Will Virginia seize the future?

Virginia could have a bright future in STEM

VA will enjoy robust STEM growth As in much of the country, STEM jobs in Virginia will enjoy robust growth. VA ranks in the top 10 of projected growth in STEM jobs Computing will grow particularly quickly; expected 24% increase in jobs Given the importance of technology as a driver of innovation and economic growth, VA might want to do more to promote a stronger computing workforce, along with other measures to strengthen the industry in the state. VA rank: overall: tied with AL, AK, KY, MA and SC for 7th computing: tied with ND for 4th

VA leads in STEM wage premium VA ranks in the top ten percent in relation to STEM wage premium. STEM employees can earn more than double their non-STEM contemporaries. In other words, the advantage of having a STEM job is higher than in most other states—a sign of strong demand. VA rank: tied with TX for 5th

STEM skills may be in short supply

VA loses talent at every step of the education system To Virginia’s credit, it outperforms the nation as a whole in high school and college graduation rates. In absolute terms, though, it’s 4-year and 2-year graduation rates are unacceptably low.

Women are falling behind in computing degrees Over 3.5X higher for men Virginia Only 21% for women After 2001, when women earned almost 40% of computing degrees/certificates, the number of women earning these credentials dropped steadily even as men surged back into the profession. In 2001, VA ranked 10th in percentage of women earning computing degrees/certificates. Today, it ranks 27th nationally. VA rank: 27th

Women remain sparse in engineering Nearly 4X higher for men Virginia Only 21% for women Though Virginia has increased the number of women earning engineering degrees since 2001, they still greatly trail their male counterparts. In 2015, men have earned about 1,500 more engineering degrees over 2001 levels; while women seen an increase of less than 500 during the same period, widening the gender gap. VA rank: 15th

Minorities very scarce in engineering Almost a third of Population… …but only 11% of degrees In absolute terms, racial and ethnic minorities are badly underrepresented among those who get degrees and certificates from Virginia engineering programs. While they make up nearly one-third of the college-age population, only11 percent earn these degrees. VA diversity score rank: 23rd

VA could tap into minority talent in schools The good news is VA has minority students with the potential to succeed on AP placement tests. The challenge is nearly 50 percent did not take them. The first step is to help these Virginia students take the tests. Success on the AP test may point to a higher percentage of STEM-ready college students. Untapped pool of STEM talent

Virginia outperforms the national average in math but has farther to go

Gains in 4th-grade math, but achievement gaps persist Virginia’s 4th and 8th grade students from historically-underrepresented racial/cultural minority groups trail their majority counterparts in math performance.

8th-grade math gains for Latinos, declines for African Americans Virginia’s 4th and 8th grade students from historically-underrepresented racial/cultural minority groups trail their peers in math performance.

Few VA 8th-graders have teachers who majored in math 38%

Virginia students have outperformed the nation in science, but unequal access to resources is a concern

Rural VA students slip in 4th-grade science 163 158 While suburban and rural 4th-graders made gains, rural students fell back

Lower-income VA 8th-graders fall farther behind Since 2009, the gaps between lower- and higher-income students has grown from 12 to 18 points—a full 50%!

Rural students’ science teachers lack science majors Rural schools face greater challenges attracting teachers with a strong background in science.

VA minorities lack well-supported teachers in science Teachers in schools whose enrollments are mostly black and Latino are least likely to say they have the resources they need.

More VA students need access to challenging STEM classes VA students need more access to challenging math classes, like calculus. While true for white students, as well, the number of VA minority students who lack the opportunity to take calculus is much worse.

To seize the future in STEM… Virginia should expand access to: Proven STEM education opportunities for students of color Teachers with strong STEM backgrounds and robust instructional support Better STEM materials and facilities Challenging STEM courses, including AP courses Proven out-of-school STEM opportunities that complement in-school opportunities

Contact Information Claus von Zastrow cvonzastrow@changetheequation.org 202.626.5740 www.changetheequation.org Facebook.com/changetheequation Twitter.com/changeequation