Will Maryland seize the future?

Maryland could have a bright future in STEM

Maryland will enjoy robust STEM growth As in much of the country, STEM jobs in Maryland will enjoy robust growth.

STEM jobs earn more than non-STEM jobs in MD STEM employees in Maryland can earn more than double that of their non-STEM contemporaries. Maryland ranks 5th in the nation for median earnings of STEM employees.

Will Maryland have the STEM talent to meet the demand?

MD loses potential talent at each education level Though it outperforms the nation as a whole in many categories, Maryland has the potential to producing more graduates in STEM fields. MD has higher high school and 4-year college graduation rates than the nation as a whole, and the degrees graduates earn are more likely to be in STEM fields. Still, more than one in three students beginning a four-year degree fails to complete the degree in six years, and a shocking 80 percent of students who begin a two-year degree fail to finish. When STEM talent is at a premium, these completion rates represent lost opportunities for students and employers alike.

Minorities have shown small gains in computing degrees More than 40% of population… …but less than 1/3 of degrees Underrepresented minorities: Black, Latino, and American Indian/Alaska native. Though Maryland fares better than most other states on this measure, minorities are still badly underrepresented among those earning degrees and certificates in computing.

Minorities very scarce in engineering Nearly half the population… …but only 16% of degrees In absolute terms, racial and ethnic minorities are badly underrepresented among those who receive degrees and certificates from Maryland engineering programs. While they constitute 44 percent of the college-aged populations, the receive only 16 percent of degrees and certificates in the field. Maryland ranks relatively high (5th) compared to other states on this measure. That just speaks to the poor performance of the country as a whole.

More than 3x higher for men Women sparse in computing More than 3x higher for men The gap between the number of men earning computing degrees and certificates and the number of women earning them has grown tremendously over the last 15 years. In 2001, women earned roughly 36% of degrees/certificates. Now they earn roughly 24% of them. Since then, men have earned more than twice as many computing degrees as women; 47,252 versus 18,757. Only 24% for women

Women sparse in engineering Over 3x more for men Only 22% for women Though there have been increases since 2001 in the number of women earning engineering degrees and certificates, men have earned more than 3 times as many from 2001 through 2015; 32,779 versus 8,984. In 2015, women earned just 22% of MD engineering degrees and certificates.

The challenge begins early: Students have made progress in K-12, but they still have far to go

MD 4th-graders have fallen back in math after years of gains Hispanic students saw sharp declines after 2011. MD rank: White (tied for 10th); rural (9th); lower-income (tied for 44th)

MD 8th-graders’ math gains stalled after 2009 The gap between higher- and lower-income students in Maryland is wider than in most other states. MD rank: Black (tied for 9th); Hispanic (tied for 8th); lower-income (tied for 43rd)

MD 8th-graders made moderate gains since 2009 MD 8th graders as a whole fall below the proficiency mark for science. Lower-income, Black and Hispanic 8th graders in Maryland trail their higher-income and white peers in science performance, but they have improved more rapidly.

Persistent achievement gaps in math performance MD’s racial achievement gaps in math and science are among the largest in the nation. While too many Maryland students are below the proficient threshold, Black and Hispanic students lag behind their white peers. Maryland minority students trail their peers in math and science proficiency by as many as 39 percentage points. MD rank: 8th grade science: Black-white gap (tied for 45th); 8th grade math: Black-white gap (45th); 4th grade science: Black-white gap (tied for 35th)

Persistent achievement gaps in math performance Here, too, Maryland’s achievement gaps are among the largest in the nation. Maryland students eligible for free/reduced lunch trail their peers in math proficiency by up to 36 percentage points. MD rank (income gap): 8th grade science (tied for 43rd); 4th grade math (42nd); 8th grade math (tied for 41st)

Maryland can give students better opportunities to learn

Minorities have less access to supplies for science labs Maryland 8th-graders whose schools report that supplies or equipment for science labs are available “to a large extent,” by race/ethnicity, 2015 Eighth-graders in schools whose enrollments are mostly Black or Hispanic are most likely to lack this access.

Advanced classes could develop more minority talent The good news is MD has minority students with the potential to succeed on AP placement tests. The challenge is that 40 percent did not even take them. Untapped pool of STEM talent

To seize the future in STEM… Maryland should expand access to: Proven stem education opportunities for minority and lower-income students Teachers with strong STEM backgrounds and robust instructional support STEM materials and facilities for K-12 students

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