the Mrch supplement dt for popultions of less thn 75,000. GAO s internl control procedures provide resonble ssurnce tht our dt nlyses re pproprite for the purposes we re using them. These procedures include, but re not limited to, hving skilled stff perform the nlyses, supervisory review by senior nlysts, nd indexing/referencing (confirming tht the nlyses re supported by the underlying udit documenttion) ctivities. College nd University Visits We interviewed dministrtors nd professors during site visits to eight colleges nd universities the University of Cliforni t Los Angeles nd the University of Southern Cliforni in Cliforni; Clrk Atlnt University, Georgi Institute of Technology, nd Spelmn College in Georgi; the University of Illinois; Purdue University in Indin; nd Pennsylvni Stte University. These colleges nd universities were selected bsed on the following fctors: lrge numbers of domestic nd interntionl students in STEM fields, mix of public nd privte institutions, number of doctorl degrees conferred, nd some geogrphic diversity. We lso selected three minority-serving colleges nd universities, one of which serves only women students. Clrk Atlnt University nd Spelmn College were selected, in prt, becuse of their prtnerships with the College of Engineering t the Georgi Institute of Technology. During these visits we sked the university officils bout fctors tht influenced whether people pursue STEM eduction or occuptions nd suggestions for ddressing those fctors tht my influence prticiption. For exmple, we sked university officils to identify (1) issues relted to the eduction pipeline; (2) steps tken by their university to llevite some of the conditions tht my discourge student prticiption in STEM res; nd (3) the federl role, if ny, in ttrcting nd retining domestic students in STEM fields. We lso obtined documents on progrms they sponsored to help support STEM students nd grdutes. Pge 53 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

62 Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, nd Methodology Reviews of Reports nd Studies We reviewed severl rticles, reports, nd books relted to trends in STEM enrollment nd fctors tht hve n effect on people s decisions to pursue STEM fields. For two studies, we evluted the methodologicl soundness using common socil science nd sttisticl prctices. We exmined ech study s methodology, including its limittions, dt sources, nlyses, nd conclusions. Tlking bout Leving: Why Undergrdutes Leve the Sciences, by Eline Seymour nd Nncy Hewitt. 3 This study used interviews nd focus groups/group interviews t selected universities to identify selfreported resons for chnging mjors from science, mthemtics, or engineering. The study hd four primry objectives: (1) to identify sources of qulittive differences in eductionl experiences of science, mthemtics, nd engineering students t higher eductionl institutions of different types; (2) to identify differences in structure, culture, nd pedgogy of science, mthemtics, nd engineering deprtments nd the impct on student retention; (3) to compre nd contrst cuses of science, mthemtics, nd engineering students ttrition by rce/ethnicity nd gender; nd (4) to estimte the reltive importnce of fctors found to contribute to science, mthemtics, nd engineering students ttrition. The reserchers selected seven universities to represent the types of colleges nd universities tht supply most of the ntions scientists, mthemticins, nd engineers. The types of institutions were selected to test whether there re differences in eductionl experiences, culture nd pedgogy, rce/ethnicity nd gender ttrition, nd resons for ttrition by type of institution. Becuse the selection of students ws not strictly rndom nd becuse there is no documenttion tht the dt were weighted to reflect the proportions of types of students selected, it is not possible to determine confidence intervls. Thus it is not possible to sy which differences re sttisticlly significnt. The findings re now more thn decde old nd thus might not reflect current pedgogy nd other fctors bout the eductionl experience, students, or the socioeconomic environment. It is importnt to note tht the quntittive results of this study re bsed on the views of one constituency or stkeholder students. Views of fculty, school dministrtors, grdutes, professionl ssocitions, nd employers re not included. 3 Seymour, Eline, nd Nncy M. Hewitt, Tlking bout Leving: Why Undergrdutes Leve the Sciences, Westview Press, 1997, Boulder, Colordo. Pge 54 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

63 Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, nd Methodology NCES s Qulifictions of the Public School Techer Workforce: Prevlence of Out-of-Field Teching, to report. This study is n nlysis bsed upon the Schools nd Stffing Survey for The report ws issued in 2004 by the Institute of Eduction Sciences, U.S. Deprtment of Eduction. NCES s Schools nd Stffing Survey (SASS) is representtive smple of U.S. schools, districts, principls, nd techers. The report focusing on techer s qulifictions uses dt from the district nd techer portion of SASS. The SASS included ntionlly representtive smple of public schools nd universe of ll public chrter schools with students in ny of grdes 1 through 12 nd in opertion in school yer The SASS dministrtion lso included ntionlly representtive smples of techers in the selected public nd public chrter schools who tught students in grdes kindergrten through 12 in school yer There were 51,811 public school techers in the smple nd 42,086 completed public school techer interviews. In ddition, there re 3,617 public chrter school techers in the smple with 2,847 completed interviews. The overll weighted techer response rte ws 76.7 percent for public school techers nd 71.8 percent for public chrter school techers. NCES hs strong stndrds for crrying out eductionl surveys. The Office of Mngement nd Budget vetted the questionnire nd smple design. The Census Bureu crried out survey qulity control nd dt editing. One potentil limittion is the mount of time it tkes the Census Bureu to get the dt from field collection to public relese, but this is prtly due to the thoroughness of the dt qulity steps followed. The SASS survey meets GAO stndrds for use s evidence in report. Interviews We interviewed officils from 13 federl gencies with STEM eduction progrms to obtin informtion bout the STEM progrms nd their views on relted topics, including fctors tht influence students decisions bout pursuing STEM degrees nd occuptions, nd the extent of coordintion mong the federl gencies. We lso interviewed officils from the Ntionl Science nd Technology Council to discuss coordintion efforts. In ddition, we interviewed representtives nd policy experts from vrious orgniztions. These orgniztions were the Americn Assocition for the Advncement of Science, the Commission on Professionls in Science nd Technology, the Council of Grdute Schools, NAFSA: Assocition of Interntionl Eductors, the Ntionl Acdemies, nd the Council on Competitiveness. We lso conducted interviews vi e-mil with 31 students. We sked officils from the eight universities visited to identify students to complete Pge 55 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

64 Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, nd Methodology our e-mil interviews, nd students who completed the interviews ttended five of the colleges we visited. Of the 31 students: 16 ttended Purdue University, 6 ttended the University of Southern Cliforni, 6 ttended Spelmn College, 2 ttended the University of Cliforni Los Angeles, nd 1 ttended the Georgi Institute of Technology. In ddition, 19 students were undergrdutes nd 12 were grdute students; 19 students identified themselves s women nd 12 students identified themselves s men. Of the 19 undergrdute students, 9 sid tht they pln to pursue grdute work in STEM field. Pge 56 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

65 Appendix II: List of STEM Appendix II: List of 207 Federl STEM Eduction Progrms Eduction Progrms Bsed on surveys submitted by officils representing the 13 civilin federl gencies, tble 21 contins list of the 207 science, technology, engineering, nd mthemtics (STEM) eduction progrms funded in fiscl yer Tble 21: Federl STEM Eduction Progrms Funded in FY 2004 Progrm number Deprtment of Agriculture Progrm nme Fiscl yer 04 funding Institution Teching nd Reserch Cpcity Building Grnts Progrm $11.4 million 2. Higher Eduction Chllenge Grnts Progrm $4.6 million 3. Hispnic-Serving Institutions Eduction Grnts Progrm $4.6 million 4. Alsk Ntive-Serving nd Ntive Hwiin-Serving Institutions Eduction Grnts Progrm 5. Food nd Agriculturl Sciences Ntionl Needs Grdute nd Postdoctorl Fellowships Grnts Progrm $3 million $2.9 million 6. Tribl Colleges Endowment Progrm $1.9 million 7. Tribl Colleges Eduction Equity Grnts Progrm $1.7 million 8. Tribl Colleges Reserch Grnt Progrm $1.1 million 9. Higher Eduction Multiculturl Scholrs Progrm $986, Interntionl Science nd Eduction Competitive Grnts Progrm $859, Secondry nd Two-Yer Postsecondry Agriculturl Eduction Chllenge Grnts Progrm $839, Agriculture in the Clssroom $623, Creer Intern Progrm $272, Veterinry Medicl Doctorl Progrm $140, Ntionl Scholrs Progrm $16, Hispnic Scholrs Progrm $4,000 Deprtment of Commerce 17. Eductionl Prtnership Progrm with Minority Serving Institutions $7.4 million 18. Ntionl Mrine Sncturies Eduction Progrm $4.4 million 19. Ntionl Se Grnt College Progrm $4 million 20. Chespeke By Wtershed Eduction nd Trining Progrm $2.5 million 21. Corl Reef Conservtion Progrm $1.8 million 22. Explortion, Eduction nd Outrech $1.3 million 23. Ntionl Esturine Reserch Reserve Grdute Reserch Fellowship Progrm $1 million 24. By Wtershed Eduction nd Trining Hwii Progrm $500, Monterey By Wtershed Eduction nd Trining Progrm $500, Dr. Nncy Foster Scholrship Progrm $494,000 Pge 57 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

66 Appendix II: List of 207 Federl STEM Eduction Progrms Fiscl yer Progrm number Progrm nme 04 funding 27. EsturyLive $115, Techer t Se Progrm $95, High School-High Tech $11,000 Deprtment of Eduction 30. Mthemtics nd Science Prtnerships Progrm $149 million 31. Upwrd Bound Mth nd Science Progrm $32.8 million 32. Grdute Assistnce in Ares of Ntionl Need $30.6 million 33. Minority Science nd Engineering Improvement Progrm $8.9 million Deprtment of Energy 34. Science Undergrdute Lbortory Internship $2.5 million 35. Computtionl Science Grdute Fellowship $2 million 36. Globl Chnge Eduction Progrm $1.4 million 37. Lbortory Science Techer Professionl Development $1 million 38. Ntionl Science Bowl $702, Community College Institute of Science nd Technology $605, Albert Einstein Distinguished Eductor Fellowship $600, QurkNet $575, Fusion Energy Sciences Fellowship Progrm $555, Pre-Service Techer Fellowships $510, Ntionl Undergrdute Fellowship Progrm in Plsm Physics nd Fusion Energy Sciences $300, Fusion Energy Postdoctorl Reserch Progrm $243, Fculty nd Student Tems $215, Advncing Precollege Science nd Mthemtics Eduction $209, Pn Americn Advnced Studies Institute $200, Trenton Community Prtnership $200, Fusion/Plsm Eduction $125, Ntionl Middle School Science Bowl $100, Reserch Project on the Recruitment, Retention, nd Promotion of Women in the Chemicl Sciences $100, Used Energy Relted Lbortory Equipment $80, Plsm Physics Summer Institute for High School Physics Techers $78, Pre-Service Techer Progrm $45, Wonders of Physics Trveling Show $45, Hmpton University Grdute Studies $40, Contemporry Physics Eduction Project $23,000 Pge 58 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

67 Appendix II: List of 207 Federl STEM Eduction Progrms Progrm number Progrm nme Fiscl yer 04 funding 59. Coopertive Eduction Progrm $17,000 Environmentl Protection Agency 60. Science to Achieve Results Reserch Grnts Progrm $93.3 million 61. Science to Achieve Results Grdute Fellowship Progrm $10 million 62. Post-Doctorl Fellows Environmentl Reserch Growth Opportunities $7.4 million 63. Intern Progrm $3 million 64. Environmentl Science nd Engineering Fellows Progrm $2.5 million 65. Greter Reserch Opportunities Grdute Fellowship Progrm $1.5 million 66. Environmentl Risk & Impct in Communities of Color nd Economiclly Disdvntged Communities $824, Reserch Internship for Students in Ecology $698, Ntionl Network for Environmentl Mngement Studies Fellowship Progrm $589, Coopertive Agreements for Trining Coopertive Prtnerships $352, University of Cincinnti/EPA Reserch Trining Grnt $300, P3 Awrd: Ntionl Student Design Competition for Sustinbility $150, Environmentl Protection Agency nd the Hispnic Assocition of Colleges nd Universities Coopertive Agreement $121, Environmentl Science Progrm $100, Environmentl Creer Orgniztion s Internship Progrm $89, EPA Cincinnti Reserch Apprenticeship Progrm $75, Environmentl Protection Internship Progrm Summer Trining Inititive $72, Tribl Lnds Environmentl Science Scholrship Progrm $60, Internship Progrm for University of Arizon Engineering Students $50, Techer Professionl Development Workshop for Techers Grde 6-12 $18, Sturdy Acdemy, Apprenticeships in Science nd Engineering Progrm $6,000 Deprtment of Helth nd Humn Services/Helth Resources nd Services Administrtion 81. Scholrships for Disdvntged Students Progrm $45.5 million 82. Nursing Workforce Diversity $16 million 83. Fculty Lon Repyment Progrm $1.1 million Deprtment of Helth nd Humn Services/Indin Helth Service 84. Indin Helth Professions Scholrship $8.1 million 85. Helth Professions Scholrship Progrm for Indins $3.7 million Deprtment of Helth nd Humn Services/Ntionl Institutes of Helth 86. Ruth L. Kirschstein Ntionl Reserch Service Awrd Institutionl Reserch Trining Grnts 87. Ruth L. Kirschstein Ntionl Reserch Service Awrds for Individul Postdoctorl Fellows $546.9 million $72.6 million 88. Reserch Supplements to Promote Diversity in Helth-Relted Reserch $70 million Pge 59 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

68 Appendix II: List of 207 Federl STEM Eduction Progrms Progrm number Progrm nme Fiscl yer 04 funding 89. Postdoctorl Visiting Fellow Progrm $64.8 million 90. Clinicl Reserch Lon Repyment Progrm $40.6 million 91. Ruth L. Kirschstein Ntionl Reserch Service Awrds for Individul Predoctorl Fellows, Predoctorl Minority Students, nd Predoctorl Students with Disbilities $33.8 million 92. Minority Access to Reserch Creers Progrm $30.7 million 93. Postdoctorl Intrmurl Reserch Trining Awrd Progrm $30.2 million 94. Science Eduction Prtnership Awrd $16 million 95. Peditric Reserch Lon Repyment Progrm $15.9 million 96. Post-bcclurete Intrmurl Reserch Trining Awrd Progrm $9.1 million 97. Ruth L. Kirschstein Ntionl Reserch Service Awrd Short-Term Institutionl Reserch Trining Grnts $9 million 98. Helth Disprities Reserch Lon Repyment Progrm $8.7 million 99. Grdute Progrm Prtnerships $7.4 million 100. Student Intrmurl Reserch Trining Awrd Progrm $6.3 million 101. Creer Opportunities in Reserch Eduction nd Trining Honors Undergrdute Reserch Trining Grnt $5 million 102. Generl Reserch Lon Repyment Progrm $4.9 million 103. Ruth L. Kirschstein Ntionl Reserch Service Awrds for Individul M.D./Ph.D. Predoctorl Fellows $4.7 million 104. Science Eduction Drug Abuse Prtnership Awrd $3.1 million 105. Phrmcology Reserch Associte Trining Progrm $2.7 million 106. Technicl Intrmurl Reserch Trining Awrd $1.9 million 107. Fellowships in Cncer Epidemiology nd Genetics $1.8 million 108. Clinicl Reserch Lon Repyment Progrm for Individuls from Disdvntged Bckgrounds $1.7 million 109. Contrception nd Infertility Reserch Lon Repyment Progrm $1 million 110. Medicl Infomtics Trining Progrm $853, Undergrdute Scholrship Progrm for Individuls from Disdvntged Bckgrounds $838, Curriculum Supplement Series $788, Ntionl Science Foundtion nd the Ntionl Institute of Biomedicl Imging nd Bioengineering $782, Summer Institute for Trining in Biosttistics $694, Summer Institute on Design nd Conduct of Rndomized Clinicl Trils Involving Behviorl Interventions 116. Clinicl Reserch Lon Repyment Progrm for Individuls from Disdvntged Bckground $622,000 $551, Clinicl Reserch Trining Progrm $407, NIH Acdemy $385, Helth Communictions Internship Progrm $340,000 Pge 60 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

69 Appendix II: List of 207 Federl STEM Eduction Progrms Progrm number Progrm nme Fiscl yer 04 funding 120. NIH/Ntionl Institute of Stndrds nd Technology Joint Postdoctorl Progrm $338, Summer Genetics Institute $323, AIDS Reserch Lon Repyment Progrm $271, Intrmurl NIAID Reserch Opportunities $271, Cncer Reserch Interns in Residence $250, Comprtive Moleculr Pthology Reserch Trining Progrm $199, Office of Reserch on Women s Helth-funded Progrms with the Office of Intrmurl Reserch $179, Summer Institute for Socil Work Reserch $144, Office of Reserch on Women s Helth-funded Progrms with the Office of Intrmurl Trining nd Eduction 129. CCR/JHU Mster of Science in Biotechnology Concentrtion in Moleculr Trgets nd Drug Discovery Technologies $119,000 $111, Introduction to Cncer Reserch Creers $96, Fellows Awrd for Reserch Excellence Progrm $61, Office of Reserch on Women s Helth-funded Progrms Supplements to Promote Reentry into Biomedicl nd Behviorl Reserch Creers $60, Trnsltionl Reserch in Clinicl Oncology $28, Ntionl Institute of Environmentl Helth Sciences Office of Fellows Creer Development 135. Mobilizing for Action to Address the Unequl Burden of Cncer: NIH Reserch nd Trining Opportunities $20,000 $10, Sllie Rosen Kpln Fellowship for Women in Cncer Reserch $5,000 Deprtment of Homelnd Security 137. Scholrs nd Fellows Progrm $4.7 million Deprtment of the Interior 138. Coopertive Reserch Units Progrm $15.3 million 139. Wter Resources Reserch Act Progrm $6.4 million 140. U.S. Geologicl Survey Mendenhll Postdoctorl Reserch Fellowship Progrm $3.5 million 141. Student Eductionl Employment Progrm $1.8 million 142. EDMAP Component of the Ntionl Coopertive Geologic Mpping Progrm $490, Student Creer Experience Progrm $177, Coopertive Development Energy Progrm $60, Diversity Employment Progrm $30, Coopertive Agreement with Lngston University $15, Mthemtics, Science, nd Engineering Acdemy $15, Shorebird Sister Schools Progrm $15, Build Bridge Contest $14,000 Pge 61 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

70 Appendix II: List of 207 Federl STEM Eduction Progrms Progrm number Progrm nme Fiscl yer 04 funding 150. VIVA Technology $8,000 Ntionl Aeronutics nd Spce Administrtion 151. Minority University Reserch Eduction Progrm $106.6 million 152. Higher Eduction $77.4 million 153. Elementry nd Secondry Eduction $31.3 million 154. E-Eduction $9.7 million 155. Informl Eduction $5.5 million Ntionl Science Foundtion 156. Mth nd Science Prtnership Progrm $138.7 million 157. Grdute Reserch Fellowship Progrm $96 million 158. Integrtive Grdute Eduction nd Reserch Trineeship Progrm $67.7 million 159. Techer Professionl Continuum $61.5 million 160. Reserch Experiences for Undergrdutes $51.7 million 161. Grdute Teching Fellows in K-12 Eduction $49.8 million 162. Advnced Technologicl Eduction $45.9 million 163. Course, Curriculum, nd Lbortory Improvement $40.7 million 164. Reserch on Lerning nd Eduction $39.4 million 165. Computer Science, Engineering, nd Mthemtics Scholrships $33.9 million 166. Louis Stokes Allinces for Minority Prticiption $33.3 million 167. Centers for Lerning nd Teching $30.8 million 168. Instructionl Mterils Development $29.3 million 169. Science, Technology, Engineering, nd Mthemtics Tlent Expnsion Progrm $25 million 170. Historiclly Blck Colleges nd Universities Undergrdute Progrm $23.8 million 171. Intergency Eduction Reserch Inititive $23.6 million 172. Informtion Technology Experiences for Students nd Techers $20.9 million 173. Enhncing the Mthemticl Sciences Workforce in the 21st Century $20.6 million 174. Centers of Reserch Excellence in Science nd Technology $19.8 million 175. ADVANCE: Incresing the Prticiption nd Advncement of Women in Acdemic Science nd Engineering Creers $19.4 million 176. Federl Cyber Service: Scholrship for Service $15.8 million 177. Allinces for Grdute Eduction nd the Professorite $15.3 million 178. Reserch on Gender in Science nd Engineering $10 million 179. Tribl Colleges nd Universities Progrm $10 million 180. Model Institutions for Excellence $9.7 million 181. Grnts for the Deprtment-Level Reform of Undergrdute Engineering Eduction $8.2 million 182. Robert Noyce Scholrship Progrm $8 million 183. Reserch Experiences for Techers $5.8 million Pge 62 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

71 Appendix II: List of 207 Federl STEM Eduction Progrms Progrm number Progrm nme Fiscl yer 04 funding 184. Nnoscle Science nd Engineering Eduction $4.8 million 185. Reserch in Disbilities Eduction $4.6 million 186. Opportunities for Enhncing Diversity in the Geosciences $4 million 187. Mthemticl Sciences Postdoctorl Reserch Fellowships $3.7 million 188. Minority Postdoctorl Reserch Fellowships nd Supporting Activities $3.2 million 189. Prtnerships for Reserch nd Eduction in Mterils $3 million 190. Undergrdute Reserch Centers $3 million 191. Centers for Ocen Science Eduction Excellence $2.8 million 192. Undergrdute Mentoring in Environmentl Biology $2.2 million 193. Director s Awrd for Distinguished Teching Scholrs $1.8 million 194. Astronomy nd Astrophysics Postdoctorl Fellowship Progrm $1.6 million 195. Geoscience Eduction $1.5 million 196. Internships in Public Science Eduction $1.2 million 197. Discovery Corps Fellowship Progrm $1.1 million 198. Est Asi & Pcific Summer Institutes for U.S. Grdute Students $1 million 199. Pn-Americn Advnced Studies Institutes $800, Distinguished Interntionl Postdoctorl Reserch Fellowships $788, Postdoctorl Fellowships in Polr Regions Reserch $667, Arctic Reserch nd Eduction $300, Developing Globl Scientists nd Engineers $172,000 Deprtment of Trnsporttion 204. University Trnsporttion Centers Progrm $32.5 million 205. Dwight Dvid Eisenhower Trnsporttion Fellowship Progrm $2 million 206. Summer Trnsporttion Institute $2 million 207. Summer Trnsporttion Internship Progrm for Diverse Groups $925,000 Source: GAO survey responses from 13 federl gencies. Pge 63 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

72 Appendix III: Federl Eduction Appendix III: Federl STEM Eduction Progrms Funded t $10 Million or More Progrms Funded t $10 Million or More The federl civilin gencies reported tht the following science, technology, engineering, nd mthemtics (STEM) eduction progrms were funded with t lest $10 million in either fiscl yer 2004 or However, progrms tht received $10 million or more in fiscl yer 2004 but were unfunded for fiscl yer 2005 were excluded from tble 22. Agency officils lso provided the progrm descriptions in tble 22. Tble 22: Federl STEM Eduction Progrms Funded t $10 Million or More during Fiscl Yer 2004 or Fiscl Yer 2005 Funding (in millions of dollrs) Progrm Description First yer Deprtment of Agriculture 1890 Institution Teching nd Reserch Cpcity Building Grnts Progrm Deprtment of Eduction Mthemtics nd Science Prtnerships Progrm Upwrd Bound Mth nd Science Progrm Grdute Assistnce in Ares of Ntionl Need Environmentl Protection Agency Science to Achieve Results Reserch Grnts Progrm Science to Achieve Results Grdute Fellowship Progrm Is intended to strengthen teching nd reserch progrms in the food nd griculturl sciences by building the institutionl cpcities of the 1890 Lnd-Grnt Institutions nd Tuskegee University nd West Virgini Stte University through coopertive linkges with federl nd nonfederl entities. The progrm supports projects tht strengthen teching progrms in the food nd griculturl sciences in the trgeted eductionl need res of curriculum design nd mterils development, fculty preprtion nd enhncement of teching, student experientil lerning, nd student recruitment nd retention. Is intended to increse the cdemic chievement of students in mthemtics nd science by enhncing the content knowledge nd teching skills of clssroom techers. Prtnerships re between high-need school districts nd the science, technology, engineering, nd mthemtics fculties of institutions of higher eduction. Designed to prepre low-income, first-genertion college students for postsecondry eduction progrms tht led to creers in the fields of mth nd science. Provides fellowships in cdemic res of ntionl need to ssist grdute students with excellent cdemic records who demonstrte finncil need nd pln to pursue the highest degree vilble in their courses of study. Funds reserch grnts in numerous environmentl science nd engineering disciplines. The progrm engges the ntion s best scientists nd engineers in trgeted reserch. The grnt progrm is currently focused on the helth effects of prticulte mtter, drinking wter, wter qulity, globl chnge, ecosystem ssessment nd restortion, humn helth risk ssessment, endocrine disrupting chemicls, pollution prevention nd new technologies, children s helth, nd socio-economic reserch. The purpose of this fellowship progrm is to encourge promising students to obtin dvnced degrees nd pursue creers in environmentlly relted fields $11.4 $ $149 $ $32.8 $ $30.6 $ $93.3 $ $10 $10 Pge 64 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

73 Appendix III: Federl STEM Eduction Progrms Funded t $10 Million or More Funding (in millions of dollrs) Progrm Description First yer Deprtment of Helth nd Humn Services/Helth Resources nd Services Administrtion Scholrships for Disdvntged Students Progrm Nursing Workforce Diversity Funds re wrded to ccredited schools of llopthic medicine, osteopthic medicine, dentistry, optometry, phrmcy, poditric medicine, veterinry medicine, nursing, public helth, chiroprctic, or llied helth, nd schools offering grdute progrms in behviorl nd mentl helth prctice. Priority is given to schools bsed on the proportion of grduting students going into primry cre, the proportion of underrepresented minority students enrolled, nd grdutes working in mediclly underserved communities. Schools select qulified students nd provide scholrships tht cnnot exceed tuition nd resonble eductionl nd living expenses. To increse nursing eduction opportunities for individuls who re from disdvntged bckgrounds (including rcil nd ethnic minorities underrepresented mong registered nurses) by providing student stipends, pre-entry preprtion, nd retention ctivities. Deprtment of Helth nd Humn Services/Ntionl Institutes of Helth Ruth L. Kirschstein Ntionl Reserch Service Awrd Institutionl Reserch Trining Grnts Ruth L. Kirschstein Ntionl Reserch Service Awrds for Individul Postdoctorl Fellows Reserch Supplements to Promote Diversity in Helth- Relted Reserch Postdoctorl Visiting Fellow Progrm Is designed to develop nd enhnce reserch trining opportunities for individuls in biomedicl, behviorl, nd clinicl reserch by supporting trining progrms t institutions of higher eduction. These institutionl trining grnts llow the director of the progrm to select the trinees nd to develop curriculum of study nd reserch experiences necessry to provide high-qulity reserch trining. The grnt helps offset the cost of stipends nd tuition for the ppointed trinees. Grdute students, postdoctorl trinees, nd short-term reserch trining for helth professionl students cn be supported by this grnt. To support the dvnced trining of individul students who hve recently received doctorl degrees. This phse of reserch eduction nd trining is performed under the direct supervision of sponsor who is n ctive investigtor in the re of the proposed reserch. The trining is designed to enhnce the fellow s understnding of the helth-relted sciences nd extend his/her potentil to become productive scientist who cn perform reserch in biomedicl, behviorl, or clinicl fields. To improve the diversity of the reserch workforce by recruiting nd supporting students, postdoctorl fellows, nd eligible investigtors from groups tht hve been shown to be underrepresented, such s individuls from underrepresented rcil nd ethnic groups, individuls with disbilities, nd individuls from disdvntged bckgrounds. To provide dvnced prcticl biomedicl reserch experience to individuls who re foreign ntionls nd re 1 to 5 yers beyond obtining their Ph.D. or professionl doctorte (e.g., M.D., DDS, etc.) $45.5 Not vil $16 $ $546.9 Not vil $72.6 Not vil $70 $ $64.8 $70.7 Pge 65 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

74 Appendix III: Federl STEM Eduction Progrms Funded t $10 Million or More Funding (in millions of dollrs) Progrm Description First yer Clinicl Reserch Lon Repyment Progrm Ruth L. Kirschstein Ntionl Reserch Service Awrds for Individul Predoctorl Fellows, Predoctorl Minority Students, nd Predoctorl Students with Disbilities Minority Access to Reserch Creers Progrm Postdoctorl Intrmurl Reserch Trining Awrd Progrm Science Eduction Prtnership Awrd Peditric Reserch Lon Repyment Progrm To ttrct helth professionls to creers in clinicl reserch. Clinicl reserch is defined s ptient-oriented clinicl reserch conducted with humn subjects, or reserch on the cuses nd consequences of disese in humn popultions involving mteril of humn origin (such s tissue specimens nd cognitive phenomen) for which n investigtor or collegue directly intercts with humn subjects in n outptient or inptient setting to clrify problem in humn physiology, pthophysiology or disese, or epidemiologic or behviorl studies, outcomes reserch or helth services reserch, or developing new technologies, therpeutic interventions, or clinicl trils. Provides predoctorl fellowships to students who re cndidtes for doctorl degrees nd re performing disserttion reserch nd trining under the supervision of mentor who is n ctive nd estblished investigtor in the re of the proposed reserch. The pplicnt nd mentor must provide evidence of potentil for productive reserch creer bsed upon the qulity of previous reserch trining, cdemic record, nd trining progrm. The pplicnt nd mentor must propose reserch project tht will enhnce the student s bility to understnd nd perform scientific reserch. The trining progrm should be crried out in reserch environment tht includes pproprite resources nd is demonstrbly committed to the student s trining. Offers specil reserch trining support to 4-yer colleges, universities, nd helth professionl schools with substntil enrollments of minorities such s Africn Americns, Hispnic Americns, Ntive Americns (including Alsk Ntives), nd ntives of U.S. Pcific Islnds. Individul fellowships re lso provided for grdute students nd fculty. To provide dvnced prcticl biomedicl reserch experience to individuls who re 1 to 5 yers beyond obtining their Ph.D. or professionl doctorte (e.g., M.D., DDS, etc.). Provides funds for the development, implementtion, nd evlution of innovtive kindergrten through 12th grde (K-12) science eduction progrms, teching mterils, nd science center/museum progrms. This progrm supports prtnerships linking biomedicl, clinicl reserchers, nd behviorl scientists with K-12 techers nd schools, museum nd science eductors, medi experts, nd other interested orgniztions. A progrm to ttrct helth professionls to creers in peditric reserch. Qulified peditric reserch is defined s reserch directly relted to diseses, disorders, nd other conditions in children $40.6 $ $33.8 Not vil $30.7 $ $30.2 $ $16 $ $15.9 $16 Pge 66 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

75 Appendix III: Federl STEM Eduction Progrms Funded t $10 Million or More Funding (in millions of dollrs) Progrm Description First yer Post-bcclurete Intrmurl Reserch Trining Awrd Progrm Deprtment of Homelnd Security University Progrms Deprtment of the Interior Coopertive Reserch Units Progrm Deprtment of Lbor Community College/Community Bsed Job Trining Grnt Inititive Ntionl Aeronutics nd Spce Administrtion Minority University Reserch Eduction Progrm To provide (1) recent college grdutes (grduted no more thn 2 yers prior to ctivtion of trineeship), n introduction erly in their creers to biomedicl reserch fields; encourge their pursuit of professionl creers in biomedicl reserch; nd llow dditionl time to pursue successful ppliction to either grdute or medicl school progrms or (2) students who hve been ccepted into grdute, other doctorl, or medicl degree progrms, nd who hve written permission from their school to dely entrnce for up to 1 yer. Provides scholrships for undergrdute nd fellowships for grdute students pursuing degrees in mission-relevnt fields nd postdoctorl fellowships for their contributions to Deprtment of Homelnd Security reserch projects. Students receive professionl mentoring nd complete summer internship to connect cdemic interests with homelnd security inititives. Postdoctorl scholrs re lso mentored by DHS scientists. The progrm links grdute science trining with the reserch needs of stte nd federl gencies, nd provides students with one-onone mentoring by federl reserch scientists working on both pplied nd bsic reserch needs of interest to the progrm. Progrm coopertors nd prtners provide grdute trining opportunities nd support. To build the cpcity of community colleges to trin in high-growth, high-demnd industries nd to ctully trin workers in those industries through prtnerships tht lso include workforce investment bords nd employers. To expnd nd dvnce NASA s scientific nd technologicl bse through collbortive efforts with Historiclly Blck Colleges nd Universities (HBCU) nd other minority universities (OMU), including Hispnic-serving institutions nd Tribl colleges nd universities. This progrm lso provides K-12 wrds to build nd support successful pthwys for students to progress to the next level of mthemtics nd science, through college preprtory curriculum, nd enrollment in college. Higher-eduction wrds re lso given tht seek to improve the rte t which underrepresented minorities re wrded degrees in STEM disciplines through incresed reserch trining nd exposure to cutting-edge technologies tht better prepre them to enter STEM grdute progrms, the NASA workforce pipeline, nd employment in NASA-relted industries $9.1 $ $4.7 $ $15.3 $ $0 $ $106.6 $73.6 Pge 67 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

76 Appendix III: Federl STEM Eduction Progrms Funded t $10 Million or More Funding (in millions of dollrs) Progrm Description First yer Higher Eduction Elementry nd Secondry Eduction Informl Eduction Ntionl Science Foundtion Mth nd Science Prtnership (MSP)Progrm Grdute Reserch Fellowship Progrm (GRFP) The Higher Eduction Progrm focuses on supporting institutions of higher eduction in strengthening their reserch cpbilities nd providing opportunities tht ttrct nd prepre incresing numbers of students for NASA-relted creers. The reserch conducted by the institutions will contribute to the reserch needs of NASA s Mission Directortes. The student projects serve s mjor link in the student pipeline for ddressing NASA s humn cpitl strtegies nd the President s mngement gend by helping to build, sustin, nd effectively deploy the skilled, knowledgeble, diverse, nd high-performing workforce needed to meet the current nd emerging needs of government nd its citizens. To increse the rigor of STEM experiences provided to K-12 students through workshops, summer internships, nd clssroom ctivities; provide high-qulity professionl development to techers in STEM through NASA progrms; develop technologicl venues through the NASA Web site tht will llow fmilies to hve common experiences with lerning bout spce explortion; encourge inquiry teching in K-12 clssrooms; improve the content nd focus of grde level/science tem meetings in NASA Explorer Schools; nd shre the knowledge gined through the Eductor Astronut Progrm with techers, students, nd fmilies. The principl purpose of the informl eduction progrm is to support projects designed to increse public interest in, understnding of, nd enggement in STEM ctivities. The gol of ll informl eduction progrms is n informed citizenry tht hs ccess to the ides of science nd engineering nd understnds its role in enhncing the qulity of life nd the helth, prosperity, welfre, nd security of the ntion. Informl lerning is self-directed, voluntry, nd motivted minly by intrinsic interests, curiosity, explortion, nd socil interction. The MSP is mjor reserch nd development effort tht supports innovtive prtnerships to improve kindergrten through grde 12 student chievement in mthemtics nd science. MSP projects re expected to both rise the chievement levels of ll students nd significntly reduce chievement gps in the mthemtics nd science performnce of diverse student popultions. Successful projects serve s models tht cn be widely replicted in eductionl prctice to improve the mthemtics nd science chievement of ll the ntion s students. The purpose of the GRFP is to ensure the vitlity of the scientific nd technologicl workforce in the United Sttes nd to reinforce its diversity. The progrm recognizes nd supports outstnding grdute students in the relevnt science nd engineering disciplines who re pursuing reserch-bsed mster s nd doctorl degrees. NSF fellows re expected to become knowledge experts who cn contribute significntly to reserch, teching, nd innovtions in science nd engineering $77.4 $ $31.3 $ $5.5 $ $138.7 $ $96 $96.6 Pge 68 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

77 Appendix III: Federl STEM Eduction Progrms Funded t $10 Million or More Funding (in millions of dollrs) Progrm Description First yer Integrtive Grdute Eduction nd Reserch Trineeship Progrm Techer Professionl Continuum Reserch Experiences for Undergrdutes Grdute Teching Fellows in K-12 Eduction Advnced Technologicl Eduction (ATE) Course, Curriculum, nd Lbortory Improvement This progrm provides support to universities for student positions in interdisciplinry res of science nd engineering. Trineeships focus on multidisciplinry nd intersectorl reserch opportunities nd prepre future fculty in effective teching methods, pplictions of dvnced eductionl technologies, nd student mentoring techniques. The progrm ddresses criticl issues nd needs regrding the recruitment, preprtion, induction, retention, nd lifelong development of kindergrten through grde 12 STEM techers. Its gols re to improve the qulity nd coherence of techer lerning experiences cross the continuum through reserch tht informs teching prctice nd the development of innovtive resources for the professionl development of kindergrten through grde 12 STEM techers. This progrm supports ctive prticiption by undergrdute students in reserch projects in ny of the res of reserch funded by the Ntionl Science Foundtion. The progrm seeks to involve students in meningful wys in ll kinds of reserch whether disciplinry, interdisciplinry, or eductionl in focus linked to the efforts of individul investigtors, reserch groups, centers, nd ntionl fcilities. Prticulr emphsis is given to the recruitment of women, minorities, nd persons with disbilities. This progrm supports fellowships nd ssocited trining tht enble grdute students in NSF-supported STEM disciplines to cquire dditionl skills tht will brodly prepre them for professionl nd scientific creers. Through interctions with techers, grdute students cn improve communiction nd teching skills while enriching STEM instruction in kindergrten through grde 12 schools. This progrm lso provides institutions of higher eduction with n opportunity to mke permnent chnge in their grdute progrms by including prtnerships with schools in mnner tht will mutully benefit fculties nd students. With n emphsis on 2-yer colleges, the ATE progrm focuses on the eduction of technicins for the high-technology fields tht drive our ntion s economy. The progrm involves prtnerships between cdemic institutions nd employers to promote improvement in the eduction of science nd engineering technicins t the undergrdute nd secondry school levels. The ATE progrm supports curriculum development, professionl development of college fculty nd secondry school techers, creer pthwys to 2-yer colleges from secondry schools nd from 2-yer colleges to 4-yer institutions, nd other ctivities. The progrm lso invites proposls focusing on pplied reserch relting to technicin eduction. This progrm emphsizes projects tht build on prior work nd contribute to the knowledge bse of undergrdute STEM eduction reserch nd prctice. In ddition, projects should contribute to building community of scholrs who work in relted res of undergrdute eduction $67.7 $ $61.5 $ $51.7 $ $49.8 $ $45.9 $ $40.7 $40.6 Pge 69 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

78 Appendix III: Federl STEM Eduction Progrms Funded t $10 Million or More Funding (in millions of dollrs) Progrm Description First yer Reserch on Lerning nd Eduction Computer Science, Engineering, nd Mthemtics Scholrships Louis Stokes Allinces for Minority Prticiption Centers for Lerning nd Teching Instructionl Mterils Development The progrm seeks to cpitlize on importnt developments cross wide rnge of fields relted to humn lerning nd to STEM eduction. It supports reserch cross continuum tht includes (1) the biologicl bsis of humn lerning; (2) behviorl, cognitive, ffective, nd socil spects of STEM lerning; (3) STEM lerning in forml nd informl eductionl settings; (4) STEM policy reserch; nd (5) the diffusion of STEM innovtions. This progrm supports scholrships for cdemiclly tlented, finncilly needy students, enbling them to enter the hightechnology workforce following completion of n ssocite, bcclurete, or grdute-level degree in computer science, computer technology, engineering, engineering technology, or mthemtics. Acdemic institutions pply for wrds to support scholrship ctivities nd re responsible for selecting scholrship recipients, reporting demogrphic informtion bout student scholrs, nd mnging the project t the institution. The progrm is imed t incresing the qulity nd quntity of students successfully completing STEM bcclurete degree progrms nd incresing the number of students interested in, cdemiclly qulified for, nd mtriculted into progrms of grdute study. It lso supports sustined nd comprehensive pproches tht fcilitte chievement of the long-term gol of incresing the number of students who ern doctortes in STEM, prticulrly those from popultions underrepresented in STEM fields. The progrm focuses on the dvnced preprtion of STEM eductors, s well s the estblishment of meningful prtnerships mong eduction stkeholders, especilly Ph.D.-grnting institutions, school systems, nd informl eduction performers. Its gols re to renew nd diversify the cdre of leders in STEM eduction; to increse the number of kindergrten through undergrdute eductors cpble of delivering high-qulity STEM instruction nd ssessment; nd to conduct reserch into STEM eduction issues of ntionl import, such s the nture of lerning, teching strtegies, nd reform policies nd outcomes. This progrm contins three components. It supports (1) the cretion nd substntil revision of comprehensive curricul nd supplementl mterils tht re reserch-bsed, enhnce clssroom instruction, nd reflect stndrds for science, mthemtics, nd technology eduction developed by professionl orgniztions; (2) the cretion of tools for ssessing student lerning tht re tied to ntionlly developed stndrds nd reflect the most current thinking on how students lern mthemtics nd science; nd (3) reserch for development of this progrm nd projects $39.4 $ $33.9 $ $33.3 $ $30.8 $ $29.3 $28.5 Pge 70 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

79 Appendix III: Federl STEM Eduction Progrms Funded t $10 Million or More Funding (in millions of dollrs) Progrm Description First yer Science, Technology, Engineering, nd Mthemtics Tlent Expnsion Progrm Historiclly Blck Colleges nd Universities (HBCU) Undergrdute Progrm Intergency Eduction Reserch Inititive Informtion Technology Experiences for Students nd Techers Enhncing the Mthemticl Sciences Workforce in the 21st Century Centers of Reserch Excellence in Science nd Technology ADVANCE: Incresing the Prticiption nd Advncement of Women in Acdemic Science nd Engineering Creers The progrm seeks to increse the number of students (U.S. citizens or permnent residents) receiving ssocite or bcclurete degrees in estblished or emerging fields within STEM. Type 1 proposls tht provide for full implementtion efforts t cdemic institutions re solicited. Type 2 proposls tht support eductionl reserch projects on ssocite or bcclurete degree ttinment in STEM re lso solicited. This progrm provides wrds to enhnce the qulity of STEM instructionl nd outrech progrms t HBCUs s mens to broden prticiption in the ntion s STEM workforce. Project strtegies include curriculum enhncement, fculty professionl development, undergrdute reserch, cdemic enrichment, infusion of technology to enhnce STEM instruction, collbortions with reserch institutions nd industry, nd other ctivities tht meet institutionl needs. This is collbortive effort with the U.S. Deprtment of Eduction. The gol is to support scientific reserch tht investigtes the effectiveness of eductionl interventions in reding, mthemtics, nd the sciences s they re implemented in vried school settings with diverse student popultions. The progrm is designed to increse the opportunities for students nd techers to lern bout, experience, nd use informtion technologies within the context of STEM, including informtion technology courses. It is in direct response to the concern bout shortges of technology workers in the United Sttes. It hs two components: (1) youth-bsed projects with strong emphsis on creer nd eductionl pths nd (2) comprehensive projects for students nd techers. The long-rnge gol of this progrm is to increse the number of U.S. citizens, ntionls, nd permnent residents who re well prepred in the mthemticl sciences nd who pursue creers in the mthemticl sciences nd in other NSF-supported disciplines. This progrm mkes resources vilble to significntly enhnce the reserch cpbilities of minority-serving institutions through the estblishment of centers tht effectively integrte eduction nd reserch. It promotes the development of new knowledge, enhncements of the reserch productivity of individul fculty, nd n expnded diverse student presence in STEM disciplines. The progrm gol is to increse the representtion nd dvncement of women in cdemic science nd engineering creers, thereby contributing to the development of more diverse science nd engineering workforce. Members of underrepresented minority groups nd individuls with disbilities re especilly encourged to pply $25 $ $23.8 $ $23.6 $ $20.9 $ $20.6 $ $19.8 $ $19.4 $19.8 Pge 71 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

80 Appendix III: Federl STEM Eduction Progrms Funded t $10 Million or More Funding (in millions of dollrs) Progrm Description First yer Federl Cyber Service: Scholrship for Service Allinces for Grdute Eduction nd the Professorite Reserch on Gender in Science nd Engineering Tribl Colleges nd Universities Progrm This progrm seeks to increse the number of qulified students entering the fields of informtion ssurnce nd computer security nd to increse the cpcity of the United Sttes higher eduction enterprise to continue to produce professionls in these fields to meet the needs of our incresingly technologicl society. The progrm hs two trcks: provides funds to colleges nd universities to (1) wrd scholrships to students to pursue cdemic progrms in the informtion ssurnce nd computer security fields for the finl 2 yers of undergrdute study, or for 2 yers of mster s-level study, or for the finl 2 yers of Ph.D.-level study, nd (2) improve the qulity nd increse the production of informtion ssurnce nd computer security professionls. This progrm is intended to increse significntly the number of domestic students receiving doctorl degrees in STEM, with specil emphsis on those popultion groups underrepresented in these fields. The progrm is interested in incresing the number of minorities who will enter the professorite in these disciplines. Specific objectives re to develop (1) nd implement innovtive models for recruiting, mentoring, nd retining minority students in STEM doctorl progrms, nd (2) effective strtegies for identifying nd supporting underrepresented minorities who wnt to pursue cdemic creers. The progrm seeks to broden the prticiption of girls nd women in ll fields of STEM eduction by supporting reserch, dissemintion of reserch, nd extension services in eduction tht will led to lrger nd more diverse domestic science nd engineering workforce. Typicl projects will contribute to the knowledge bse ddressing gender-relted differences in lerning nd in the eductionl experiences tht ffect student interest, performnce, nd choice of creers, nd how pedgogicl pproches nd teching styles, curriculum, student services, nd institutionl culture contribute to cusing or closing gender gps tht persist in certin fields. This progrm provides wrds to enhnce the qulity of STEM instructionl nd outrech progrms, with specil ttention to the use of informtion technologies t Tribl colleges nd universities, Alskn Ntive-serving institutions, nd Ntive Hwiin-serving institutions. Support is vilble for the implementtion of comprehensive institutionl pproches to strengthen STEM teching nd lerning in wys tht improve ccess to, retention within, nd grdution from STEM progrms, prticulrly those tht hve strong technologicl foundtion. Through this progrm, ssistnce is provided to eligible institutions in their efforts to bridge the digitl divide nd prepre students for creers in informtion technology, science, mthemtics, nd engineering fields $15.8 $ $15.3 $ $10 $ $10 $9.8 Pge 72 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

81 Appendix III: Federl STEM Eduction Progrms Funded t $10 Million or More Funding (in millions of dollrs) Progrm Description First yer Deprtment of Trnsporttion University Trnsporttion Centers Progrm (UTC) The UTC progrm s mission is to dvnce U.S. technology nd expertise in the mny disciplines comprising trnsporttion through the mechnisms of eduction, reserch, nd technology trnsfer t university-bsed centers of excellence. The UTC progrm s gols include (1) developing multidisciplinry progrm of coursework nd experientil lerning tht reinforces the trnsporttion theme of the center; (2) incresing the numbers of students, fculty, nd stff who re ttrcted to nd substntilly involved in the undergrdute, grdute, nd professionl progrms of the center; nd (3) hving students, fculty, nd stff who reflect the growing diversity of the U.S. workforce nd re substntilly involved in the undergrdute, grdute, nd professionl progrms of the center. Source: GAO survey responses from 13 federl gencies $32.5 $32.5 The dollr mounts for fiscl yers 2004 nd 2005 contin ctul nd estimted progrm funding levels. Pge 73 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

82 Appendix IV: Dt on nd Grdutes Appendix IV: Dt on Students nd Grdutes in STEM Fields in STEM Fields Tble 23 provides estimtes for the numbers of students in science, technology, engineering, nd mthemtics (STEM) fields by eduction level for the nd cdemic yers. Tbles 24 nd 25 provide dditionl informtion regrding students in STEM fields by gender for the nd cdemic yers. Tble 26 provides dditionl informtion regrding grdutes in STEM fields by gender for the nd cdemic yers. Appendix V contins confidence intervls for these estimtes. Tble 23: Estimted Numbers of Students in STEM Fields by Eduction Level for Acdemic Yers nd Eduction level/stem field Bchelor s level Acdemic yer Acdemic yer Percentge chnge Totl 2,218,510 2,876, Agriculturl sciences 101,885 87,025 Biologicl sciences 407, , Computer sciences 261, , Engineering 363, , Mthemtics 57,133 64,307 Physicl sciences 107, ,207 Psychology 309, , Socil sciences 536, , Technology 73, , Mster s level Totl 321, , Agriculturl sciences 12,977 Biologicl sciences 34,701 19, Computer sciences 49,071 58,939 Engineering 66,296 90,234 Mthemtics Physicl sciences 12,531 22,008 Psychology 30,008 31,918 Socil sciences 82, , Technology Doctorl level 10,231 Totl 217, ,504 Agriculturl sciences Biologicl sciences 5,983 33,884 b b b b b b b Pge 74 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

83 Appendix IV: Dt on Students nd Grdutes in STEM Fields Acdemic yer Acdemic yer Eduction level/stem field Percentge chnge Computer sciences 9,196 b Engineering 32,181 35,687 Mthemtics 9,412 b Physicl sciences 38,058 24,973 b Psychology 30,291 33,994 b Socil sciences 54,092 42,464 Technology 2,912 Source: GAO clcultions bsed upon NPSAS dt. Note: Enrollment totls differ from those cited in tble 9 becuse tble 9 includes students enrolled in certificte, ssocite s, other undergrdute, first-professionl degree, nd post-bchelor s or postmster s certificte progrms. Smple sizes re insufficient to ccurtely produce estimtes. b Chnges between cdemic yers nd re not sttisticlly significnt t the 95-percent confidence level. See tble 30 for significnce of percentge chnges. Tble 24: Estimted Percentges of Students by Gender nd STEM Field for Acdemic Yers nd Mle Femle Percent: Percent: Percent: Percent: Agriculturl sciences Totl Bchelor s Mster s Doctorte Biologicl sciences Totl Bchelor s Mster s Doctorte Computer sciences Totl Bchelor s Mster s Doctorte Engineering Totl Bchelor s Mster s Pge 75 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

84 Appendix IV: Dt on Students nd Grdutes in STEM Fields Doctorte Mthemtics Mle Femle Percent: Percent: Percent: Percent: Totl Bchelor s Mster s Doctorte Physicl sciences 78 Totl Bchelor s Mster s Doctorte Psychology 68 Totl Bchelor s Mster s Doctorte Socil sciences Totl Bchelor s Mster s Doctorte Technology Totl Bchelor s Mster s Doctorte Source: GAO clcultions bsed upon NPSAS dt. Smple sizes re insufficient to ccurtely produce estimtes Pge 76 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

85 Appendix IV: Dt on Students nd Grdutes in STEM Fields Tble 25: Estimted Number of Women Students nd Percentge Chnge by Eduction Level nd STEM Field for Acdemic Yers nd Number of women students Eduction level/stem field Bchelor s level Agriculturl sciences 44,444 39,702 Mster s level Doctorl level Biologicl sciences 222, ,038 Computer sciences 82, ,824 Engineering 59,985 70,353 Mthemtics 24,597 29,791 Physicl sciences 47,421 60,203 Percentge chnge in women students Psychology 229, , Socil sciences 258, , Technology 8,871 25, Agriculturl sciences Biologicl sciences Computer sciences Engineering Mthemtics Physicl sciences 14,415 18,000 17,042 5,562 8,497 Psychology 23,857 25,342 Socil sciences 40,395 94, Technology Agriculturl sciences Biologicl sciences Computer sciences Engineering Mthemtics Physicl sciences Psychology 1,280 2,353 17,074 2,556 7,868 3,042 8,105 23,843 Socil sciences 9,440 22, Technology Source: GAO clcultions bsed upon NPSAS dt. Smple sizes re insufficient to ccurtely produce estimtes. b Chnges between cdemic yers nd re not sttisticlly significnt t the 95-percent confidence level. See tble 29 for confidence intervls. 692 b b b b b b b Pge 77 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

86 Appendix IV: Dt on Students nd Grdutes in STEM Fields Tble 26: Comprisons in the Percentge of STEM Grdutes by Field nd Gender for Acdemic Yers nd STEM Degree/field Bchelor s degree Percentge grdutes, men, Percentge grdutes, men, Percentge grdutes, women, Percentge grdutes, women, Biologicl/griculturl sciences Erth, tmospheric, nd ocen sciences Engineering Mthemtics nd computer sciences Physicl sciences Psychology Socil sciences Technology Mster s degree Biologicl/griculturl sciences Erth, tmospheric, nd ocen sciences Engineering Mthemtics nd computer sciences Physicl sciences Psychology Socil sciences Technology Doctorl degree Biologicl/griculturl sciences Erth, tmospheric, nd ocen sciences Engineering Mthemtics nd computer sciences Physicl sciences Psychology Socil sciences Technology Source: GAO clcultions bsed upon IPEDS dt. Pge 78 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

87 Appendix V: Intervls for Appendix V: Confidence Intervls for Estimtes of Students t the Bchelor s, Mster s, nd Doctorl Levels Estimtes of Students t the Bchelor s, Mster s, nd Doctorl Levels Becuse the Ntionl Postsecondry Student Aid Study (NPSAS) smple is probbility smple of students, the smple is only one of lrge number of smples tht might hve been drwn. Since ech smple could hve provided different estimtes, confidence in the precision of the prticulr smple s results is expressed s 95-percent confidence intervl (for exmple, plus or minus 4 percentge points). This is the intervl tht would contin the ctul popultion vlue for 95 percent of the smples tht could hve been drwn. As result, we re 95 percent confident tht ech of the confidence intervls in this report will include the true vlues in the study popultion. The upper nd lower bounds of the 95 percent confidence intervls for ech estimte relied on in this report re presented in the following tbles. Tble 27: Estimted Chnges in the Numbers nd Percentges of Students in the STEM nd Non-STEM Fields cross All Eduction Levels, Acdemic Yers nd (95 percent confidence intervls) Lower nd upper bounds of 95 percent confidence intervl STEM field Non-STEM field Lower bound: number of students: ,941,589 14,885,171 Upper bound: number of students: ,323,159 15,601,065 Lower bound: percentge of students: Upper bound: percentge of students: Lower bound: number of students: ,911,850 16,740,049 Upper bound: number of students: ,082,515 17,025,326 Lower bound: percentge of students: Upper bound: percentge of students: Lower bound: percentge chnge: 1995/ / Upper bound: percentge chnge: 1995/ / Source: GAO clcultions bsed upon nd NPSAS dt. Note: The totls for STEM nd non-stem enrollments include students in ddition to the bchelor s, mster s, nd doctorte eduction levels. These totls lso include students enrolled in certificte, ssocite s, other undergrdute, first-professionl degree, nd post-bchelor s or post-mster s certificte progrms. The percentge chnges between the nd cdemic yers for STEM nd non-stem students re sttisticlly significnt. Pge 79 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

88 Appendix V: Confidence Intervls for Estimtes of Students t the Bchelor s, Mster s, nd Doctorl Levels Tble 28: Numbers of Students by Eduction Level in ll STEM Fields for Acdemic Yers nd (95 percent confidence intervls) Totl Agriculturl Sciences Biologicl Sciences Computer Sciences Engineering Mthemtics Physicl Sciences Psychology Socil Sciences Totl Bchelors Msters Doctorte Lower bound: Number of Students: ,633,867 2,114, , ,824 Upper bound: Number of Students: ,880,529 2,322, , ,230 Lower bound: Number of Students: ,411,004 2,819, , ,230 Upper bound: Number of Students: ,545,844 2,934, , ,471 Lower bound: Number of Students: ,346 78,241 Upper bound: Number of Students: , ,144 Lower bound: Number of Students: ,543 76,472 7,296 4,661 Upper bound: Number of Students: ,613 98,590 21,202 7,553 Lower bound: Number of Students: , ,553 18,883 Upper bound: Number of Students: , ,119 57,066 Lower bound: Number of Students: , ,834 13,728 30,401 Upper bound: Number of Students: , ,355 26,694 37,367 Lower bound: Number of Students: , ,616 31,634 Upper bound: Number of Students: , ,662 71,242 Lower bound: Number of Students: , ,927 47,669 7,427 Upper bound: Number of Students: , ,679 70,210 11,243 Lower bound: Number of Students: , ,464 45,912 16,620 Upper bound: Number of Students: , ,544 90,768 54,155 Lower bound: Number of Students: , ,252 63,632 32,113 Upper bound: Number of Students: , , ,835 39,261 Lower bound: Number of Students: ,083 42,910 Upper bound: Number of Students: ,165 74,456 Lower bound: Number of Students: ,705 55,314 7,869 7,687 Upper bound: Number of Students: ,848 74,318 18,867 11,392 Lower bound: Number of Students: ,416 87,966 Upper bound: Number of Students: , ,658 21,279 60,546 Lower bound: Number of Students: , ,479 14,944 22,043 Upper bound: Number of Students: , ,894 31,092 27,903 Lower bound: Number of Students: , ,188 17,600 16,929 Upper bound: Number of Students: , ,432 47,037 48,601 Lower bound: Number of Students: , ,660 24,218 27,846 Upper bound: Number of Students: , ,995 41,116 40,142 Lower bound: Number of Students: , ,659 60,792 33,489 Upper bound: Number of Students: , , ,562 79,414 Lower bound: Number of Students: , , ,457 38,291 Pge 80 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

89 Appendix V: Confidence Intervls for Estimtes of Students t the Bchelor s, Mster s, nd Doctorl Levels Technology Totl Bchelors Msters Doctorte Upper bound: Number of Students: ,052, , ,333 46,636 Lower bound: Number of Students: ,910 57,446 Upper bound: Number of Students: ,308 92,251 Lower bound: Number of Students: , ,492 5,556 1,814 Upper bound: Number of Students: , ,848 17,158 4,421 Source: GAO clcultions bsed upon nd NPSAS dt. Smple sizes re insufficient to ccurtely produce estimtes. Tble 29: Estimted Numbers nd Percentge Chnges in Women Students in STEM Fields, Acdemic Yers nd (95 percent confidence intervls) Totl Lower bound: Number of Students: Upper bound: Number of Students: Lower bound: Number of Students: Upper bound: Number of Students: Lower bound: Percentge Chnge: 1995/ /04 Upper bound: Percentge Chnge: 1995/ /04 Totl 1,100,766 1,260,962 1,546,340 1,638, Agriculturl sciences 33,541 67,797 39,678 56, Biologicl sciences 215, , , , Computer sciences 78, , , , Engineering 60, ,683 84, , Mthemtics 21,805 46,907 31,207 45, Physicl sciences 42,352 91,230 66,408 87, Psychology 236, , , , Socil sciences 267, , , , Technology 5,136 13,993 21,339 33, Bchelor s Totl 909,030 1,045,868 1,271,939 1,354, Agriculturl sciences 27,943 60,945 32,293 47, Biologicl sciences 188, , , , Computer sciences 61, ,307 90, , Engineering 45,013 74,957 61,142 79, Mthemtics 16,558 32,636 23,487 36, Physicl sciences 32,641 62,201 51,259 69, Psychology 197, , , , Socil sciences 220, , , , Technology 5,185 13,867 19,582 30, Pge 81 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

90 Appendix V: Confidence Intervls for Estimtes of Students t the Bchelor s, Mster s, nd Doctorl Levels Mster s Lower bound: Number of Students: Upper bound: Number of Students: Lower bound: Number of Students: Upper bound: Number of Students: Lower bound: Percentge Chnge: 1995/ /04 Upper bound: Percentge Chnge: 1995/ /04 Totl 109, , , , Agriculturl sciences Biologicl sciences Computer sciences Engineering Mthemtics Physicl sciences 11,330 16,806 11,907 24,093 10,989 24,604 2,979 8,336 4,713 12,802 Psychology 15,901 28,488 21,284 28, Socil sciences 26,605 54,185 79, , Technology Doctorte 235 3,485 Totl 38,103 79,875 81,553 95, Agriculturl Sciences Biologicl Sciences Computer Sciences Engineering Mthemtics Physicl Sciences Psychology 1,441 3,265 14,455 19,692 1,745 3,503 5,870 9,867 1,999 4,085 6,298 9,913 19,198 28,489 Socil Sciences 4,098 17,371 19,778 26, Technology Source: GAO clcultions bsed upon NPSAS dt ,339 Smple sizes re insufficient to ccurtely produce estimtes. Pge 82 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

91 Appendix V: Confidence Intervls for Estimtes of Students t the Bchelor s, Mster s, nd Doctorl Levels Tble 30: Estimted Percentge Chnges in Bchelor s, Mster s, nd Doctorl Students in STEM Fields, Acdemic Yers nd (95 percent confidence intervls) STEM fields Agriculturl sciences Biologicl sciences Computer sciences Engineering Mthemtics Physicl sciences Psychology Socil sciences Technology Totl Lower nd upper bounds of 95 percent confidence intervl Percentge chnge in cdemic yers nd Totl Bchelor s Mster s Doctorl Lower bound: percentge chnge Upper bound: percentge chnge Sttisticlly significnt no no Lower bound: percentge chnge Upper bound: percentge chnge Sttisticlly significnt yes yes yes Lower bound: percentge chnge Upper bound: percentge chnge Sttisticlly significnt yes yes no Lower bound: percentge chnge Upper bound: percentge chnge Sttisticlly significnt yes yes no no Lower bound: percentge chnge Upper bound: percentge chnge Sttisticlly significnt no no Lower bound: percentge chnge Upper bound percentge chnge Sttisticlly significnt no no Lower bound: percentge chnge Upper bound: percentge chnge Sttisticlly significnt yes yes no no Lower bound: percentge chnge Upper bound: percentge chnge Sttisticlly significnt yes yes yes no Lower bound: percentge chnge Upper bound: percentge chnge Sttisticlly significnt yes yes Lower bound: percentge chnge Upper bound: percentge chnge Sttisticlly significnt yes yes yes no no Source: GAO clcultions bsed upon nd NPSAS dt. Smple sizes re insufficient to ccurtely produce estimtes. Pge 83 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

92 Appendix V: Confidence Intervls for Estimtes of Students t the Bchelor s, Mster s, nd Doctorl Levels Tble 31: Estimtes of STEM Students by Gender nd Field for Acdemic Yers nd (95 percent confidence intervls) Men: cdemic yer Men: cdemic yer Women: cdemic yer Women: cdemic yer Lower Upper Lower Upper Sttisticlly Lower Upper Lower Upper Sttisticlly STEM fields bound bound bound bound significnt bound bound bound bound significnt Agriculturl sciences Bchelor s no no Mster s Doctorl Biologicl sciences Bchelor s no no Mster s Doctorl Computer sciences Bchelor s no no Mster s Doctorl Engineering Bchelor s no no Mster s Doctorl Mthemtics Bchelor s no no Mster s Doctorl Physicl sciences Bchelor s no no Mster s Doctorl Psychology Bchelor s no no Mster s Doctorl Socil sciences Bchelor s yes yes Mster s no no Pge 84 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

93 Appendix V: Confidence Intervls for Estimtes of Students t the Bchelor s, Mster s, nd Doctorl Levels Men: cdemic yer Men: cdemic yer Women: cdemic yer Women: cdemic yer Lower Upper Lower Upper Sttisticlly Lower Upper Lower Upper Sttisticlly STEM fields bound bound bound bound significnt bound bound bound bound significnt Doctorl yes yes Technology Bchelor s no no Mster s Doctorl Totl students Totl yes yes Bchelor s no no Mster s no no Doctorl yes yes Source: GAO clcultions bsed upon nd NPSAS dt. Smple sizes re insufficient to ccurtely produce estimtes. Pge 85 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

94 Appendix V: Confidence Intervls for Estimtes of Students t the Bchelor s, Mster s, nd Doctorl Levels Tble 32: Estimtes of Students for Selected Rcil or Ethnic Groups in STEM Fields for All Eduction Levels nd Fields for the Acdemic Yers nd (95 percent confidence intervls) Rce or ethnicity Lower bound: number of students, cdemic yer, Upper bound: number of students, cdemic yer, Lower bound: number of students, cdemic yer, Upper bound: number of students, cdemic yer, Africn Americn 303, , , ,114 Hispnic 285, , , ,423 Asin/Pcific Islnder 247, , , ,377 Ntive Americn 11,464 28,103 30,064 47,694 Other/multiple minorities 17,708 44, , ,174. Pge 86 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

95 Appendix V: Confidence Intervls for Estimtes of Students t the Bchelor s, Mster s, nd Doctorl Levels Lower bound: percentge chnge Upper bound: percentge chnge Lower bound: percentge of students, cdemic yer Upper bound: percentge of students, cdemic yer Lower bound: percentge of students, cdemic yer Upper bound: percentge of students, cdemic yer Source: GAO Clcultions bsed upon nd NPSAS dt. Tble 33: Estimtes of Interntionl Students in STEM Fields by Eduction Levels for Acdemic Yers nd (95 percent confidence intervls) Eduction level Lower bound: number of students, Upper bound: number of students, Lower bound: number of students, Upper bound: number of students, Lower bound: percentge chnge Upper bound: percentge chnge Totl 80, , , , Bchelor s 20,254 47, , , Mster s 23,063 64,587 16,359 29, Doctorl 20,525 59,861 5,168 10, Source: GAO clcultions bsed upon nd NPSAS dt. Pge 87 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

96 Appendix VI: Intervls for Appendix VI: Confidence Intervls for Estimtes of STEM Employment by Gender, Rce or Ethnicity, nd Wges nd Slries Estimtes of STEM Employment by Gender, Rce or Ethnicity, nd Wges nd Slries The current popultion survey (CPS) ws used to obtin estimtes bout employees nd wges nd slries in science, technology, engineering, nd mthemtics (STEM) fields. Becuse the current popultion survey (CPS) is probbility smple bsed on rndom selections, the smple is only one of lrge number of smples tht might hve been drwn. Since ech smple could hve provided different estimtes, confidence in the precision of the prticulr smple s results is expressed s 95 percent confidence intervl (e.g., plus or minus 4 percentge points). This is the intervl tht would contin the ctul popultion vlue for 95 percent of the smples tht could hve been drwn. As result, we re 95 percent confident tht ech of the confidence intervls in this report will include the true vlues in the study popultion. We use the CPS generl vrince methodology to estimte this smpling error nd report it s confidence intervls. Percentge estimtes we produce from the CPS dt hve 95 percent confidence intervls of plus or minus 6 percentge points or less. Estimtes other thn percentges hve 95 percent confidence intervls of no more thn plus or minus 10 percent of the estimte itself, unless otherwise noted. Consistent with the CPS documenttion guidelines, we do not produce estimtes bsed on the Mrch supplement dt for popultions of less thn 75,000. Tble 34: Estimted Totl Number of Employees by STEM Field between Clendr Yers 1994 nd 2003 STEM fields Lower bound: clendr yer 1994 Upper bound: clendr yer 1994 Lower bound: clendr yer 2003 Upper bound: clendr yer 2003 Sttisticlly significnt Science 2,349,605 2,656,451 2,874,347 3,143,071 yes Technology 1,285,321 1,515,671 1,379,375 1,568,189 no Engineering 1,668,514 1,929,240 1,638,355 1,843,427 no Mthemtics/ computer sciences 1,369,047 1,606,395 2,520,858 2,773,146 yes Source: GAO clcultions bsed upon 1994 nd 2003 CPS dt. Pge 88 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

97 Appendix VI: Confidence Intervls for Estimtes of STEM Employment by Gender, Rce or Ethnicity, nd Wges nd Slries Tble 35: Estimted Numbers of Employees in STEM Fields by Gender for Clendr Yers 1994 nd 2003 Lower bound: clendr yer 1994, Upper bound: clendr yer 1994, Lower bound: clendr yer 2003, Upper bound: clendr yer 2003, Sttisticlly Lower bound: clendr yer 1994, Upper bound: clendr yer 1994, Lower bound: clendr yer 2003, Upper bound: clendr yer 2003, Sttisticlly STEM fields women women women women significnt men men men men significnt Science 1,594,527 1,827,685 2,031,124 2,327,390 yes 708, , , ,548 no Technology 385, , , ,899 no 863,785 1,046, ,960 1,157,900 no Engineering 107, , , ,407 no 1,538,198 1,777,778 1,440,510 1,703,920 no Mthemtics/ computer sciences 372, , , ,525 yes 959,765 1,151,681 1,805,505 2,098,325 yes Source: GAO clcultions bsed upon 1994 nd 2003 CPS dt. Tble 36: Estimted Chnges in STEM Employment by Gender for Clendr Yers 1994 nd 2003 STEM fields Lower bound: clendr yer 1994 Men Upper bound: clendr yer 1994 Lower bound: clendr yer 2003 Upper bound: clendr yer 2003 Sttisticlly significnt Science yes Technology no Engineering no Mthemtics/ computer sciences no Women Men Women Science yes Technology no Engineering no Mthemtics/ computer sciences no Source: GAO clcultions bsed upon 1994 nd 2003 CPS dt. Pge 89 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

98 Appendix VI: Confidence Intervls for Estimtes of STEM Employment by Gender, Rce or Ethnicity, nd Wges nd Slries Tble 37: Estimted Percentges of STEM Employees for Selected Rcil or Ethnic Groups for Clendr Yers 1994 nd 2003 Rce or Ethnicity Lower bound: clendr yer 1994 Upper bound: clendr yer 1994 Lower bound: clendr yer 2003 Upper bound: clendr yer 2003 Sttisticlly significnt Blck or Africn Americn no Hispnic or Ltino origin yes Other minorities yes Source: GAO clcultions bsed upon 1994 nd 2003 CPS dt. Tble 38: Estimted Chnges in Medin Annul Wges nd Slries in the STEM Fields for Clendr Yers 1994 nd 2003 STEM fields Lower bound: clendr yer 1994 Upper bound: clendr yer 1994 Lower bound: clendr yer 2003 Upper bound: clendr yer 2003 Sttisticlly significnt Science $42,212 $45,241 $44,650 $47,008 yes Technology $36,241 $39,769 $38,554 $41,286 yes Engineering $59,059 $63,134 $67,634 $71,749 yes Mthemtics/computer sciences $51,922 $55,905 $58,801 $61,679 yes Source: GAO clcultions bsed upon 1994 nd 2003 CPS dt. Pge 90 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

99 Appendix VII: from the Appendix VII: Comments from the Deprtment of Commerce Deprtment of Commerce Pge 91 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

100 Appendix VII: Comments from the Deprtment of Commerce Pge 92 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

101 Appendix VII: Comments from the Deprtment of Commerce Pge 93 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

102 Appendix VII: Comments from the Deprtment of Commerce Pge 94 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

103 Appendix VIII: from the Deprtment of Helth nd Humn Services Appendix VIII: Comments from the Deprtment of Helth nd Humn Services Pge 95 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

104 Appendix VIII: Comments from the Deprtment of Helth nd Humn Services Pge 96 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

105 Appendix IX: from the Ntionl Appendix IX: Comments from the Ntionl Science Foundtion Science Foundtion Pge 97 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

106 Appendix IX: Comments from the Ntionl Science Foundtion Pge 98 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

107 Appendix IX: Comments from the Ntionl Science Foundtion Pge 99 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

108 Appendix X: from the Ntionl Science nd Technology Council Appendix X: Comments from the Ntionl Science nd Technology Council Pge 100 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

109 Appendix XI: GAO nd Stff Appendix XI: GAO Contct nd Stff Acknowledgments Acknowledgments GAO Contct Stff Acknowledgments Corneli M. Ashby (202) In ddition to the contct nmed bove, Crolyn M. Tylor, Assistnt Director; Tim Hll, Anlyst in Chrge; Mrk Wrd; Dorin Herring; Ptrici Bundy; Pul Bonin; Scott Hecock; Wilfred Hollowy; Lise Levie; John Mingus; Mrk Rmge; Jmes Rebbe; nd Monic Wolford mde key contributions to this report. Pge 101 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

110 Bibliogrphy Bibliogrphy Congressionl Reserch Service, Foreign Students in the United Sttes: Policies nd Legisltion, RL31146, Jnury 24, 2003, Wshington, D.C. Congressionl Reserch Service, Immigrtion: Legisltive Issues on Nonimmigrnt Professionl Specilty (H-1B) Workers, RL30498, My 5, 2005, Wshington, D.C. Congressionl Reserch Service, Monitoring Foreign Students in the United Sttes: The Student nd Exchnge Visitor Informtion System (SEVIS), RL32188, October 20, 2004, Wshington, D.C. Congressionl Reserch Service, Science, Engineering, nd Mthemtics Eduction: Sttus nd Issues, STM, April 27, 2004, Wshington, D.C. Council on Competitiveness, Innovte Americ, December 2004, Wshington, D.C. Council of Grdute Schools, NDEA 21: A Renewed Commitment to Grdute Eduction, June 2005, Wshington, D.C. Institute of Interntionl Eduction, Open Doors: Report on Interntionl Eductionl Exchnge, 2004, New York. Jckson, Shirley Ann, The Quiet Crisis: Flling Short in Producing Americn Scientific nd Technicl Tlent, Building Engineering & Science Tlent, September 2002, Sn Diego, Cliforni. NAFSA: Assocition of Interntionl Eductors, In Americ s Interest: Welcoming Interntionl Students, Report of the Strtegic Tsk Force on Interntionl Student Access, Jnury 14, 2003, Wshington, D.C. NAFSA: Assocition of Interntionl Eductors, Towrd n Interntionl Eduction Policy for the United Sttes: Interntionl Eduction in n Age of Globlism nd Terrorism, My 2003, Wshington, D.C. Ntionl Center for Eduction Sttistics, Qulifictions of the Public School Techer Workforce: Prevlence of Out-of-Field Teching to , My 2002, revised August 2004, Wshington, D.C. Ntionl Science Foundtion, The Science nd Engineering Workforce Relizing Americ s Potentil, Ntionl Science Bord, August 14, 2003, Arlington, Virgini. Pge 102 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

111 Bibliogrphy Ntionl Science Foundtion, Science nd Engineering Indictors, 2004, Volume 1, Ntionl Science Bord, Jnury 15, 2004, Arlington, Virgini. Report of the Congressionl Commission on the Advncement of Women nd Minorities in Science, Engineering nd Technology Development, Lnd of Plenty: Diversity s Americ s Competitive Edge in Science, Engineering, nd Technology, September A Report to the Ntion from the Ntionl Commission on Mthemtics nd Science Teching for the 21st Century, Before It s Too Lte, September 27, Seymour, Eline, nd Nncy M. Hewitt, Tlking bout Leving: Why Undergrdutes Leve the Sciences, Westview Press, 1997, Boulder, Colordo. The Ntionl Acdemies, Policy Implictions of Interntionl Grdute Students nd Postdoctorl Scholrs in the United Sttes, 2005, Wshington, D.C. U.S. Deprtment of Eduction, Ntionl Center for Eduction Sttistics, Institute of Eduction Sciences, The Ntion s Report Crd, NAEP 2004: Trends in Acdemic Progress, July 2005, Wshington, D.C. U.S. Deprtment of Eduction, The Secretry s Third Annul Report on Techer Qulity, Office of Postsecondry Eduction, 2004, Wshington, D.C. U.S. Deprtment of Homelnd Security, 2003 Yerbook of Immigrtion Sttistics, Office of Immigrtion Sttistics, September 2004, Wshington, D.C. (130404) Pge 103 GAO Federl STEM Eduction Progrms

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