2012 Edu/Stats

THEORY TO PRACTICE, ISSUE NO. 4, FALL ’12

The Federal STEM Education Portfolio, published in December 2011, outlines the government’s financial commitments to STEM education. A few facts: 

  • Federal investment in STEM education today is less than one percent of the $1.1 trillion spent annually on education in the United States.
  • Only three federal agencies dedicate at least 10 percent of their agency-wide research and development funding to STEM education investments: the National Science Foundation, the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services.
  • About $312 million is being spent on programs that pro.mote teacher effectiveness.
  • Another $1.1 billion targets groups that are underrepresented in STEM occupations.