Can Ohio seize the future?

Ohio could have a bright future in STEM

OH will enjoy STEM growth OH STEM jobs are projected to grow at a higher rate than non-STEM jobs; computing will increase considerably in absolute terms. Any increase will benefit OH’s overall economy.

In OH, it pays to have a STEM job OH STEM employees can earn nearly double their non-STEM contemporaries. In other words, the advantage of having a STEM job is greater than having a non-STEM job—a sign of strong demand.

Will Ohio have the STEM talent to meet the demand?

OH lags in STEM credentials Relative to the nation as a whole, a smaller share of degrees and certificates awarded in the state are in STEM fields.

Minorities very scarce in engineering One-fifth of Population… …but less than 5% of degrees In absolute terms, racial and ethnic minorities are badly underrepresented among those who get degrees and certificates from Ohio engineering programs. While they make up 20 percent of college populations, less than 5 percent earn these degrees. In relative terms, though, Ohio ranks 34th on this measure—which mostly demonstrates how poorly the nation as a whole is doing. OH diversity score rank: tied with IN for 34th

Women sparse in engineering Nearly 4X higher for men Only 20% for women While the number of females completing engineering degrees/certificates since 2001 has increased, they still greatly trail their male counterparts. In 2015, women earned just 20% of OH engineering degrees compared to men. OH rank: 27th

Women sparse in computing Over 3X higher for men Only 31% for women After a boom of females completing computing degrees/certificates in 2002, the number has yet to return to that level. In 2001 and 2002, women had considerably closed the gap in number of computing degrees earned compared to men; 3,026 versus 5,511, respectively. Since then, men have earned more than triple the number of computing degrees compared to women; 37,594 versus 11,695, respectively. In 2013, women earned only around a third of OH computing degrees compared to men.

The challenge begins early: Students lag in K-12

Persistent achievement gaps in math and science OH minorities trail their majority counterparts. Lower-income and African American students lag farthest behind.

OH elementary students spend less time on science Ohio students in elementary school spend less time on science than the national average. OH students in 1st to 4th grade dedicate less time on science than they did in 1994.

OH 8th-grade students of color lack access to science labs OH 8th graders have fewer schools with access to 8th grade science labs than the national average; ranking 44th among all states . Black (51st; dead last!) and those that attend majority Black/Hispanic schools (50th; second to last) rank at the bottom as compared to other states.

OH matches the national average for 8th grade science performance Ohio 8th grade students earn science scores right around the national average

OH matches the national average for 8th grade math performance Ohio 8th grade students earn math scores a little better than the national average

Ohio can give students better opportunities to learn

More OH minority students need access to challenging classes While all OH students could use greater access to challenging math and science courses, OH’s Black and Hispanic students have very limited access; ranking in the bottom quartile of all states.

Advanced classes could develop minority talent The good news is OH has minority students with the potential to succeed on AP placement tests. The challenge is more than 50 percent did not take them. The first step is to help these students take the tests. Untapped pool of STEM talent Note: OH ranks in lowest quartile for Black students taking and scoring 3+ in science and math AP tests

OH students need more hands-on science activities OH students need more hands-on science activities.; ranking in the lowest quartile nationally. While three-quarters of 8th graders nationwide participate in these activities weekly, just over 60 percent of OH students have similar activities. OH ranks near the bottom for Hispanic students. OH rank: Hispanic students (tied with KY for 47th )

OH 8th graders should learn more about the work of engineers OH teachers of 8th grade students need to expose them to the types of problems engineers work. Ohio 8th graders discuss the kinds of problems engineers address almost half as often as their peers nationwide.

OH lags in science teaching resources OH 8th grade science teachers say they lack the resources necessary to properly teach their classes. The state trails the national average in this area.

OH students need better access to science teachers with science degrees Ohio trails the national average of 8th graders with science teachers with undergraduate science degree. The state ranks second to last in several categories, including overall teachers with science degrees This is made more stark when considering that less than half of all US 8th grade science teachers hold undergraduate degrees in a science field. OH rank: 50th overall, for Black students, and those in schools with >50% Black/Hispanic students; second to last!

To seize the future in STEM… Early and sustained investments point to… Better prepared K-12 students Better science teacher retention More science resources and greater accessibility to challenging math and science classes Increased job growth Greater financial reward for those who work in STEM

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