IMPROVING STEM EDUCATION: President Donald J. Trump is releasing a plan to strengthen education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
- The President’s plan seeks to ensure that all Americans have access to quality STEM education and safeguard America’s place as the global leader in STEM innovation and employment.
- The Administration’s goals include building a strong foundation of STEM literacy, increasing diversity in STEM careers, and preparing the STEM workforce of the future.
- The plan lays out key pathways to achieve these goals, including:
- Developing and enriching strategic STEM partnerships
- Engaging students where disciplines converge
- Advancing computational thinking as a critical skill for America’s future workforce
REALIZING A SHARED VISION: The plan advances the shared goal of educators and the Administration to improve STEM education and employment opportunities.
- The plan was developed by the National Science and Technology Council Committee on STEM Education and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
- The Administration engaged extensively with the education community in developing this plan, listening to their concerns and experiences.
- This effort included hosting a State-Federal STEM Education Summit that brought together STEM education specialists from all 50 States.
EXPANDING STEM OPPORTUNITIES: This plan continues President Trump’s commitment to expand STEM education and employment opportunities for all Americans.
- Since taking office, President Trump has worked to improve STEM education, increase STEM employment, and prepare our workers and students for the jobs of the future.
- The President established the National Council for the American Worker to develop a strategy to ensure American students and workers have access to the training and education they need.
- President Trump signed the reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act to support career and technical education programs for American students.
- In June 2017, President Trump signed a presidential memorandum directing the Department of Education to make STEM and computer science education a top priority.
- The President’s memorandum called for the Secretary of Education to set a goal of devoting at least $200 million per year toward STEM education.
- In FY 2018, the Department spent $279 million in discretionary STEM grants.
- President Trump has worked to advance opportunities for women in STEM careers.
- The President signed the INSPIRE Act directing NASA to encourage women to study STEM and to pursue aerospace careers.
- President Trump signed legislation enabling the National Science Foundation to better support women inventors.