California Institute of Technology 1? ?l 
Pasadena, CA 91125 tfr@caltech.edu (626) 395?6301   

Thomas F. Rosenbaum, President   
803er and William Danido'w Presidential Cbair and Pro?rror rfP/Jysics 

February 26, 2017

The Honorable Edmund G. Brown, Jr.
Of?ce of the Governor

State Capitol

c/o Kathy Baldree

Suite 1173

Sacramento, California 95814

Dear Governor Brown:

On behalf of the California Institute of Technology, I am sending this letter of support for the
founding of a California STEM School in downtown Los Angeles. Caltech?s campus is comprised
of high-achieving students from a variety of backgrounds, and we are always eager to build the
base of talent and attract exceptional and diverse candidates to our campus.

Creation of a ?feeder? school in California, which consistently sends underserved students to
Caltech and other research universities in the State to pursue STEM majors, will benefit all
Californians. Data gathered by ACT, the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and
Medicine, and others illustrate the challenges on access and preparedness we have seen
anecdotally in our admissions of?ce:

0 According to ACT, despite having a high interest in STEM, underrepresented students lag
behind their peers in being academically prepared to pursue STEM majors and careers.1

- High school students are more likely to pursue physics in college if they have been taught
physics by a teacher with substantial expertise in the subject. However, nationally there is
a signi?cant shortage of well-prepared physics teachers, with only about 46% of all high
school classes having a teacher with significant knowledge of the subject.2

- According to the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME), there
are low numbers of minority students taking rigorous science, technology and mathematics
courses in high school, leaving them unprepared to pursue college engineering programs.3

I The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine state that ?secondary
school programs that guarantee students have access to advanced courses and proper
academic advising would ensure underrepresented minorities are fully prepared for college
and improve graduation rates.?4

 

?The Condition of STEM 2016.? ACT

2?Phyle: Preparing Physics Students for 215L Century Careers.? A report by the Joint Task Force on Undergraduate Physics Programs, December
8, 2016.

3?Minorities arc Answer to US. Shortage of Engineers.? NACME Press Release.

4 Must Involve Underrepresented Minorities in Science and Engineering to Maintain Competitive Edge.? National Academies of Sciences,
Engineering, and Medicine, September 30, 2010.

We are excited that the California STEM School will develop an innovative, project-based
curriculum and instructional model that focuses on skills essential to success in a rapidly evolving
world. From what we understand, the school will attract a faculty representing educators,
researchers and industry leaders who will bring broad and creative instruction to the next
generation of leaders, with a focus on serving students of color, students from low-income
communities, and girls. The school will have a world-class facility with state-of-the-art
laboratories and access to partnerships with local university STEM departments. The partnerships
will extend to the community by sharing best practices and hosting STEM-focused events to
teachers and families across Los Angeles.

For more than a century, the Caltech community has educated scientists and entrepreneurs who
have pioneered new industries. Caltech faculty members have created more than 80 companies in
fields like advanced materials, biomedicine, and telecommunications. Between our campus and
the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed by Caltech for NASA, Caltech employs more
than 8,000 scientists, engineers and support staff, making the Institute one of Los Angeles
County?s top 15 private employers.

We support this new STEM effort not only for the bene?t of the California Institute of
Technology, but also for the ability of our country to remain competitive in a quickly evolving
world. We applaud the efforts to create a California STEM School and look forward to welcoming
its graduates to Caltech.

Sincerely,

Thomas F. Rosenbaum

cc: Joe Shepherd, C. L. Kelly Johnson Professor of Aeronautics and Mechanical Engineering;
Vice President, Student Affairs, Caltech
Hall Daily, Government Relations Director, Caltech
Gerun Riley, President, The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation