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SucceSSful K–12 STeM educaTion
SUMMARY OF CRITERIA TO IDENTIFY
SUCCESSFUL K-12 STEM SCHOOLS
I
n this report we identify three types
of criteria that can be used to iden-
tify successful STEM schools:
criteria related to outcomes, cri-
teria related to school types,
and criteria related to instruction
and school-level practices.
The strongest research comes
from criteria related to practices,
where the evidence allowed the
committee to characterize effec-
tive STEM instruction, identify key
elements that contribute to effec-
tive instruction, and identify school
characteristics that support learning.
Effective STEM instruction capitalizes
on students’ early interest and experi-
ences, identifies and builds on what they
know, engages them in STEM practices, and
provides them with experiences to sustain their
interest. Key elements that contribute to effective STEM instruction include a coherent set of
standards and curriculum, teachers with high capacity, a supportive system of assessment and
accountability, adequate instructional time, and equal access to quality STEM learning opportuni-
ties. The research also suggests that effective elementary schools share common elements, namely,
strong leadership, professional capacity among teachers, strong ties to parents and the community,
a student-centered learning climate, and instructional guidance for teachers. These elements have
been shown to support learning gains even in schools in areas of extreme poverty and hardship.
With respect to criteria related to schools, we identified three types of STEM-focused schools
(selective, inclusive, and CTE) that have different goals, strategies, and student populations—all
with the potential to improve STEM learning. Because of the challenges with conducting causal
research on these schools, little research is available that demonstrates the effectiveness of STEM-
focused schools in comparison with other schools or that contrasts the relative effectiveness of
their different approaches on a variety of student outcomes. As a result, the committee is not
able to identify a distinct set of criteria related to STEM-focused schools themselves. However,
these schools do offer a range of compelling models for the ways that the various effective STEM
practices can be combined into a working whole. Hence, these schools provide an important
resource for extending the implementation of effective STEM practices—to individual students
and throughout entire districts and states.
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SucceSSful K–12 STeM educaTion
Finally, a wide variety of outcomes can be used as criteria to identify successful schools, though it
should be noted that outcomes alone do not provide insight into the practices that contribute to
success. Powerful new research is being conducted using longitudinal data on student achievement;
among other things, such research will provide a systematic and inclusive way to define schools
that have positive student outcomes. Such research should be broadened to include outcomes
other than student test scores, graduation rates, and data on the effective STEM practices we have
identified. In the years ahead, this approach could provide a much more comprehensive analysis
of the relative effectiveness of different schools in promoting STEM and the reasons for the dif-
ferences across schools.
In many respects, effective practices for STEM are closely related to effective practices for educa-
tion in general. This is not surprising. Still, it is important to pay attention to these practices in
STEM because the research suggests that some strategies are unique to STEM learning and some
challenges particularly affect success in STEM. STEM education is vital to our nation’s continued
growth, leadership, and development, but this report has documented some important shortcom-
ings that could hinder our progress. Drawing on these findings, we propose a series of next steps
at the local, state, and national levels to strengthen K-12 STEM education.
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