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STEM education is the preparation in which students gain skills in science, technology, engineering, and math.

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"America consistently ranks poorly against its global classmates in STEM subjects, placing 25th in math and 17th in science out of 31 countries ranked by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (Baker, 2016)."

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Projected Percentage Increase in STEM Jobs 2010-2020

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STEM education helps to bridge the ethnic and gender gaps sometimes found in math and science fields. Initiatives have been established to increase the roles of women and minorities in STEM-related fields. STEM education breaks the traditional gender roles. In order to compete in a global economy, STEM education and careers must be a national priority. Each and every decision made uses an aspect of STEM to understand the implications.

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Baker, M. (2016, September 15). Why Teach Kids STEM? Retrieved March 14, 2018, from https://www.nymetroparents.com/article/Why-STEM-Education-Is-Important-For-All-Kids-Boys-And-Girls

Birmingham, S. (2016, June 03). STEM Education - Bulidng Skills for the Future. Retrieved March 14, 2018, from https://www.educationtechnologysolutions.com.au/2016/06/stem-education-building-skills-future/

Importance of STEM Education in Elementary School | College of Education - FSU. (2016, August 01). Retrieved March 14, 2018, from https://education.fsu.edu/importance-stem-education-elementary-school
Science, Technology, Engineering and

Math: Education for Global Leadership. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2018, from
https://www.ed.gov/stem

Why STEM education is important. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2018, from https://www.isa.org/standards-and-publications/isa-publications/intech-magazine/2010/september/why-stem-education-is-important/

7 reasons why STEM education is important. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2018, from https://www.plantservices.com/blogs/stem-101/7-reasons-why-stem-education-is-important/

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"STEM education creates critical thinkers, increases science literacy, and enables the next generation of innovators. Innovation leads to new products and processes that sustain our economy. This innovation and science literacy depends on a solid knowledge base in the STEM areas. It is clear that most jobs of the future will require a basic understanding of math and science-10-year employment projections by the U.S. Department of Labor show that of the 20 fastest growing occupations projected for 2014, 15 of them require significant mathematics or science preparation (Why STEM Education Is Important, 2018).

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There are more STEM major careers than there are STEM major students. This is why we are facing a shortage of employees here in the U.S.

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- At least 2/3 of STEM workers have a college degree or higher
- STEM workers tend to earn 26% more than non-STEM workers

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"[Science] is more than a school subject, or the periodic table, or the properties of waves. It is an approach to the world, a critical way to understand and explore and engage with the world, and then have the capacity to change that world..."

— President Barack Obama, March 23, 2015