Federal Education Initiatives (USGS) (what’s happening, why it’s happening, where we fit in, what we need to do) AGI Government Affairs Advisory Committee Meeting October 1, 2005 Robert W. Ridky National Education Coordinator U.S. Geological Survey

Only 2 Federal Agencies Have Anything About Education In Their Authorizing Language Department of Agriculture Department of Commerce Department of Defense Department of Energy Department of Health and Human Services Department of Homeland Security Department of Housing and Urban Development Department of the Interior Department of Labor Department of State

USGS Mission Providing the Nation with reliable scientific information and analysis. Biology Hydrology Geology Geography

Educational Materials from the U.S. Geological Survey

Culture Counts…

We must distribute our understandings among the people. How shall it be done? (May 1890 ) began career in one room school house teaching for seven years

Mission and Strategic Goals of USGS Education “Education and research are always in the public service and therefore are inextricably bound at all levels”

Shake Maps… beyond magnitude and epicenter Opportunities For Citizen Participation

Collaborative Efforts “To serve as a forum that fosters teamwork with USGS in conducting watershed assessment, identifying priority protection measures, educating affected interests, and promoting practices that protect the Watershed.”

Partnerships - working with societies in the development of instructional materials.

Partnerships – working with sister agencies “...it is essential that all students be given the opportunity to study earth science as an integral part of their education.” Joint Statement to the American Public Chip Groat, USGS Vice Admiral Conrad Lautenbacher, Jr. NOAA

“For the first time in our nation’s history, we have a call to action, a dramatic call for change, and one that specifically states that all students, at all grade levels, should receive earth science instruction.” National Research Council Earth Science Physical Science Life Science

“Geoscientists Defend Earth Science in Texas” And From California… “Implementation guidelines failed to live up to standards’ treatment of earth science.”

What we had and still need

School districts - 14,571 Provide Student Opportunities: The K-12 “Consumer” Market Schools - 92,012 K-12 Teachers million K-12 Enrollment million 9-12 Enrollment million 7-12 Teachers million

Number of Earth Science Teachers (7-12) Year Biology Chemistry Earth Science Physics ‘95 80,083 32,771 36,493 21,986 ‘96 77,518 32,292 35,767 21,560 ‘97 59,135 26,722 28,552 17,731 ‘99 49,848 23,649 24,657 15,704 ‘00 43,647 21,512 22,709 14,341 ‘01 41,893 28,481 20,147 12,526 ‘02 36,830 19,332 17,658 12,856

Note: Geology includes geology, geochemistry, geophysics and seismology Digest of Educational Statistics, ’03 (only data available; full publication in preparation)

Table 172: Total fall enrollments, ,580, ,184, ,096, ,247, ,818, ,312, ,756,000 Source: NCES Digest of Educational Statistics, pubs 2003

If you look at it this way, it looks like we’re doing better…

In general, the Administration will favor investments in Federal R&D programs that: strengthen science, mathematics, and engineering education by enhancing access and broad availability of excellent educational programs, establishing and encouraging best educational practices, and integrating research and education.

National Science and Technology Council Committee on Science Report of the Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee Priority Recommendation : Provide Authorizing language to Federal R&D agencies to implement STEM education programs in support of their respective mission, and increase STEM student & faculty access to R&D facilities Representation on Interagency Committees

“ The bill includes: … $169 million for National Aeronautics and Space Administration education programs, which is $2 million above the request. The bill also includes $28.9 million for a new consolidated education program for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. ” And in the ’06 Budget …

The Challenges… “Education” conjures up a host of operational meanings arising from one’s own values and experiences. Natural human instinct to “hunker down,” “protect the core,” during tough times, even though evidence points to the contrary.

Crisis in New Orleans or Banda Ache is primarily one of education