The Condition of STEM 2016 jkCT? The Condition of STEM 2016 ACT has been a leader in measuring college and career readiness trends for over 55 years. Each August, ACT releases The Condition of College & Career Readiness, our annual report on the progress of the ACT-tested graduating class relative to college readiness. Nationally, a record 64% of the 2016 graduating class took the ACT® test. The continued increase in the number of ACT test takers enhances the breadth and depth of our data pool, providing a comprehensive picture of the current college readiness levels of the graduating class as well as offering a glimpse of the emerging general and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education pipeline in the United States. This report reviews the graduating class in the context of STEM-related fields. ACT is uniquely positioned to deliver this report for two key reasons. First is our commitment to science through the inclusion of a science test in our assessments. ACT leadership is unmatched in providing a definitive assessment in the science area. Second is the research-based ACT Interest Inventory, which is completed by ACT-tested students and measures their interest in a wide range of educational and occupational fields. With answers to the ACT Interest Inventory and responses to the Student Profile Section of the ACT, we can determine interest levels (both expressed and measured) in specific STEM fields. We can then assess college readiness in math and science among STEM-interested students using ACT test scores. Students with an expressed interest are those who chose a major or occupation (out of the 294 possibilities listed) that is classified as a STEM field. Students are designated to have a measured interest when their responses to the Overall First-Term scores. STEM Any Term STEM M Graduated With STEM Major ACT Interest Inventory items result in high science and technology interest Validity evidence for this two-factor model of identifying STEM interest was provided in an ACT research study (Crouse, Harmston, & Radunzel, 2016). Figure 1 highlights some of the findings. Those students who were identified as having expressed and measured STEM interest were the most likely to pursue a STEM major, regardless of where they were in their college experience. Those students were also the most likely to graduate with a STEM major. When compared to students with an expressed and measured interest in STEM, students who were identified as having expressed-only or measured-only STEM interest had lower rates of pursuing and graduating with STEM majors while students who had no STEM interest had the lowest rates of all groups. Overall, the results suggest the ACT method for identifying STEM-interested students is valid and can be helpful for predicting whether students will pursue and graduate with STEM-related majors in college. All STEM In Exp. and M Exp. Only Meas. Only No STEM I No STEM 46 56 47 29 14 9 59 70 60 40 23 16 48 60 46 30 15 9 ***Omitting NM/UM 100 90 Exp. and Meas. 80 70 Exp. Only 60 Percentage Interest Inventory 50 59 48 46 Meas. Only 40 All STEM Interest 30 20 10 0 16 9 9 56 47 29 70 60 40 60 46 30 First-Term STEM Major Any Term STEM Major Graduated With STEM Major No STEM The ACT Definition of STEM To create our STEM categories, we used our list of occupations and majors to define four key areas: Science, Computer Science and Mathematics, Medical and Health, and Engineering and Technology. This report will show achievement levels and trend data in each of those areas on a national level. In addition, the actual number and percentage of students interested in specific majors and occupations are provided. As the percentage of high school graduates taking the ACT continues to grow, these data present an excellent opportunity for state officials to document success of STEM initiatives within their state in an attempt to meet the goal of generating interest and more thoroughly preparing students for STEM fields. 2 THE CONDITION OF STEM 2016 MS501 Key Findings from the National Condition of STEM 2016 Report • Students with an interest in STEM continue to show higher levels of college readiness than ACT-tested students as a whole. • Approximately half of ACT-tested US graduates in the class of 2016 have expressed interest in STEM majors and careers. The level of interest has stayed steady over the last five years. • Average ACT math scores have stayed flat between 2012 and 2016 for students meeting the ACT STEM Benchmark. In contrast, the average ACT science score has gone up among those meeting the ACT STEM Benchmark over the same timeframe. The scores steadily increased from 27.9 to 28.6 since 2012 (see Table 1.6 of the 2016 national ACT profile report at: www.act.org/research/np16). • Over 1 million ACT-tested students demonstrated an interest in STEM in the 2016 graduating class. • Only 1,258 students out of the nearly 2.1 million tested students—less than 1% of the total—had an expressed and measured interest in teaching math or science. • Students demonstrating only one type of STEM interest, either expressed or measured, fall far short in terms of benchmark attainment and preparedness for STEM majors and careers when compared to peers who have both expressed and measured interest. • Underserved learners have a high interest in STEM, but ACT STEM Benchmark attainment lags far behind their peers, especially for those students with more than one of the underserved characteristics used in this report. ACT STEM Benchmark To provide students and educators with more insight into the critical aspects of college readiness, ACT introduced a STEM score on ACT student score reports in fall 2015. This score is derived from the ACT mathematics and science scores and represents students’ overall performance in these subject areas. For the 2016–17 academic year, students, parents, and educators will also note that the ACT College Readiness Benchmark in STEM has been added to the ACT score report. The ACT STEM Benchmark is based on recent research indicating that academic readiness for students pursuing a STEM major may require higher scores than the current ACT College Readiness Benchmarks in math and science (Mattern, Radunzel, & Westrick, 2015). The ACT STEM Benchmark was developed using the same methodology as each single subject area ACT College Readiness Benchmark. Typical grades in first-year college STEM courses (calculus, general biology, general chemistry, and physics) were combined in a single course success model to determine the ACT STEM score associated with a 50% chance of earning a B or higher and about a 75% chance of earning a C or higher in those courses. The resulting ACT STEM Benchmark is 26. Based on that benchmark, only 20% of students in the 2016 ACT-tested high school graduating class were ready for first-year STEM college courses. ACT STEM scores are related not only to succeeding in individual math and science courses, but also to achieving longer-term outcomes. Mattern et al. (2015) showed that students pursuing STEM majors who met the ACT STEM Benchmark were more likely to earn a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher, persist in a STEM major, and earn a STEM-related bachelor’s degree than those who failed to meet the benchmark. Additionally, ongoing research suggests that providing STEM readiness information to prospective students may help to facilitate the transition to college by aligning students’ expectations with course demands. 3 National STEM Report Attainment of College and Career Readiness Overall STEM Interest • Between 2012 and 2016, the percent of students interested in STEM stayed the same. Student STEM Interest Trends: 2012–2016 2012 2013 2014 2015 Percent National 48% 48% 49% N Count National 804,507 868,194 899,684 2016 49% 48% 939,049 1,009,232 Overall STEM Interest Expressed and Measured Interest • 1,009,232 graduates have an interest in STEM. • 351,517 graduates have an expressed and measured interest in STEM, which is 35% of the overall interest. Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks Nation Nation 100 100 80 80 76 60 49 48 40 Percent Percent 67 43 32 57 53 41 40 33 26 20 0 59 60 20 English Reading Mathematics Science All Four Subjects 0 STEM English Reading Nation Mathematics Science All Four Subjects STEM Nation Expressed Interest Only Measured Interest Only • 472,879 graduates have an expressed interest in STEM, which is 47% of the overall interest. • 184,836 graduates have a measured interest in STEM, which is 18% of the overall interest. Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks Nation 100 80 80 60 61 45 44 40 Percent Percent Nation 100 38 28 20 0 English Reading Mathematics Science All Four Subjects 23 STEM Nation Note: Percents in this report may not sum to 100% due to rounding. 4 THE CONDITION OF STEM 2016 60 63 47 39 40 37 26 20 0 English Reading Mathematics Nation Science All Four Subjects 19 STEM National STEM Report Attainment of College and Career Readiness Overall STEM Interest (N = 1,009,232) Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates by ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmark Attainment Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates by Number of ACT College Readiness Benchmarks Attained 100 Nation 100 24 38 Percent 9 60 40 44 43 62 12 8 14 67 20 Within 2 Points of Benchmark 12 49 48 80 Below Benchmark by 3+ Points Met Benchmark Percent 80 English Reading Mathematics Science 40 32 28 43 20 26 0 60 0 STEM 0 14 13 13 1 2 Benchmarks Met 3 4 Nation Expressed and Measured Interest (N = 351,517) Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates by ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmark Attainment Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates by Number of ACT College Readiness Benchmarks Attained 100 Nation Percent 80 8 35 33 8 15 76 57 20 Reading Mathematics Within 2 Points of Benchmark Met Benchmark 60 41 40 53 33 English 80 Below Benchmark by 3+ Points 14 59 0 100 53 12 60 40 29 Percent 16 Science STEM 20 0 19 0 13 13 14 1 2 Benchmarks Met 3 4 Nation 5 National STEM Report Attainment of College and Career Readiness Overall STEM Interest Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Race/Ethnicity American Indian 100 18 15 5 23 20 8 80 Asian American Hispanic 27 13 Pacific Islander White African American 37 56 52 47 44 40 Mathematics Science STEM 39 21 20 0 Asian American N = 120,823 N = 7,943 53 47 43 25 American Indian 60 30 31 Two or More Races Mathematics Science STEM 34 29 16 75 62 50 Percent African American Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Gender Hispanic Pacific Islander White Male Two or More Races N = 57,871 N = 163,270 N = 3,204 N = 557,890 N = 42,961 Female Male Female N = 494,142 N = 503,595 Expressed and Measured Interest Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Race/Ethnicity American Indian 100 25 22 9 29 27 11 80 Asian American Hispanic 54 35 18 Pacific Islander White African American N = 30,057 31 American Indian N = 2,621 65 Mathematics Science STEM 49 59 51 Mathematics Science STEM 47 41 40 20 55 52 Asian American 0 Hispanic N = 23,102 N = 55,592 6 THE CONDITION OF STEM 2016 60 26 64 61 38 Two or More Races 80 42 40 23 68 Percent African American Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Gender Pacific Islander White Two or More Races N = 1,003 N = 206,681 N = 15,552 Male Female Male Female N = 162,878 N = 185,769 National STEM Report Attainment of College and Career Readiness Overall STEM Interest Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Educational Aspirations Professional Degree 35 Master’s Degree Voc-tech Degree 17 Professional Degree 61 41 Bachelor’s Degree Associate’s Degree 60 55 Mathematics Science STEM 39 34 3 Bachelor’s Degree Professional Degree Master’s Degree Bachelor’s Degree Associate’s Degree Voc-tech Degree N = 302,677 N = 159,726 N = 417,367 N = 44,339 N = 16,060 Professional Degree N = 69,797 58 52 31 Associate’s Degree High School Graduate or Less 71 65 45 Mathematics Science STEM 37 34 15 Certification or Some College 10 9 75 69 52 Master’s Degree 68 10 9 2 Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Highest Parental Education Level 36 32 14 25 20 8 Master’s Degree Bachelor’s Degree Associate’s Degree Certification or Some College High School Grad or Less N = 134,860 N = 254,537 N = 100,164 N = 146,481 N = 197,553 Expressed and Measured Interest Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Educational Aspirations Professional Degree 40 Master’s Degree 47 Bachelor’s Degree Associate’s Degree Voc-tech Degree 66 61 21 3 4 Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Highest Parental Education Level Professional Degree 60 Master’s Degree 73 67 Mathematics Science STEM 45 41 12 12 38 Associate’s Degree High School Graduate or Less Professional Degree Master’s Degree Bachelor’s Degree Associate’s Degree Voc-tech Degree N = 149,449 N = 58,906 N = 123,672 N = 9,130 N = 2,369 Mathematics Science STEM 44 41 19 12 65 60 46 42 21 Certification or Some College 13 14 77 72 52 Bachelor’s Degree 81 76 33 29 Professional Degree Master’s Degree Bachelor’s Degree Associate’s Degree Certification or Some College High School Grad or Less N = 30,848 N = 56,021 N = 98,646 N = 36,284 N = 51,787 N = 62,975 7 NATIONAL STEM REPORT Science Majors/Occupations Overall STEM Interest • Between 2012 and 2016, the percent of students interested in STEM decreased by 1%. Student STEM Interest Trends: 2012–2016 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Percent National 23% 22% 22% 22% 22% N Count National 183,857 195,098 200,461 208,520 223,943 Overall STEM Interest (N = 223,943) Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates by ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmark Attainment Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates by Number of ACT College Readiness Benchmarks Attained 100 100 Percent 80 8 40 8 80 Below Benchmark by 3+ Points 14 74 13 58 53 20 0 36 57 12 60 40 30 Within 2 Points of Benchmark Percent 18 Met Benchmark 49 Reading Mathematics Science 0 STEM 38 40 20 29 English 60 21 0 13 13 14 1 2 Benchmarks Met 3 4 Expressed and Measured Interest (N = 96,656) Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates by ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmark Attainment 80 13 7 100 25 32 Percent 8 60 14 61 Reading Mathematics Science Within 2 Points of Benchmark Met Benchmark 57 20 English Below Benchmark by 3+ Points 15 80 64 0 80 49 11 40 29 Percent 100 Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates by Number of ACT College Readiness Benchmarks Attained 60 45 40 36 20 STEM 0 16 0 12 13 15 1 2 Benchmarks Met 3 4 Note: Reporting achievement by combinations of student characteristics may give rise to small N counts. As a result, outcomes reported in this section should be interpreted with caution. 8 THE CONDITION OF STEM 2016 NATIONAL STEM REPORT Science Majors/Occupations Overall STEM Interest Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Race/Ethnicity American Indian 100 23 20 8 26 24 10 80 Asian American Hispanic 35 20 White N = 19,722 55 52 40 51 Mathematics Science STEM 48 33 20 50 48 0 Asian American N = 1,662 60 27 59 57 27 American Indian Mathematics Science STEM 42 34 Two or More Races 79 37 32 15 Pacific Islander African American 68 55 Percent African American Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Gender Hispanic N = 12,936 N = 34,597 Pacific Islander N = 622 White Male Two or More Races N = 130,922 N = 10,276 Female Male Female N = 91,832 N = 129,951 Expressed and Measured Interest Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Race/Ethnicity American Indian 100 30 27 11 34 31 13 80 Asian American Hispanic 39 20 Pacific Islander 26 N = 7,423 32 American Indian N = 599 64 Mathematics Science STEM 51 66 65 41 Two or More Races 83 46 42 White African American 72 58 Asian American N = 6,408 Percent African American Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Gender 60 61 58 55 Mathematics Science STEM 41 40 32 20 57 54 0 Hispanic N = 14,748 Pacific Islander N = 267 White N = 57,706 Male Female Two or More Races Male Female N = 4,474 N = 39,543 N = 56,494 Note: Reporting achievement by combinations of student characteristics may give rise to small N counts. As a result, outcomes reported in this section should be interpreted with caution. 9 NATIONAL STEM REPORT Science Majors/Occupations Overall STEM Interest Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Educational Aspirations Professional Degree 42 Master’s Degree Voc-tech Degree 16 Professional Degree Mathematics Science STEM 38 37 10 11 2 3 Bachelor’s Degree Professional Degree Master’s Degree Bachelor’s Degree Associate’s Degree Voc-tech Degree N = 84,366 N = 33,963 N = 80,553 N = 7,035 N = 1,911 59 55 33 Associate’s Degree High School Graduate or Less 72 68 47 38 37 16 10 Mathematics Science STEM 41 39 17 Certification or Some College 11 11 78 74 56 Master’s Degree 67 63 40 Bachelor’s Degree Associate’s Degree 66 61 Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Highest Parental Education Level 28 25 Professional Degree Master’s Degree Bachelor’s Degree Associate’s Degree Certification or Some College High School Grad or Less N = 20,338 N = 33,349 N = 57,349 N = 20,493 N = 30,770 N = 37,135 Expressed and Measured Interest Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Educational Aspirations Professional Degree 45 Master’s Degree 45 Bachelor’s Degree Associate’s Degree Voc-tech Degree 19 3 5 70 66 Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Highest Parental Education Level Professional Degree 61 Master’s Degree 71 67 Mathematics Science STEM 44 42 12 13 Associate’s Degree High School Graduate or Less 66 63 39 48 47 22 Certification or Some College 15 13 77 73 52 Bachelor’s Degree Mathematics Science STEM 47 44 21 14 83 78 37 32 Professional Degree Master’s Degree Bachelor’s Degree Associate’s Degree Voc-tech Degree Professional Degree Master’s Degree Bachelor’s Degree Associate’s Degree Certification or Some College High School Grad or Less N = 47,694 N = 15,221 N = 29,391 N = 1,670 N = 303 N = 10,441 N = 16,705 N = 27,143 N = 9,165 N = 13,445 N = 15,167 Note: Reporting achievement by combinations of student characteristics may give rise to small N counts. As a result, outcomes reported in this section should be interpreted with caution. 10 THE CONDITION OF STEM 2016 NATIONAL STEM REPORT Science Majors/Occupations National N Counts and Percents Science Majors/Occupations Overall STEM Interest* N Count Expressed and Measured Percent N Count Percent Agronomy and Crop Science 1,562 1 541 1 Animal Sciences 9,248 6 3,805 4 Astronomy 4,072 2 2,845 3 1,687 1 895 1 Biochemistry and Biophysics 19,881 12 13,011 13 Biology, General 38,525 24 24,053 25 Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology 8,585 5 5,386 6 12,282 8 7,919 8 Ecology 2,069 1 1,247 1 Environmental Science 2,732 2 1,430 1 Food Sciences and Technology 1,465 1 418 0 Forestry 1,940 1 637 1 Genetics 5,286 3 3,436 4 Geological and Earth Sciences 2,864 2 1,778 2 Cell/Cellular Biology Chemistry 666 0 284 0 13,652 8 8,404 9 Microbiology and Immunology 4,184 3 2,947 3 Natural Resources Conservation, General 2,290 1 1,000 1 Horticulture Science Marine/Aquatic Biology 847 1 292 0 Physical Sciences, General 5,991 4 3,471 4 Physics 6,384 4 4,075 4 Science Education 1,261 1 720 1 4,758 3 1,699 2 11,038 7 6,363 7 Natural Resources Management Wildlife and Wildlands Management Zoology Totals 163,269 96,656 * The “overall STEM interest” counts and percents do not include the “measured only interest” students, as they did not choose a STEM major or occupation. 11 NATIONAL STEM REPORT Computer Science and Mathematics Majors/Occupations Overall STEM Interest • Between 2012 and 2016, the percent of students interested in STEM increased by 3%. Student STEM Interest Trends: 2012–2016 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Percent National 9% 9% 10% 11% 12% N Count National 74,959 82,197 89,755 101,144 117,086 Overall STEM Interest (N = 117,086) Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates by ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmark Attainment Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates by Number of ACT College Readiness Benchmarks Attained 100 100 80 39 42 Percent 60 59 11 7 Within 2 Points of Benchmark 12 66 0 Below Benchmark by 3+ Points 13 40 51 50 20 80 42 9 Percent 25 Met Benchmark Reading Mathematics 45 Science 40 34 28 20 29 English 60 0 STEM 0 13 12 13 1 2 Benchmarks Met 3 4 Expressed and Measured Interest (N = 22,895) Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates by ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmark Attainment Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates by Number of ACT College Readiness Benchmarks Attained 100 100 Percent 80 7 26 29 10 7 13 Below Benchmark by 3+ Points 14 79 65 64 41 English Reading Mathematics Science Within 2 Points of Benchmark Met Benchmark 60 20 0 80 45 60 40 27 STEM Percent 14 60 48 40 20 0 16 0 10 12 14 1 2 Benchmarks Met 3 4 Note: Reporting achievement by combinations of student characteristics may give rise to small N counts. As a result, outcomes reported in this section should be interpreted with caution. 12 THE CONDITION OF STEM 2016 NATIONAL STEM REPORT Computer Science and Mathematics Majors/Occupations Overall STEM Interest Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Race/Ethnicity American Indian 100 18 14 5 22 18 8 80 Asian American Hispanic 52 Pacific Islander White N = 13,658 N = 755 53 47 Mathematics Science STEM 47 40 40 25 59 54 20 50 45 28 American Indian 60 31 35 Two or More Races African American 40 30 19 Mathematics Science STEM 36 28 14 76 61 Percent African American Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Gender 0 Asian American N = 8,985 Hispanic N = 17,655 Pacific Islander N = 321 White N = 63,314 Male Female Two or More Races Male Female N = 4,826 N = 82,000 N = 33,555 Expressed and Measured Interest Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Race/Ethnicity American Indian 11 100 28 25 34 30 16 80 Asian American Hispanic 24 Pacific Islander 43 46 Two or More Races N = 1,680 39 American Indian N = 106 83 65 Mathematics Science STEM 50 41 White African American 71 61 Asian American N = 1,990 63 61 Percent African American Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Gender 70 67 60 66 61 58 42 41 40 Mathematics Science STEM 20 64 60 0 Hispanic N = 3,054 Pacific Islander N = 51 White N = 13,640 Male Female Two or More Races Male Female N = 1,016 N = 19,160 N = 3,517 Note: Reporting achievement by combinations of student characteristics may give rise to small N counts. As a result, outcomes reported in this section should be interpreted with caution. 13 NATIONAL STEM REPORT Computer Science and Mathematics Majors/Occupations Overall STEM Interest Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Educational Aspirations Professional Degree 44 Master’s Degree Voc-tech Degree 65 66 49 Bachelor’s Degree Associate’s Degree 57 Professional Degree Mathematics Science STEM 13 13 3 4 Bachelor’s Degree Professional Degree Master’s Degree Bachelor’s Degree Associate’s Degree Voc-tech Degree N = 14,337 N = 20,508 N = 62,281 N = 6,307 N = 3,166 53 35 Associate’s Degree High School Graduate or Less 66 49 60 Mathematics Science STEM 40 35 18 11 74 41 36 18 Certification or Some College 13 12 75 69 55 Master’s Degree 74 48 42 24 Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Highest Parental Education Level 29 23 Professional Degree Master’s Degree Bachelor’s Degree Associate’s Degree Certification or Some College High School Grad or Less N = 7,313 N = 15,314 N = 29,336 N = 10,496 N = 16,343 N = 23,449 Expressed and Measured Interest Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Educational Aspirations Professional Degree 58 Master’s Degree 59 Bachelor’s Degree Associate’s Degree Voc-tech Degree 8 78 Professional Degree Mathematics Science STEM 23 25 20 21 Master’s Degree Bachelor’s Degree Associate’s Degree Voc-tech Degree N = 3,629 N = 4,814 N = 12,570 N = 870 N = 349 55 52 29 27 21 82 76 70 65 45 Associate’s Degree High School Graduate or Less Professional Degree 60 Bachelor’s Degree Certification or Some College 84 79 67 Master’s Degree 81 75 59 55 33 8 71 Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Highest Parental Education Level Mathematics Science STEM 53 50 45 40 Professional Degree Master’s Degree Bachelor’s Degree Associate’s Degree Certification or Some College High School Grad or Less N = 2,008 N = 3,918 N = 6,520 N = 2,115 N = 3,196 N = 4,010 Note: Reporting achievement by combinations of student characteristics may give rise to small N counts. As a result, outcomes reported in this section should be interpreted with caution. 14 THE CONDITION OF STEM 2016 NATIONAL STEM REPORT Computer Science and Mathematics Majors/Occupations National N Counts and Percents Computer Science and Mathematics Majors/Occupations Overall STEM Interest* Expressed and Measured N Count Percent N Count Percent Actuarial Science 1,382 2 169 1 Applied Mathematics 2,485 3 605 3 Business/Management Quantitative Methods, General 7,977 9 764 3 11,932 14 3,703 16 3,728 4 935 4 33,091 38 11,439 50 Computer Software and Media Application 8,336 10 2,062 9 Computer System Administration 1,780 2 434 2 684 1 149 1 Information Science 1,045 1 266 1 Management Information Systems 2,004 2 210 1 Mathematics Education 4,102 5 538 2 Mathematics, General 4,200 5 1,021 4 Statistics 1,448 2 215 1 Webpage Design 2,036 2 385 2 Computer and Information Sciences, General Computer Network/Telecommunications Computer Science and Programming Data Management Technology Totals 86,230 22,895 * The “overall STEM interest” counts and percents do not include the “measured only interest” students, as they did not choose a STEM major or occupation. 15 NATIONAL STEM REPORT Medical and Health Majors/Occupations Overall STEM Interest • Between 2012 and 2016, the percent of students interested in STEM decreased by 4%. Student STEM Interest Trends: 2012–2016 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Percent National 45% 44% 43% 42% 41% N Count National 361,047 383,555 388,653 393,085 411,038 Overall STEM Interest (N = 411,038) Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates by ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmark Attainment Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates by Number of ACT College Readiness Benchmarks Attained 100 100 25 41 51 Percent 11 80 48 70 60 14 8 40 Within 2 Points of Benchmark 16 Met Benchmark 64 45 20 Below Benchmark by 3+ Points Percent 80 40 36 12 60 40 31 20 26 16 14 13 1 2 Benchmarks Met 3 18 0 English Reading Mathematics Science 0 STEM 0 4 Expressed and Measured Interest (N = 152,395) Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates by ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmark Attainment Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates by Number of ACT College Readiness Benchmarks Attained 100 100 19 10 34 44 80 64 60 14 9 40 40 17 71 52 20 47 43 Below Benchmark by 3+ Points Within 2 Points of Benchmark 13 Met Benchmark Percent Percent 80 60 40 31 24 20 22 0 English Reading Mathematics Science STEM 0 0 16 15 14 1 2 Benchmarks Met 3 4 Note: Reporting achievement by combinations of student characteristics may give rise to small N counts. As a result, outcomes reported in this section should be interpreted with caution. 16 THE CONDITION OF STEM 2016 NATIONAL STEM REPORT Medical and Health Majors/Occupations Overall STEM Interest Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Race/Ethnicity American Indian 100 14 12 4 19 18 6 80 Asian American Hispanic Pacific Islander 8 Mathematics Science STEM 34 28 13 60 49 Mathematics Science STEM 45 37 40 33 26 49 46 23 Two or More Races N = 58,347 69 27 22 White African American 57 42 Percent African American Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Gender 20 15 39 36 17 0 American Indian Asian American N = 3,474 N = 21,108 Hispanic N = 67,659 Pacific Islander White Male Two or More Races N = 1,392 N = 222,085 N = 17,760 Female Male Female N = 114,840 N = 291,639 Expressed and Measured Interest Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Race/Ethnicity American Indian 100 20 18 6 23 24 8 80 Asian American Hispanic Pacific Islander 46 African American N = 15,130 36 16 21 American Indian N = 1,338 60 Mathematics Science STEM 44 53 51 26 Two or More Races 74 32 26 11 White 63 Percent African American Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Gender 58 54 43 40 Mathematics Science STEM 40 32 19 20 45 43 0 Asian American N = 9,493 Hispanic N = 24,901 Pacific Islander N = 455 White N = 88,133 Male Female Two or More Races Male Female N = 6,624 N = 40,298 N = 110,716 17 NATIONAL STEM REPORT Medical and Health Majors/Occupations Overall STEM Interest Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Educational Aspirations Professional Degree 28 Master’s Degree Associate’s Degree Voc-tech Degree 8 Professional Degree Mathematics Science STEM 27 24 7 7 1 2 Bachelor’s Degree Professional Degree Master’s Degree Bachelor’s Degree Associate’s Degree Voc-tech Degree N = 165,505 N = 52,950 N = 152,165 N = 15,999 N = 2,663 51 46 23 Associate’s Degree High School Graduate or Less 63 57 34 Mathematics Science STEM 32 29 11 Certification or Some College 9 8 70 64 44 Master’s Degree 54 48 25 Bachelor’s Degree 54 49 Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Highest Parental Education Level 30 28 10 20 17 5 Professional Degree Master’s Degree Bachelor’s Degree Associate’s Degree Certification or Some College High School Grad or Less N = 25,542 N = 49,443 N = 100,944 N = 45,953 N = 65,560 N = 87,221 Expressed and Measured Interest Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Educational Aspirations Professional Degree 32 8 1 3 Mathematics Science STEM 28 26 9 9 Bachelor’s Degree 56 52 27 Associate’s Degree High School Graduate or Less 67 62 39 35 34 12 8 Mathematics Science STEM 38 35 14 Certification or Some College 10 12 74 69 50 Master’s Degree 50 25 Bachelor’s Degree Voc-tech Degree Professional Degree 56 Master’s Degree Associate’s Degree 59 54 Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Highest Parental Education Level 26 23 Professional Degree Master’s Degree Bachelor’s Degree Associate’s Degree Voc-tech Degree Professional Degree Master’s Degree Bachelor’s Degree Associate’s Degree Certification or Some College High School Grad or Less N = 80,272 N = 17,890 N = 46,537 N = 4,298 N = 543 N = 11,185 N = 20,160 N = 41,004 N = 18,059 N = 25,245 N = 31,060 Note: Reporting achievement by combinations of student characteristics may give rise to small N counts. As a result, outcomes reported in this section should be interpreted with caution. 18 THE CONDITION OF STEM 2016 NATIONAL STEM REPORT Medical and Health Majors/Occupations National N Counts and Percents Medical and Health Majors/Occupations Overall STEM Interest* N Count Percent Expressed and Measured N Count Percent 26,333 8 7,026 5 2,151 1 821 1 13,053 4 5,331 3 Emergency Medical Technology 4,777 1 1,857 1 Food and Nutrition 3,463 1 663 0 12,846 4 5,919 4 2,525 1 1,389 1 Athletic Training Chiropractic (Pre-Chiropractic) Dentistry (Pre-Dentistry) Health/Medical Technology, General Medical Laboratory Technology 8,999 3 3,661 2 74,439 21 43,243 28 618 0 315 0 Nursing, Practical/Vocational (LPN) 14,775 4 4,938 3 Nursing, Registered (BS/RN) 92,516 27 37,843 25 2,654 1 1,195 1 595 0 322 0 Pharmacy (Pre-Pharmacy) 17,282 5 8,302 5 Physical Therapy (Pre-Physical Therapy) 33,821 10 11,533 8 8,796 3 4,337 3 630 0 249 0 5,331 2 2,977 2 5,056 1 1,865 1 16,710 5 8,609 6 Medical Radiologic Technology Medicine (Pre-Medicine) Nuclear Medicine Technology Optometry (Pre-Optometry) Osteopathic Medicine Physician Assisting Respiratory Therapy Technology Surgical Technology Veterinarian Assisting/Technology Veterinary Medicine (Pre-Vet) Totals 347,370 152,395 * The “overall STEM interest” counts and percents do not include the “measured only interest” students, as they did not choose a STEM major or occupation. 19 NATIONAL STEM REPORT Engineering and Technology Majors/Occupations Overall STEM Interest • Between 2012 and 2016, the percent of students interested in STEM increased by 2%. Student STEM Interest Trends: 2012–2016 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Percent National 23% 24% 25% 25% 25% N Count National 184,644 207,344 220,815 236,300 257,164 Overall STEM Interest (N = 257,164) Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates by ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmark Attainment Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates by Number of ACT College Readiness Benchmarks Attained 100 26 39 40 40 Percent 60 6 11 12 65 0 55 49 English Below Benchmark by 3+ Points 13 40 20 80 55 9 Reading Mathematics 47 Science Within 2 Points of Benchmark Percent 80 100 Met Benchmark 60 37 40 29 20 33 0 STEM 0 12 11 12 1 2 Benchmarks Met 3 4 Expressed and Measured Interest (N = 79,571) Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates by ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmark Attainment Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates by Number of ACT College Readiness Benchmarks Attained 100 100 80 7 24 26 6 Percent 10 25 60 40 14 79 70 64 47 English Reading Mathematics Science 80 Below Benchmark by 3+ Points Within 2 Points of Benchmark Met Benchmark 63 20 0 39 12 STEM Percent 14 60 52 40 20 0 16 0 9 10 1 2 Benchmarks Met 13 3 4 Note: Reporting achievement by combinations of student characteristics may give rise to small N counts. As a result, outcomes reported in this section should be interpreted with caution. 20 THE CONDITION OF STEM 2016 NATIONAL STEM REPORT Engineering and Technology Majors/Occupations Overall STEM Interest Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Race/Ethnicity American Indian 100 21 16 7 26 21 10 80 Asian American Hispanic Pacific Islander 17 16 37 White African American N = 29,096 58 41 Two or More Races 49 34 American Indian N = 2,052 Mathematics Science STEM 41 30 28 78 63 54 Percent African American Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Gender 65 60 61 54 53 46 38 40 Mathematics Science STEM 32 20 56 0 Asian American Hispanic N = 14,842 N = 43,359 Pacific Islander N = 869 White Male Two or More Races N = 141,568 N = 10,099 Female Male Female N = 205,470 N = 48,449 Expressed and Measured Interest Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Race/Ethnicity American Indian 13 16 100 33 26 32 38 Asian American 63 Hispanic 28 Pacific Islander 27 45 43 White African American N = 5,824 47 American Indian N = 578 Asian American N = 5,211 84 72 Mathematics Science STEM 54 72 63 70 69 56 55 Two or More Races 78 80 Percent African American Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Gender 78 60 62 54 45 40 Mathematics Science STEM 20 69 0 Hispanic N = 12,889 Pacific Islander N = 230 White N = 47,202 Male Female Two or More Races Male Female N = 3,438 N = 63,877 N = 15,042 21 NATIONAL STEM REPORT Engineering and Technology Majors/Occupations Overall STEM Interest Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Educational Aspirations Professional Degree 50 Master’s Degree Voc-tech Degree 42 25 73 Professional Degree Mathematics Science STEM 50 11 9 2 Bachelor’s Degree Associate’s Degree High School Graduate or Less Professional Degree Master’s Degree Bachelor’s Degree Associate’s Degree Voc-tech Degree N = 38,469 N = 52,305 N = 122,368 N = 14,998 N = 8,320 58 40 35 19 21 79 80 66 Mathematics Science STEM 43 37 20 10 72 71 57 Certification or Some College 9 8 2 59 Master’s Degree 80 70 56 Bachelor’s Degree Associate’s Degree 64 Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Highest Parental Education Level 42 28 Professional Degree Master’s Degree Bachelor’s Degree Associate’s Degree Certification or Some College High School Grad or Less N = 16,604 N = 36,754 N = 66,908 N = 23,222 N = 33,808 N = 49,748 Expressed and Measured Interest Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Educational Aspirations Professional Degree 60 Master’s Degree 65 Bachelor’s Degree Associate’s Degree Voc-tech Degree 74 54 35 3 3 82 79 Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Highest Parental Education Level Professional Degree 71 Master’s Degree 86 Mathematics Science STEM 62 14 13 67 Bachelor’s Degree Associate’s Degree High School Graduate or Less Professional Degree Master’s Degree Bachelor’s Degree Associate’s Degree Voc-tech Degree N = 17,854 N = 20,981 N = 35,174 N = 2,292 N = 1,174 50 30 18 34 87 81 78 59 53 33 Certification or Some College 12 12 70 53 88 82 Mathematics Science STEM 57 43 Professional Degree Master’s Degree Bachelor’s Degree Associate’s Degree Certification or Some College High School Grad or Less N = 7,214 N = 15,238 N = 23,979 N = 6,945 N = 9,901 N = 12,738 Note: Reporting achievement by combinations of student characteristics may give rise to small N counts. As a result, outcomes reported in this section should be interpreted with caution. 22 THE CONDITION OF STEM 2016 NATIONAL STEM REPORT Engineering and Technology Majors/Occupations National N Counts and Percents Engineering and Technology Majors/Occupations Overall STEM Interest* Expressed and Measured N Count Percent N Count Percent 1,947 1 856 1 16,750 7 8,398 11 Agricultural/Bioengineering 1,772 1 651 1 Architectural Drafting/CAD Technology 1,273 1 297 0 Architectural Engineering 5,882 3 1,402 2 929 0 225 0 11,545 5 2,230 3 Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering Technology Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering Architectural Engineering Technology Architecture, General 4,525 2 910 1 Biomedical Engineering 12,315 5 7,488 9 Chemical Engineering 14,583 6 7,825 10 Civil Engineering 13,460 6 3,567 4 Automotive Engineering Technology 1,076 0 277 0 16,549 7 5,351 7 Computer Engineering Technology 5,588 2 1,559 2 Construction Engineering/Management 4,686 2 776 1 Construction/Building Technology 1,240 1 219 0 Drafting/CAD Technology, General 1,263 1 318 0 13,302 6 4,408 6 3,799 2 1,037 1 Civil Engineering Technology Computer Engineering Electrical, Electronic, and Communication Engineering Electrical/Electronics Engineering Technology 515 0 289 0 29,253 13 10,650 13 5,477 2 1,580 2 262 0 107 0 Environmental Health Engineering 2,443 1 1,226 2 Industrial Engineering 3,333 1 816 1 553 0 122 0 1,328 1 373 0 Electromechanical/Biomedical Engineering Technology Engineering (Pre-Engineering), General Engineering Technology, General Environmental Control Technologies Industrial Production Technologies Mechanical Drafting/CAD Technology 41,942 18 13,345 17 Mechanical Engineering Technology 3,750 2 1,045 1 Military Technologies 3,039 1 727 1 Nuclear Engineering 2,919 1 1,453 2 Quality Control and Safety Technologies 109 0 20 0 Surveying Technology 120 0 24 0 Mechanical Engineering Totals 227,527 79,571 * The “overall STEM interest” counts and percents do not include the “measured only interest” students, as they did not choose a STEM major or occupation. 23 Understanding the Underserved Learner ACT Benchmark Attainment In 2013, ACT expanded its Condition of College & Career Readiness series to include a special report focused on students who indicated an interest in STEM-related fields. For the past three years, the Condition of STEM reports have provided a comprehensive picture of the college readiness levels of those students. To further advance STEM readiness and to honor its commitments to help underserved learners pursue their college and career goals, ACT is providing additional information on the status of underserved ACT-tested graduates in relation to STEM preparation. Historically, access to quality education and career planning opportunities and resources has been hindered for underserved learners. Identifying these students and determining their readiness in math and science could provide them with more opportunities to successfully enter STEM careers and help address the national deficit of skilled STEM workers. Definition of Underserved Learners ACT identifies underserved learners using student characteristics that are often related to a lack of access to high-quality educational and career planning opportunities and resources. Specifically, this definition encompasses students who have at least one of the following characteristics. • Minority: race/ethnicity is African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Hispanic/Latino, or Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander • Low income: combined parental income is less than or equal to $36,000 • First generation in college: highest parental education level is high school diploma or less This definition, which is consistent with that used in current research activities and state/federal intervention programs, casts a wide net. We have elected to maintain this broad definition as a means of representing most underserved students. Impact As shown in the accompanying graphs, the three characteristics used by ACT to define underserved students appear to have a cumulative suppressing effect on college readiness. In other words, the greater the number of characteristics students have, the lower their math, science, and STEM benchmark attainment rates. In isolation, embodiment of at least one underserved characteristic is associated with lower benchmark attainment rates than STEM students nationwide. Students with one underserved characteristic show STEM readiness rates 24 percentage points lower than those with no characteristics. Among students who met two characteristics, STEM readiness rates dropped another 9 percentage points to 6 percent. Among students exhibiting all three underserved characteristics, only 3 percent met the ACT STEM Benchmark. These findings suggest that in order to best help underserved students succeed in STEM-related subjects and fields, we need to better understand the relationships among the defining characteristics and remove the barriers that they create alone and in combination with each other. Working together to remove these barriers is critical to the future success of these students. 24 THE CONDITION OF STEM 2016 Understanding the Underserved Learner ACT Benchmark Attainment Overall STEM Interest Expressed and Measured Interest Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Number of Underserved Characteristics Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Number of Underserved Characteristics 100 100 80 80 71 59 60 32 22 20 0 39 37 40 None One Two Three 46 40 25 23 6 Science None One Two Three 45 42 22 17 20 15 11 Mathematics 67 60 29 18 16 Percent Percent 64 10 3 0 STEM Mathematics Science 6 STEM None One Two Three None One Two Three N = 534,401 N = 272,058 N = 139,985 N = 60,627 N = 200,876 N = 88,723 N = 43,744 N = 18,021 Expressed Interest Only Measured Interest Only Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Number of Underserved Characteristics Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Number of Underserved Characteristics 100 100 80 80 40 56 None One Two Three 37 33 Percent Percent 63 60 60 20 29 0 14 13 Mathematics None One Two Three 51 40 27 19 54 9 Science 17 20 13 5 29 28 15 12 9 3 STEM 0 Mathematics Science 11 4 2 STEM None One Two Three None One Two Three N = 238,172 N = 133,952 N = 69,469 N = 30,490 N = 95,353 N = 49,383 N = 26,772 N = 12,116 Note: Reporting achievement by combinations of student characteristics may give rise to small N counts. As a result, outcomes reported in this section should be interpreted with caution. 25 STEM Interest and Achievement by State Percent of All Graduates Tested* Percent of All ACT-Tested Graduates Interested in STEM Alabama 100 Colorado Illinois State Percent of STEM Students Meeting Benchmarks English Reading Math Science STEM 52 56 38 28 29 14 100 44 69 49 49 46 29 100 41 71 50 51 45 28 Kentucky 100 48 65 45 37 37 18 Louisiana 100 52 64 40 32 33 14 Michigan 100 47 66 46 44 43 23 Minnesota 100 48 67 51 55 48 30 Mississippi 100 51 52 30 24 23 10 Missouri 100 42 66 47 44 41 22 Montana 100 48 63 47 47 41 22 Nevada 100 40 46 33 30 26 13 North Carolina 100 50 52 37 38 31 17 North Dakota 100 47 63 46 46 41 21 South Carolina 100 48 50 35 31 27 13 Tennessee 100 46 65 44 37 37 18 Utah 100 45 65 48 43 42 22 Wisconsin 100 47 68 48 51 46 26 Wyoming 100 49 64 44 41 39 17 Arkansas 96 48 65 44 39 35 17 Hawaii 94 48 53 35 38 30 16 Nebraska 88 48 73 53 51 48 27 Oklahoma 82 50 66 49 38 37 17 Florida 81 46 60 47 40 36 20 South Dakota 76 54 74 56 58 52 29 Kansas 74 49 73 56 55 49 28 Ohio 73 50 73 57 56 52 30 New Mexico 70 57 56 41 35 32 15 Iowa 68 49 79 60 56 55 31 West Virginia 67 58 70 49 37 37 16 Georgia 60 52 67 49 44 40 23 Arizona 58 48 62 46 47 39 23 Alaska 53 44 64 51 49 41 23 26 THE CONDITION OF STEM 2016 STEM Interest and Achievement by State State Percent of All Graduates Tested* Percent of All ACT-Tested Graduates Interested in STEM Percent of STEM Students Meeting Benchmarks English Reading Math Science STEM Texas 46 52 61 46 48 40 24 District of Columbia 44 38 65 55 51 48 38 Indiana 41 52 77 60 60 53 33 Idaho 39 55 80 64 61 54 33 Oregon 39 46 73 57 58 50 32 Connecticut 34 47 86 71 73 66 48 California 33 53 75 58 62 50 36 New Jersey 32 46 78 63 68 56 43 Virginia 31 54 80 65 65 59 40 New York 29 50 82 68 73 64 46 Vermont 29 49 83 66 69 61 39 Massachusetts 28 49 87 72 78 66 50 Maryland 27 52 77 63 64 57 41 Washington 25 55 78 65 69 60 43 New Hampshire 23 54 88 70 77 68 49 Pennsylvania 23 54 81 65 68 60 40 Delaware 21 57 81 67 66 57 40 Rhode Island 20 51 83 65 66 60 41 Maine 10 54 85 66 72 61 45 Nation 64 48 67 49 48 43 26 * Totals for graduating seniors were obtained from Knocking at the College Door: Projections of High School Graduates, 8th edition. © December 2012 by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. 27 ACT Research As a nonprofit educational research organization, ACT is committed to producing research that focuses on key issues in education and workforce development. Our goal is to serve as a data resource. We strive to provide policymakers with the information they need to inform education and workforce development policy and to give educators the tools they need to lead more students toward college and career success. What follows are some recent and groundbreaking ACT research studies related to STEM. To review these studies, go to www.act.org/research/summary. ACT National Curriculum Survey® The ACT National Curriculum Survey is a nationwide survey of educational practices and expectations. Conducted every three to five years by ACT, the survey collects data about what entering college students should know and be able to do to be ready for college-level coursework in English, math, reading, and science. Broadening the Definition of College and Career Readiness: A Holistic Approach The Condition of College & Career Readiness 2016 revealed that only 26% of 2016 ACT-tested high school graduates met all four ACT College Readiness Benchmarks. A more holistic approach to college and career readiness is in order. This report provides evidence that educators, policymakers, and employers embrace a wide variety of skills critical for success. The research also shows that we can improve prediction of college and career readiness by measuring a broader range of skills. ACT Research Report Series 2014 (5) Broadening the Definition of College and Career Readiness: A Holistic Approach By Krista Mattern, Jeremy Burrus, Wayne Camara, Ryan O’Connor, Mary Ann Hansen, James Gambrell, Alex Casillas, Becky Bobek 28 THE CONDITION OF STEM 2016 The Condition of College & Career Readiness 2016 Using ACT scores and the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks, The Condition of College & Career Readiness 2016 provides data highlighting the college and career readiness of the ACT-tested high school class of 2016. This report is updated annually. The Condition of Future Educators 2015 Data from past ACT Condition of STEM reports have shown there are few students interested in math or science education as a profession. This report provides current educators and policymakers a glimpse inside the pipeline of future educators. Development of STEM Readiness Benchmarks to Assist Educational and Career Decision Making The United States must seek ways to maintain the STEM pipeline with students who are likely to succeed in a STEM major and persist in a STEM field. The purpose of this ACT research was to develop a STEM readiness benchmark to provide prospective students more tailored information on the level of knowledge and skills needed to have a reasonable chance of success in first-year STEM courses. STEM Resources ACT has connected with state STEM councils across the country to identify valuable STEM-related resources. These are the top resources suggested by STEM experts. STEM Premier® STEM Premier is a virtual platform that connects STEM students with higher education and the workforce. Students can showcase their skills, get ranked and rated, receive guidance, and find STEM scholarships while colleges, technical schools, and corporations can identify, track, and recruit STEM Premier talent. www.stempremier.com STEMconnector® STEMconnector is the “one-stop shop” for STEM information. With several products and services, STEMconnector supports its members in the design, implementation, and measurement of their STEM strategies. Since its launch in 2011, STEMconnector has been the leader in leveraging a network of STEM stakeholders to “make things happen.” STEMconnector’s charge is to identify, inform, and connect entities working in STEM education and careers to assess smart STEM investments and results. www.stemconnector.org USA Science and Engineering Festival The USA Science and Engineering Festival attracts thousands of K–12 students, parents, teachers, and STEM professionals in the largest national celebration of STEM. The conference will be held in Spring 2018 in Washington, DC. www.usasciencefestival.org Twomentor, LLC Twomentor, LLC, is a social impact company focused on talent strategies for retaining a diverse workforce. It works with clients to build mentoring cultures and initiatives, and its people have a passion for elevating girls and women in STEM skills. It has experience working with many Fortune 500 companies and SMBs and offers facilitated and highly engaging half-day and full-day mentor training, flash mentoring interactive sessions, ongoing MentorCulture consulting, and supports an engaged and passionate workforce as an extended part of your team. www.twomentor.com Learning Blade® From the creators of ACT KeyTrain®, Learning Blade® is an interactive, web-based STEM curriculum validated by BattelleEd in increasing student interest toward STEM careers for middle schoolers. Students pursue engaging missions about real-world STEM problems in an entertaining, game-based platform while also learning about STEM careers, aligned to academic standards. An easy-to-implement, costeffective STEM tool, Learning Blade has been adopted statewide in two states and is used in over 25 states. www.learningblade.com USNews.com The U.S. News STEM Solutions National Leadership Conference is focused on improving America’s science, technology, engineering, and math skills. As a digital company committed to covering STEM through in-depth reporting, research, and analysis, U.S. News & World Report will bring the sixth annual leadership conference to the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina on May 24–26, 2017. For more information, visit www.usnewsstemsolutions.com. For ongoing STEM news and analysis, visit www. usnews.com/STEM. 29 ACT-Defined STEM Majors and Occupations by Area Science Majors/Occupations Agronomy and Crop Science Medical Laboratory Technology Animal Sciences Medicine (Pre-Medicine) Astronomy Nuclear Medicine Technology Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology Nursing, Practical/Vocational (LPN) Biochemistry and Biophysics Nursing, Registered (BS/RN) Biology, General Optometry (Pre-Optometry) Cell/Cellular Biology Osteopathic Medicine Chemistry Pharmacy (Pre-Pharmacy) Ecology Physical Therapy (Pre-Physical Therapy) Environmental Science Physician Assisting Food Sciences and Technology Respiratory Therapy Technology Forestry Surgical Technology Genetics Veterinarian Assisting/Technology Geological and Earth Sciences Veterinary Medicine (Pre-Vet) Horticulture Science Engineering and Technology Majors/Occupations Marine/Aquatic Biology Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering Technology Microbiology and Immunology Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering Natural Resources Conservation, General Agricultural/Bioengineering Natural Resources Management Architectural Drafting/CAD Technology Physical Sciences, General Architectural Engineering Physics Architectural Engineering Technology Science Education Architecture, General Wildlife and Wildlands Management Automotive Engineering Technology Zoology Biomedical Engineering Computer Science and Mathematics Majors/Occupations Chemical Engineering Actuarial Science Civil Engineering Technology Applied Mathematics Computer Engineering Business/Management Quantitative Methods, General Computer Engineering Technology Computer and Information Sciences, General Construction Engineering/Management Computer Network/Telecommunications Construction/Building Technology Computer Science and Programming Drafting/CAD Technology, General Computer Software and Media Application Electrical, Electronic, and Communication Engineering Computer System Administration Electrical/Electronics Engineering Technology Data Management Technology Electromechanical/Biomedical Engineering Technology Information Science Engineering (Pre-Engineering), General Management Information Systems Engineering Technology, General Mathematics Education Environmental Control Technologies Mathematics, General Environmental Health Engineering Statistics Industrial Engineering Webpage Design Industrial Production Technologies Medical and Health Majors/Occupations Mechanical Drafting/CAD Technology Athletic Training Mechanical Engineering Chiropractic (Pre-Chiropractic) Mechanical Engineering Technology Dentistry (Pre-Dentistry) Military Technologies Emergency Medical Technology Nuclear Engineering Food and Nutrition Quality Control and Safety Technologies Health/Medical Technology, General Surveying Technology 30 THE CONDITION OF STEM 2016 Medical Radiologic Technology Civil Engineering National STEM Report ACT’s Commitment to STEM Everyone must work together to get more students prepared to succeed in STEM careers. This is a critical step if the United States is to remain a world leader. ACT is committed to research and assessment practices that make enhanced STEM opportunities for students a reality. Although gains have been made in STEM readiness, the data show that far too many STEM-interested students are still not well prepared to succeed in the type of rigorous college math and science coursework required of STEM majors. ACT research indicates that students who meet or surpass the ACT STEM Benchmark are much more likely than those who don’t to persevere in college and earn a STEM degree within six years. ACT recently developed the ACT Aspire® assessment system, focused on grades 3–10. ACT Aspire covers the same subjects as the ACT: English, reading, math, science, and writing. To complement the information in the STEM report, an ACT Aspire STEM score has been developed. This score gives educators and STEM leaders an early and ongoing view of the STEM pipeline within their states. ACT WorkKeys® and the ACT National Career Readiness Certificate™ are additional assessment tools available to students, individuals, and companies to assist in determining work readiness for STEM-related jobs. Notes 1. When individuals register for the ACT, they are asked to choose a college major they plan to enter as well as an occupational choice from a list of 294 major and occupational titles. Of these 294 titles, 93 have been identified as STEM related. Assignment of ACT titles to STEM titles was conducted by an expert panel of ACT staff members with knowledge of labor market trends and postsecondary academic programs. Panel decisions were informed by three sources of information: (1) STEM-designated occupations from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), (2) STEM-designated degree programs from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and (3) ACT Interest Inventory score profiles for students planning to enter the major/ occupation. ACT titles were assigned to STEM when both the corresponding BLS and ICE titles were included in STEM or when the corresponding BLS title was included in STEM and the profile of measured interests of students planning to enter this occupation peaked on the Science and Technology scale. These two guidelines accounted for 89 of the 93 ACT titles assigned to STEM. The remaining four titles were assigned to STEM based on the judged intensiveness of their math and science coursework (major) or work tasks (occupation). ACT titles in the Social Sciences were excluded from this STEM list because many STEM taxonomies do not include majors and occupations in this field. 2. Students were assigned to one of three STEM cohorts: Expressed and Measured, Expressed Only, or Measured Only. These cohorts were based on the pairing of Expressed and Measured STEM interest types, where: • Students with expressed STEM interest planned on a STEM major or occupation following high school. • Students with measured STEM interest had a highest ACT Interest Inventory score in Science or had a highest ACT Interest Inventory score in Technology and a second-highest score in Science. Within each STEM cohort, students were also assigned to one of four STEM areas: Science, Computer Science and Mathematics, Medical and Health, or Engineering and Technology. STEM areas for students in the Expressed and Measured Interest cohort and the Expressed Interest Only cohort were based on the STEM area of students’ planned major. If planned major was not STEM, then the STEM area of their planned occupation was used. For students in the Measured Interest Only cohort, STEM area was based on the correlation of ACT Interest Inventory scores and the interest profile of the planned major. Using a national sample of 2-year students in their second year and 4-year students in their third year who have a declared major and a grade point average of at least 2.0 (N=62,494), each major’s profile was estimated as the mean ACT Interest Inventory scores for students in that major. 3. Mattern, K., Radunzel, J., & Westrick P. (2015). Development of STEM readiness benchmarks to assist career and educational decision making. (ACT Research Report 2015-3). Iowa City, IA: ACT, Inc. 4. Crouse, J., Harmston, M., & Radunzel, J. (2016). Validity evidence for STEM interest identification. (ACT Research Technical Brief). Iowa City, IA: ACT, Inc. © 2016 by ACT, Inc. All rights reserved. The ACT® test is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc., in the USA and other countries. The ACT National Curriculum Survey®, ACT Aspire®, ACT KeyTrain®, and ACT WorkKeys® are registered trademarks of ACT, Inc. The ACT National Career Readiness Certificate™ is a trademark of ACT, Inc. 31 ACT is an independent, nonprofit organization that provides assessment, research, information, and program management services in the broad areas of education and workforce development. Each year, we serve millions of people in high schools, colleges, professional associations, businesses, and government agencies, nationally and internationally. Though designed to meet a wide array of needs, all ACT programs and services have one guiding purpose—helping people achieve education and workplace success. This report can be found at www.act.org/stemcondition *070804160* Rev 2