Tapping America's Potential
Tapping America’s Potential: The Education for Innovation Initiative Susan Traiman Business Roundtable March 30, 2006
Tapping America’s Potential Goal and Call to Action • Goal Double the number of science, technology, engineering and mathematics graduates by 2105
• Call to Action Business leaders unite with government officials at all levels to create momentum to achieve this goal
Tapping America’s Potential Founders • 15 Founding Members • • • •
AeA BHEF Business Roundtable Council on Competitiveness • ITAA • ITIC • Minority Business RoundTable
• • • • • • • •
NAM NDIA SIA SIIA TechNet Technology CEO Council TIA U.S. Chamber
Tapping America’s Potential Recommendations 1. Build public support 2. Motivate U.S. students/adults to study and enter STEM careers 3. Upgrade K-12 teaching 4. Reform immigration/visa policies 5. Boost and sustain funding for basic research
Tapping America’s Potential Building Public Support INCREASE $$ FOR BASIC RESEARCH
MOTIVATE U.S. TALENT
BUILD PUBLIC SUPPORT ATTRACT/RETAIN FOREIGN TALENT
UPGRADE K-12 TEACHING
Tapping America’s Potential Disparate Efforts K-12 SILO
Different Interest Groups Different Coalitions Different Hill Committees R&D SILO
HIGHER ED SILO
IMMIGRATION SILO
•DEFENSE •ENERGY •NSF
Tapping America’s Potential Fierce Competition for Talent
Tapping America’s Potential The Population Challenge • CHINA: 1,308,917,737 • INDIA: 1,085,288,096 • UNITED STATES: 296,323,460
Tapping America’s Potential Communicating the Crisis • How many times can we say the sky is falling? • What’s different this time? • Who is credible to whom? Without a Sputnik…
Public Opinion Research: Objectives & Methods
Objectives Do Americans perceive a decline in U.S. innovation and competitiveness? Do they agree that the solution involves three prongs: • Increasing the pipeline of U.S. students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) • Attracting and retaining the world’s best and brightest students to study and work in these fields in the U.S. • Bolstering funding for basic research
Methods Four focus groups conducted September – October 2005 among parents of high school/college students in Raleigh, NC and Philadelphia, PA; educators in Raleigh, NC; high-level opinion leaders in Washington, DC Three national surveys conducted November – December 2005: 804 voters (plus oversample of 73 Hispanics); November 19 – 22 1,000 voters; December 28 – 29 250 opinion leaders in government, business, nonprofits; November 16 – December 5
U.S. Seen As Top Economic Power Strongest Economic Power Today United States 67% 44%
China 15% 33%
Japan 8% 14%
European Union 3% 5%
India 2% 1%
Opinion Leaders Voters
U.S. Seen As Top Economic Power But Expected To Drop To Second Place Strongest Economic Power Today United States
Strongest Economic Power in 20-30 Years China
67%
39% 45%
44%
China
United States 15%
26% 32%
33%
Japan
India 8% 14%
9% 4%
European Union
European Union
3% 5%
India 2% 1%
8% 5% Opinion Leaders Voters
Japan 6% 8%
Opinion Leaders Voters
In 1997, America’s Economic Future Looked Brighter Adults Nationwide/May 1997 Country with strongest economy today
Country with strongest economy in 10 years
United States
United States 47%
41%
Japan
Japan 33%
28%
Germany
Germany 9%
12%
China
China 5%
Russia 1%
6%
Russia 2%
Serious Problems Lie Ahead: Americans Say High Schools Failing
Are public high schools adequately preparing graduates to meet the demands they will face in college and the work world?
Opinion Leaders Doing Not sure good job 4% 12%
Depends/ some of each
Voters Not sure
Not doing good job
Doing good job 22%
56%
6%
Not doing good job 62%
28% 10%
Depends/ some of each
Men Women
66% 59%
Hispanics Whites Afr Amer.
70% 61% 62%
Parents
58%
Americans Support Emphasis On STEM To Bolster U.S. Position View of increasing U.S. innovation/competitiveness through STEM “[As a response to] the challenge of increasing innovation and competitiveness in today’s global economy, some recommend improving America’s science and technology capabilities by significantly increasing the number of highly educated students and workers in science, technology, engineering, and math. Compared with the other challenges facing the U.S. – such as national security, transportation, health care, energy, and the legal system – is this effort to increase innovation and competitiveness. . . .?” 86% of voters believe that we must increase the number of workers with a background in science and math or our ability to compete in the world economy will be severely diminished.
This country's single most important objective Equally important as other objectives Less important alternative
62%
62%
33% 18%
15%
4%
Opinion Leaders
Voters
Improve Education At Home First Single most important element of TAP recommendations Opinion Leaders Voters
Motivate U.S. students to study and pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, math
39% 24%
Upgrade K-12 math/science teaching – higher achievement
37% 27%
Build public support for making STEM a national priority Reform immigration policies to attract/retain best STEM students to study/work in U.S. Boost/sustain funding for basic research, esp. in physical sciences and engineering
16% 23%
4% 10% 4% 10%
Americans Reluctant To Influence Children’s Career Choices Jobs requiring technical training – in science, technology, engineering, and math – are growing five times faster than other occupations. Which approach would you take with your child/a child you’re close to about career choices? Parents Non-parents
Allow child to pursue whatever career path he/she feels suits best
65% 56%
Encourage child to pursue career in science, tech, engineering, math but balance with child’s preference Try to persuade child toward career in science, tech, engineering, math
27% 28%
5% 11%
Concern U.S. Lagging Behind Other Countries In K-12 Performance Single most concerning education trend in the United States Opinion Leaders Voters
U.S. K-12 student performance in math and science lags behind other countries Far fewer U.S. college students earn science and engineering degrees than students in other countries Technical jobs are growing five times faster than others; less than 15% of U.S. students take scientific/technical courses Half the engineering, math, computer science doctoral students in U.S. are born in other countries
28% 36%
24% 14%
22% 18%
12% 23%
Most Convincing Message: Increase Academic Rigor Mean 9-10 rating* ratings* 8.9
68% Higher education and modern workplaces require problem solving and analytical skills. As such, all students, regardless of career path, need a rigorous high school curriculum that includes at least three years of English, math, and lab sciences. We must ensure that our education system teaches our children the skills they need to compete in today's global economy.
*ratings on 10-point scale, 10 = very convincing statement, 1 = not at all convincing
Economic Competitiveness Starts With Education Mean 9-10 rating* ratings* 8.8
67% At the heart of economic competitiveness is a strong education system. And right now, countries such as China and India are producing higher-performing students than does the United States. We cannot rely on other countries for highly educated workers but instead must develop a new generation of homegrown workers who will ensure that our economy remains strong.
*ratings on 10-point scale, 10 = very convincing statement, 1 = not at all convincing
POTENTIAL FOR REAL CHANGE
WHAT WILL MAKE THE DIFFERENCE: LEADERSHIP
Tapping America’s Potential Goal and Call to Action • Goal Double the number of science, technology, engineering and mathematics graduates by 2105
• Call to Action Business leaders unite with government officials at all levels to create momentum to achieve this goal
Tapping America’s Potential Founders • 15 Founding Members • • • •
AeA BHEF Business Roundtable Council on Competitiveness • ITAA • ITIC • Minority Business RoundTable
• • • • • • • •
NAM NDIA SIA SIIA TechNet Technology CEO Council TIA U.S. Chamber
Tapping America’s Potential Recommendations 1. Build public support 2. Motivate U.S. students/adults to study and enter STEM careers 3. Upgrade K-12 teaching 4. Reform immigration/visa policies 5. Boost and sustain funding for basic research
Tapping America’s Potential Building Public Support INCREASE $$ FOR BASIC RESEARCH
MOTIVATE U.S. TALENT
BUILD PUBLIC SUPPORT ATTRACT/RETAIN FOREIGN TALENT
UPGRADE K-12 TEACHING
Tapping America’s Potential Disparate Efforts K-12 SILO
Different Interest Groups Different Coalitions Different Hill Committees R&D SILO
HIGHER ED SILO
IMMIGRATION SILO
•DEFENSE •ENERGY •NSF
Tapping America’s Potential Fierce Competition for Talent
Tapping America’s Potential The Population Challenge • CHINA: 1,308,917,737 • INDIA: 1,085,288,096 • UNITED STATES: 296,323,460
Tapping America’s Potential Communicating the Crisis • How many times can we say the sky is falling? • What’s different this time? • Who is credible to whom? Without a Sputnik…
Public Opinion Research: Objectives & Methods
Objectives Do Americans perceive a decline in U.S. innovation and competitiveness? Do they agree that the solution involves three prongs: • Increasing the pipeline of U.S. students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) • Attracting and retaining the world’s best and brightest students to study and work in these fields in the U.S. • Bolstering funding for basic research
Methods Four focus groups conducted September – October 2005 among parents of high school/college students in Raleigh, NC and Philadelphia, PA; educators in Raleigh, NC; high-level opinion leaders in Washington, DC Three national surveys conducted November – December 2005: 804 voters (plus oversample of 73 Hispanics); November 19 – 22 1,000 voters; December 28 – 29 250 opinion leaders in government, business, nonprofits; November 16 – December 5
U.S. Seen As Top Economic Power Strongest Economic Power Today United States 67% 44%
China 15% 33%
Japan 8% 14%
European Union 3% 5%
India 2% 1%
Opinion Leaders Voters
U.S. Seen As Top Economic Power But Expected To Drop To Second Place Strongest Economic Power Today United States
Strongest Economic Power in 20-30 Years China
67%
39% 45%
44%
China
United States 15%
26% 32%
33%
Japan
India 8% 14%
9% 4%
European Union
European Union
3% 5%
India 2% 1%
8% 5% Opinion Leaders Voters
Japan 6% 8%
Opinion Leaders Voters
In 1997, America’s Economic Future Looked Brighter Adults Nationwide/May 1997 Country with strongest economy today
Country with strongest economy in 10 years
United States
United States 47%
41%
Japan
Japan 33%
28%
Germany
Germany 9%
12%
China
China 5%
Russia 1%
6%
Russia 2%
Serious Problems Lie Ahead: Americans Say High Schools Failing
Are public high schools adequately preparing graduates to meet the demands they will face in college and the work world?
Opinion Leaders Doing Not sure good job 4% 12%
Depends/ some of each
Voters Not sure
Not doing good job
Doing good job 22%
56%
6%
Not doing good job 62%
28% 10%
Depends/ some of each
Men Women
66% 59%
Hispanics Whites Afr Amer.
70% 61% 62%
Parents
58%
Americans Support Emphasis On STEM To Bolster U.S. Position View of increasing U.S. innovation/competitiveness through STEM “[As a response to] the challenge of increasing innovation and competitiveness in today’s global economy, some recommend improving America’s science and technology capabilities by significantly increasing the number of highly educated students and workers in science, technology, engineering, and math. Compared with the other challenges facing the U.S. – such as national security, transportation, health care, energy, and the legal system – is this effort to increase innovation and competitiveness. . . .?” 86% of voters believe that we must increase the number of workers with a background in science and math or our ability to compete in the world economy will be severely diminished.
This country's single most important objective Equally important as other objectives Less important alternative
62%
62%
33% 18%
15%
4%
Opinion Leaders
Voters
Improve Education At Home First Single most important element of TAP recommendations Opinion Leaders Voters
Motivate U.S. students to study and pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, math
39% 24%
Upgrade K-12 math/science teaching – higher achievement
37% 27%
Build public support for making STEM a national priority Reform immigration policies to attract/retain best STEM students to study/work in U.S. Boost/sustain funding for basic research, esp. in physical sciences and engineering
16% 23%
4% 10% 4% 10%
Americans Reluctant To Influence Children’s Career Choices Jobs requiring technical training – in science, technology, engineering, and math – are growing five times faster than other occupations. Which approach would you take with your child/a child you’re close to about career choices? Parents Non-parents
Allow child to pursue whatever career path he/she feels suits best
65% 56%
Encourage child to pursue career in science, tech, engineering, math but balance with child’s preference Try to persuade child toward career in science, tech, engineering, math
27% 28%
5% 11%
Concern U.S. Lagging Behind Other Countries In K-12 Performance Single most concerning education trend in the United States Opinion Leaders Voters
U.S. K-12 student performance in math and science lags behind other countries Far fewer U.S. college students earn science and engineering degrees than students in other countries Technical jobs are growing five times faster than others; less than 15% of U.S. students take scientific/technical courses Half the engineering, math, computer science doctoral students in U.S. are born in other countries
28% 36%
24% 14%
22% 18%
12% 23%
Most Convincing Message: Increase Academic Rigor Mean 9-10 rating* ratings* 8.9
68% Higher education and modern workplaces require problem solving and analytical skills. As such, all students, regardless of career path, need a rigorous high school curriculum that includes at least three years of English, math, and lab sciences. We must ensure that our education system teaches our children the skills they need to compete in today's global economy.
*ratings on 10-point scale, 10 = very convincing statement, 1 = not at all convincing
Economic Competitiveness Starts With Education Mean 9-10 rating* ratings* 8.8
67% At the heart of economic competitiveness is a strong education system. And right now, countries such as China and India are producing higher-performing students than does the United States. We cannot rely on other countries for highly educated workers but instead must develop a new generation of homegrown workers who will ensure that our economy remains strong.
*ratings on 10-point scale, 10 = very convincing statement, 1 = not at all convincing
POTENTIAL FOR REAL CHANGE
WHAT WILL MAKE THE DIFFERENCE: LEADERSHIP
