TECHNOLOGY L. Rafael Reif, Prairie)? 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Building 3-208 Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139?4307 Phone 1-617-253?0148 February 15, 2017 The Honorable Edmund G. Brown, Jr. Governor of the State of California State Capitol, Suite 1173 1303 Tenth Street Sacramento, CA 95814-4910 Dear Governor Brown: Please accept this letter of support for the founding California STEM School to be located in downtown Los Angeles. My colleagues at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology wholeheartedly join me in endorsing the concept of this innovative school, which we understand will: Nurture and develop the next generation of leaders in STEM, with a focus on serving students of color, students from low-income communities, and girls; 0 Develop an innovative and hands-on curriculum and instructional model that focuses on the skills that students need to adapt to a rapidly evolving world; Assemble a world class faculty that represents a cross section of the best educators, researchers, and industry leaders in the region; 0 Provide access to state of the art STEM laboratories through a world-class school facility and partnerships with local university STEM departments; and Impact the broader community by offering its curriculum, faculty time, and campus to local public school teachers, students, and community partners. Our director of admissions recognizes the need for such a school in Los Angeles. California represents the largest number of students entering our ?rst?year cohort, and while the candidates come from a variety of backgrounds, we are actively seeking more qualified and more diverse candidates. Studies by ACT, College Board, and the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine reinforce the challenges on access and preparedness that we have seen anecdotally in our admissions of?ce, particularly with applicants from underrepresented communities: According to ACT, despite having a high interest in STEM, underrepresented students lag far behind their peers in being academically prepared to pursue STEM majors and careers.1 0 Many underrepresented students will never realize their passion for subjects like computer science because most schools do not offer these students access and exposure to such courses. According to College Board data, ?more than 33,000 black and Hispanic students demonstrated potential for success in AP Computer Science, but only 4.7 percent of them gained access.?2 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.?3 ?The Condition of STEM 2016.? ACT 2 ?College Board and Code.org Announce Comprehensive Efforts to Expand Diversity in Computer Science.? College Board, May 4, 2015. Must Involve Underrepresented Minorities in Science and Engineering to Maintain Competitive Edge.? National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, September 30, 2010. The Honorable Edmund G. Brown, Jr. February 15, 2017 Page 2 MIT has a proud history of developing the next generation of scientists and entrepreneurs who have pioneered new industries and created millions of jobs. In California, 4,100 of our alumni have founded corporations that generate an estimated $134 billion in worldwide sales.4 To continue this impact for MIT and for California, we must prepare more of our youth for leadership in these areas. We support the creation of a visionary school not only for the bene?t of diversifying future students in higher education STEM, but also for our country?s future STEM workforce. We applaud the efforts to create a California STEM School and look forward to welcoming its graduates to MIT. Sincerely, i L. Rafael Reif LRR/rgm 4 ?Entrepreneurial Impact: The Role of Kauffman Foundation for Entrepreneurship, 2009.