Higher Education: Science, Technology, Engineering, and 	 
Mathematics Trends and the Role of Federal Programs (03-MAY-06,  
GAO-06-702T).							 
                                                                 
The United States is a world leader in scientific and		 
technological innovation. To help maintain this advantage, the	 
federal government has spent billions of dollars on education	 
programs in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
(STEM) fields for many years. However, concerns have been raised 
about the nation's ability to maintain its global technological  
competitive advantage in the future. This testimony is based on  
our October 2005 report and presents information on (1) trends in
degree attainment in STEM- and non-STEM-related fields and	 
factors that may influence these trends, (2) trends in the levels
of employment in STEM- and non-STEM- related fields and factors  
that may influence these trends, and (3) federal education	 
programs intended to support the study of and employment in	 
STEM-related fields. For this report, we analyzed survey	 
responses from 13 civilian federal departments and agencies;	 
analyzed data from the Departments of Education and Labor;	 
interviewed educators, federal agency officials, and		 
representatives from education associations and organizations;	 
and interviewed students.					 
-------------------------Indexing Terms------------------------- 
REPORTNUM:   GAO-06-702T					        
    ACCNO:   A53103						        
  TITLE:     Higher Education: Science, Technology, Engineering, and  
Mathematics Trends and the Role of Federal Programs		 
     DATE:   05/03/2006 
  SUBJECT:   College students					 
	     Education program evaluation			 
	     Employment 					 
	     Engineering					 
	     Higher education					 
	     Life sciences					 
	     Mathematics					 
	     Physical sciences					 
	     Statistical data					 
	     Strategic planning 				 
	     Technological innovations				 
	     Technology 					 
	     Education programs 				 

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GAO-06-702T

     

     * Background
     * The Proportion of Students Obtaining Degrees in STEM Fields
          * Total Number of Graduates with STEM Degrees Increased, but N
          * Teacher Quality, Mathematics and Science Preparation, and Ot
     * STEM Employment Rose in Math and Science, but There Is No Ev
          * STEM Employment Rose Relative to Non-STEM Employment, but in
          * Key Factors Affecting STEM Employment Decisions Include Ment
     * More than 200 Federal Education Programs Exist to Promote ST
          * Federal Civilian Agencies Reported Spending Billions for Ove
          * Federal Coordination Has Been Limited, but a Federal Group W
          * Congress Created New Grants to Help Needy Students Obtain ST
     * Concluding Observations
     * GAO Contact and Acknowledgments
     * GAO's Mission
     * Obtaining Copies of GAO Reports and Testimony
          * Order by Mail or Phone
     * To Report Fraud, Waste, and Abuse in Federal Programs
     * Congressional Relations
     * Public Affairs

Testimony before the Committee on Education and the Workforce, House of
Representatives

United States Government Accountability Office

GAO

For Release on Delivery Expected at 10:30 a.m. EDT

Wednesday, May 3, 2006

HIGHER EDUCATION

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Trends and the Role of
Federal Programs

Statement of Cornelia M. Ashby, Director, Education, Workforce, and Income
Security Issues

GAO-06-702T

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee:

Thank you for inviting me here today to discuss U.S. trends in the fields
of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in relation to
the changing domestic and global economies. The health of the U.S. economy
is directly tied to our science and technology industries, and the United
States is a world leader in scientific and technological innovation. Since
1995, for example, the United States has generated the largest share of
high-technology manufacturing output of any country in the world. Concerns
have been raised, however, about the nation's ability to maintain its
technological competitive advantage, especially in light of other nations'
investments in their own research infrastructures, the aging and changing
U.S. workforce, and the fiscal challenges facing the nation. From 1990 to
2003, research and development expenditures outside the United States have
more than doubled, from about $225 billion to over $500 billion. According
to the Census Bureau, the median age of the U.S. population in 2004 was
the highest it had ever been, and the growth of the labor force is
expected to slow considerably, becoming negligible by 2050. Further, as
the United States becomes a more diverse society, minorities, in addition
to women, will continue to represent a continuously increasing share of
the workforce, yet women and minorities have tended to be underrepresented
in STEM education programs and career fields. These factors, concurrent
with the nation's large and growing long-term fiscal imbalance, present
significant and difficult challenges for policymakers as they tackle how
best to ensure that our nation can continue to compete in the global
marketplace.

My testimony today will focus on three key issues: (1) trends in degree
attainment in STEM- and non-STEM-related fields and factors that may
influence these trends, (2) trends in the levels of employment in STEM-
and non-STEM-related fields and factors that may influence these trends,
and (3) federal education programs intended to support the study of and
employment in STEM-related fields. My comments are based on the findings
from our October 2005 report, Higher Education: Federal Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Programs and Related Trends.1
Those findings were based on our review and analysis of data from a
variety of sources. For that report we (1) analyzed survey responses from
13 federal departments and agencies with STEM education programs;2 (2)
analyzed data on students and graduates from the Department of Education's
(Education) National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and on
employees from the Department of Labor's (Labor) Bureau of Labor
Statistics (BLS); (3) interviewed educators and administrators at eight
colleges and universities, federal agency officials, and representatives
from associations and education organizations; (4) conducted interviews
via e-mail with 31 students from five universities we visited; and (5)
reviewed reports on various topics related to STEM education and
occupations. 3 For this testimony, we provide updated information
concerning the number of graduates in STEM and non-STEM fields as well as
congressional legislation related to STEM education programs. Our work was
conducted in accordance with generally accepted government auditing
standards.

1 GAO, Higher Education: Federal Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics Programs and Related Trends, GAO-06-114 (Washington, D.C.:
Oct. 12, 2005).

In summary, our findings are as follows:

o  While postsecondary enrollment has increased over the past decade, the
proportion of students obtaining degrees in STEM fields has fallen. In
academic year 1994-1995, about 519,000 students obtained STEM degrees,
about 32 percent of all degrees awarded. More students-approximately
578,000-obtained STEM degrees in academic year 2003-2004, but such degrees
accounted for only 27 percent of those awarded. While the number of
degrees obtained in some STEM fields increased, the number of degrees
obtained in engineering, biological science, and certain technical fields
declined. Further, despite increases in the overall enrollment and degree
attainment by women and minorities at the graduate level, the number of
graduate degrees conferred fell in several STEM-related fields from
academic year 1994-1995 to academic year 2003-2004. College and university
officials and students cited subpar teacher quality at the high school and
college levels, poor high school preparation, more rigorous and expensive
degree requirements for STEM majors, and lower pay of STEM occupations
relative to such fields as law and business as factors that discouraged
students from pursuing degrees in STEM fields. Suggestions to encourage
more enrollment in STEM fields include increased outreach at the
kindergarten through 12th grade level, increased mentoring, and a greater
federal presence.

2 The Department of Defense (DoD) did not submit a survey. According to
DoD officials, DoD needed 3 months to complete the survey and therefore
could not provide responses within the time frames of our work

3 For the purposes of this testimony, we will use the term "agency" when
referring to any of the 13 federal departments and agencies that responded
to our survey.

o  Coinciding with the spread of the Internet and the personal computer,
the past decade has seen an increase in the overall number of STEM
employees, particularly in mathematics and computer science. From 1994 to
2003, overall employment in STEM fields increased by an estimated 23
percent, compared to an estimated 17 percent increase in non-STEM fields.
Mathematics and computer science showed the highest increase in
STEM-related employment-estimated at 78 percent-while employment in
science-related fields increased an estimated 20 percent. However, in
certain STEM fields, including engineering, the number of employees did
not increase significantly over the 1994-2003 period. Further, while the
estimated number of women employed in STEM fields increased, there was not
a significant change in the percentage they comprised. While the number of
African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans employed in STEM fields increased
from 1994 to 2003, minorities remained underrepresented relative to their
numbers in the civilian labor force. Although foreign workers have filled
more than 100,000 positions annually, many in STEM fields, through the
H-1B visa program, employment levels declined in 2002 and 2003 after
several years of increases.4 Key factors affecting STEM employment
decisions include mentoring for women and minorities and opportunities
abroad for foreign employees.

o  The federal government spent approximately $2.8 billion in fiscal year
2004 to fund over 200 programs designed to increase the numbers of
students in STEM fields and employees in STEM occupations and to improve
related educational programs. Thirteen federal civilian agencies operated
these programs, and most programs provided either financial support to
individuals, particularly to students and scholars, or equipment,
building, and other infrastructure support to institutions. The funding
reported for individual STEM education programs varied significantly, from
$4,000 for a U.S. Department of Agriculture-sponsored program to $547
million for a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant program. However,
only half of these programs had been evaluated or had evaluations
underway, and coordination among STEM education programs was limited. As
we note in our 2005 report, it is important to know the extent to which
existing STEM education programs target the right people and the right
areas and make the best use of available resources before expanding
federal support.

4 H-1B visas allow noncitizens to work in the United States.

Since our report was issued in October 2005, several initiatives to
improve federal support have taken place. For example, Congress
established National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent
(SMART) Grants to encourage students from low-income families to enroll in
STEM fields and foreign languages critical to the national security of the
United States. In addition, Congress established an Academic
Competitiveness Council, chaired by the Secretary of Education, to
identify, evaluate, coordinate, and improve federal STEM programs.
Further, according to Education, the department plans to determine which
federal programs work best for students and how to use taxpayers' dollars
more efficiently, as well has how to align programs with the
accountability principles of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
(NCLBA).5

                                   Background

STEM fields include a wide range of disciplines and occupations, including
agriculture, physics, psychology, medical technology, and automotive
engineering. Many of these fields require completion of advanced courses
in mathematics or science, subjects that are first introduced and
developed at the kindergarten through 12th grade level. The federal
government, universities and colleges, and other entities have taken steps
to help improve achievement in these and other subjects through such
actions as enforcement of NCLBA, which addresses both student and teacher
performance at the elementary and secondary school levels, and
implementation of programs to increase the numbers of women, minorities,
and students with disadvantaged backgrounds in the STEM fields at
postsecondary school levels and later in employment.

The participation of domestic students in STEM fields-and in higher
education more generally-is affected both by the economy and by
demographic changes in the U.S. population. Enrollment in higher education
has declined with upturns in the economy because of the increased
opportunity costs of going to school when relatively high wages are
available. The choice between academic programs is also affected by the
wages expected to be earned after obtaining a degree. Demographic trends
affect STEM fields because different races and ethnicities have had
different enrollment rates, and their representation in the population is
changing. In particular, STEM fields have had a relatively high proportion
of white or Asian males, but the proportion of other minorities enrolled
in the nation's public schools, particularly Hispanics, has almost doubled
since 1972. Furthermore, as of 2002, American Indians, Asians,
African-Americans, Hispanics, and Pacific Islanders constituted 29 percent
of all college students.

5 Pub. L. No. 107-110 (2002). NCLBA amended and reauthorized the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act-the largest and most comprehensive
federal education law-and focused on improving students' academic
performance.

Students and employees from foreign countries have pursued STEM degrees
and worked in STEM occupations in the United States as well. To do so,
these students and employees must obtain education or employment visas.6
Visas may not be issued to students for a number of reasons, including
concerns that the visa applicant may engage in the illegal transfer of
sensitive technology. Many foreign workers enter the United States
annually through the H-1B visa program, which assists U.S. employers in
temporarily filling specialty occupations. Employed workers may stay in
the United States on an H-1B visa for up to 6 years, and the current cap
on the number of H-1B visas that can be granted is 65,000. The law exempts
certain workers from this cap, including those in specified positions or
holding a master's degree or higher from a U.S. institution.

The federal government also plays a role in helping coordinate federal
science and technology initiatives. The National Science and Technology
Council (NSTC) was established in 1993 and is the principal means for the
Administration to coordinate science and technology policies. One
objective of NSTC is to establish clear national goals for federal science
and technology investments in areas ranging from information technologies
and health research to improving transportation systems and strengthening
fundamental research.

6 There are several types of visas that authorize people to study and work
in the United States. F visas (student visas) are for study at 2- and
4-year colleges and universities and other academic institutions; J visas
(exchange visitor visas) are for people who will be participating in a
cultural exchange program; L visas (intracompany transferee visas) are for
managerial positions and for those with specialized skills; and M visas
are for nonacademic study, such as at vocational and technical schools. In
addition, H-1B visas allow noncitizens to work in the United States.

  The Proportion of Students Obtaining Degrees in STEM Fields Has Fallen, and
 Teacher Quality and High School Preparation Were Cited as Influential Factors

From the 1994-1995 academic year to the 2003-2004 academic year, the
number of graduates with STEM degrees increased, but the proportion of
students obtaining degrees in STEM fields fell. Teacher quality, academic
preparation, collegiate degree requirements, and the pay for employment in
STEM fields were cited by university officials and Education as factors
affecting the pursuit of degrees in these fields.

Total Number of Graduates with STEM Degrees Increased, but Numbers Decreased in
Some Fields, and Proportions of Minority Graduates at the Master's and Doctoral
Levels Did Not Change

The number of graduates with degrees in STEM fields increased from
approximately 519,000 to approximately 578,000 from the 1994-1995 academic
year to the 2003-2004 academic year. However, during this same period, the
number of graduates with degrees in non-STEM fields increased from about
1.1 million to 1.5 million. Thus, the percentage of students with STEM
degrees decreased from about 32 percent to about 27 percent of total
graduates. The largest increases at the bachelor's and master's levels
were in mathematics and the computer sciences, and the largest increase at
the doctoral level was in psychology. However, the overall number of
students earning degrees in engineering decreased in this period, and the
number of students earning doctoral degrees in the physical sciences and
bachelor's degrees in technology-related fields, as well as several other
fields, also declined. Figure 1 shows the number of graduates for STEM and
non-STEM fields in the 1994-1995 through 2003-2004 academic years.

Figure 1: Number of Graduates in STEM and Non-STEM Fields, 1994-1995
through 2003-2004 Academic Years

Note: Information for academic year 1998-1999 was not reported by IPEDS.

From the 1994-1995 academic year to the 2002-2003 academic year, the
proportion of women earning degrees in STEM fields increased at the
bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels, and the proportion of domestic
minorities increased at the bachelor's level. Conversely, the total number
of men graduates decreased, and the proportion of men graduates declined
in the majority of STEM fields at all educational levels in this same
period. However, men continued to constitute over 50 percent of the
graduates in most STEM fields. The proportion of domestic minorities
increased at the bachelor's level but did not change at the master's or
doctoral level. In the 1994-1995 and 2002-2003 academic years,
international students earned about one-third or more of the degrees at
both the master's and doctoral levels in engineering, math and computer
science, and the physical sciences.

Teacher Quality, Mathematics and Science Preparation, and Other Factors Were
Cited as Key Influences on Domestic Students' STEM Participation Decisions

University officials told us and researchers reported that the quality of
teachers in kindergarten through 12th grades and the levels of mathematics
and science courses completed during high school affected students'
success in and decisions about pursuing STEM fields. University officials
said that some teachers were unqualified and unable to impart the subject
matter, causing students to lose interest in mathematics and science. In
2002, Education reported that, in the 1999-2000 school year, 45 percent of
the high school students enrolled in biology/life science classes and
approximately 30 percent of those enrolled in mathematics, English, and
social science classes were instructed by teachers without a major, minor,
or certification in these subjects-commonly referred to as "out-of-field"
teachers.7 Also, states reported that the problem of underprepared
teachers was worse on average in districts that serve large proportions of
high-poverty children.

In addition to teacher quality, students' high school preparation in
mathematics and science was cited by university officials and researchers
as a factor that influenced students' participation and success in the
STEM fields. For example, university officials said that, because many
students had not taken higher-level mathematics and science courses such
as calculus and physics in high school, they were immediately behind other
students. A study of several hundred students who had left the STEM fields
reported that about 40 percent of those college students who left the
science fields reported some problems related to high school science
preparation.8

Several other factors were cited by university officials, students, and
others as influencing decisions about participation in STEM fields. These
factors included the relatively low pay in STEM occupations, additional
tuition costs to obtain STEM degrees, and the availability of mentoring,
especially for women and minorities, in the STEM fields. For example,
officials from five universities told us that low pay in STEM occupations
relative to other fields such as law and business dissuaded students from
pursuing STEM degrees. Also, in a study that solicited the views of
college students who left the STEM fields as well as those who continued
to pursue STEM degrees, researchers found that students experienced
greater financial difficulties in obtaining their degrees because of the
extra time needed to obtain degrees in certain STEM fields.9

7 National Center for Education Statistics, Qualifications of the Public
School Teacher Workforce: Prevalence of Out-of-Field Teaching 1987-88 to
1999-2000, May 2002, revised August 2004, Washington, D.C.

8 The student study results are from Seymour, Elaine, and Nancy M. Hewitt,
Talking about Leaving: Why Undergraduates Leave the Sciences, Westview
Press, 1997, Boulder, Colorado.

University officials, students, and other organizations suggested a number
of steps that could be taken to encourage more participation in the STEM
fields. University officials and students suggested more outreach,
especially to women and minorities from kindergarten through the 12th
grade. One organization, Building Engineering and Science Talent (BEST),
suggested that research universities increase their presence in
pre-kindergarten through 12th grade mathematics and science education in
order to strengthen domestic students' interests and abilities. In
addition, the Council of Graduate Schools called for a renewed commitment
to graduate education by the federal government through actions such as
providing funds to support students trained at the doctoral level in the
STEM fields and expanding participation in doctoral study in selected
fields through graduate support awarded competitively to universities
across the country. University officials suggested that the federal
government could enhance its role in STEM education by providing more
effective leadership through developing and implementing a national agenda
for STEM education and increasing federal funding for academic research.

    STEM Employment Rose in Math and Science, but There Is No Evidence of an
                     Increase in Engineering or Technology

Although the total number of STEM employees increased from 1994 to 2003,
particularly in mathematics and computer science, there was no evidence
that the number of employees in engineering and technology-related fields
did. University officials, researchers, and others cited the availability
of mentors as having a large influence on the decision to enter STEM
fields and noted that many students with STEM degrees find employment in
non-STEM fields. The number of foreign workers declined in STEM fields, in
part because of declines in enrollment in U.S. programs resulting from
difficulties with the U.S. visa system. Key factors affecting STEM
employment decisions include the availability of mentors for women and
minorities and opportunities abroad for foreign workers.

9 Seymour, Elaine, and Nancy M. Hewitt, Talking about Leaving: Why
Undergraduates Leave the Sciences, Westview Press, 1997, Boulder,
Colorado.

STEM Employment Rose Relative to Non-STEM Employment, but in STEM Fields the
Proportion of Women Remained about the Same, Minorities Continued to be
Underrepresented, and the Number of Foreign Workers Declined

From 1994 to 2003, employment in STEM fields increased from an estimated
7.2 million to an estimated 8.9 million-representing a 23 percent
increase, as compared to a 17 percent increase in non-STEM fields. While
the total number of STEM employees increased, this increase varied across
STEM fields. Coinciding with the spread of the Internet and the personal
computer, employment increased by an estimated 78 percent in the
mathematics/computer sciences fields and by an estimated 20 percent in the
sciences. There was no evidence that the number of employees in the
engineering and technology-related fields increased. Further, a 2006
National Science Foundation report found that about two-thirds of
employees with degrees in science or engineering were employed in fields
somewhat or not at all related to their degree. 10 Figure 2 shows the
estimated number of employees in STEM fields.

10 National Science Foundation, Science and Engineering Indicators 2006,
Volume 1, National Science Board, January 13, 2006.

Figure 2: Estimated Numbers of Employees in STEM Fields from Calendar
Years 1994 through 2003

Note: Estimated numbers of employees have confidence intervals of within
+/- 9 percent of the estimate itself.

Women and minorities employed in STEM fields increased between 1994 and
2003, and the number of foreign workers declined. While the estimated
number of women employees in STEM fields increased from about 2.7 million
to about 3.5 million in this period, this did not result in a change in
the proportion of women employees in the STEM fields relative to men.
Specifically, women constituted an estimated 38 percent of the employees
in STEM fields in 1994 and an estimated 39 percent in 2003, compared to 46
and 47 percent of the civilian labor force in 1994 and 2003, respectively.
The estimated number of minorities employed in the STEM fields as well as
the proportion of total STEM employees they constituted increased, but
African-American and Hispanic employees remained underrepresented relative
to their percentages in the civilian labor force. For example, in 2003,
Hispanic employees constituted an estimated 10 percent of STEM employees
compared to about 13 percent of the civilian labor force. Foreign workers
traditionally had filled hundreds of thousands of positions, many in STEM
fields, through the H-1B visa program. In recent years, these numbers have
declined in certain fields. For example, the number of approvals for
systems analysis/programming positions decreased from about 163,000 in
2001 to about 56,000 in 2002.11

Key Factors Affecting STEM Employment Decisions Include Mentoring for Women and
Minorities and Opportunities Abroad for Foreign Employees

University officials and congressional commissions noted the important
role that mentors play in encouraging employment in STEM fields and that
this was particularly important for women and minorities.12 One professor
said that mentors helped students by advising them on the best track to
follow for obtaining their degrees and achieving professional goals. In
September 2000, a congressional commission reported that women were
adversely affected throughout the STEM education pipeline and career path
by a lack of role models and mentors.13

University officials and education policy experts told us that competition
from other countries in educational or work opportunities and the more
strict U.S. visa process since September 11, 2001, affected international
employee decisions about studying and working in the United States. For
example, university officials told us that students from several
countries, including China and India, were being recruited by universities
and employers in both their own countries and other countries as well as
the United States. They also told us that they were also influenced by the
perceived unwelcoming attitude of Americans and the complex visa process.

GAO has reported on several aspects of the visa process and has made
several recommendations for improving federal management of the process.
In 2002, we cited the need for a clear policy on how to balance national
security concerns with the desire to facilitate legitimate travel when
issuing visas.14 In 2005, we reported a significant decline in certain
visa processing times and in the number of cases pending more than 60
days, and we also reported that in some cases science students and
scholars can obtain a visa within 24 hours.15 However, in 2006, we found
that new policies and procedures since the September 11 attacks to
strengthen the security of the visa process and other factors have
resulted in applicants facing extensive wait times for visas at some
consular posts.16

11 GAO, H-1B Foreign Workers: Better Tracking Needed to Help Determine
H-1B Program's Effects on U.S. Workforce, GAO-03-883 (Washington, D.C.:
Sept. 10, 2003).

12 GAO, Gender Issues: Women's Participation in the Sciences Has
Increased, but Agencies Need to Do More to Ensure Compliance with Title
IX, GAO-04-639 (Washington, D.C.: Jul. 22, 2004).

13 Report of the Congressional Commission on the Advancement of Women and
Minorities in Science, Engineering and Technology Development, Land of
Plenty: Diversity as America's Competitive Edge in Science, Engineering,
and Technology, September 2000.

14 GAO, Border Security: Visa Process Should Be Strengthened as an
Antiterrorism Tool, GAO-03-132NI (Washington, D.C.: Oct. 21, 2002).

  More than 200 Federal Education Programs Exist to Promote STEM Careers, but
                    Evaluation and Coordination Are Lacking

Officials from 13 federal civilian agencies reported spending about $2.8
billion in fiscal year 2004 for 207 education programs designed to support
STEM fields, but they reported little about the effectiveness of these
programs.17 Although evaluations had been done or were under way for about
half of the programs, little is known about the extent to which most STEM
programs are achieving their desired results. Furthermore, coordination
among the federal STEM education programs has been limited. However, in
2003, the National Science and Technology Council formed a subcommittee to
address STEM education and workforce policy issues across federal
agencies, and Congress has introduced new STEM initiatives as well.

15 GAO, Border Security: Streamlined Visas Mantis Program Has Lowered
Burden on Foreign Science Students and Scholars, but Further Refinements
Needed, GAO-05-198 (Washington, D.C.: Feb. 18, 2005).

16 GAO, Border Security: Reassessment of Consular Resource Requirements
Could Help Address Visa Delays, GAO-06-542T (Washington, D.C.: Apr. 4,
2006).

17 GAO asked agencies to include STEM and related education programs with
one or more of the following as the primary objective: (1) attract and
prepare students at any education level to pursue coursework in STEM
areas, (2) attract students to pursue degrees (2-year degrees through
postdoctoral degrees) in STEM fields, (3) provide growth and research
opportunities for college and graduate students in STEM fields, (4)
attract graduates to pursue careers in STEM fields, (5) improve teacher
(pre-service, in-service, and postsecondary) education in STEM areas, and
(6) improve or expand the capacity of institutions to promote or foster
STEM fields. The Department of Labor's programs did not meet our selection
criteria for STEM programs, and, as noted above, the Department of Defense
did not submit a survey.

Federal Civilian Agencies Reported Spending Billions for Over 200 STEM Education
Programs in Fiscal Year 2004 and that Evaluations Were Completed or Under Way
for About Half

Officials from 13 federal civilian agencies reported that approximately
$2.8 billion was spent in fiscal year 2004 on 207 STEM education
programs.18 The funding levels for STEM education programs among the
agencies ranged from about $998 million for the National Institutes of
Health to about $4.7 million for the Department of Homeland Security, and
the numbers of programs ranged from 51 to 1 per agency, with two
agencies-NIH and the National Science Foundation-administering nearly half
of the programs. Most STEM education programs were funded at $5 million or
less, but 13 programs were funded at more than $50 million, and the
funding reported for individual programs varied significantly. For
example, one Department of Agriculture-sponsored scholarship program for
U.S. citizens seeking bachelor's degrees at Hispanic-serving institutions
was funded at $4,000, and one NIH grant program designed to develop and
enhance research training opportunities was funded at about $547 million.
Figure 3 shows the funding and number of STEM education programs by
federal civilian agency.

18 The program funding levels, as provided by agency officials, contain
both actual and estimated amounts for fiscal year 2004.

Figure 3: Federal STEM Education Programs and Funding by Agency, Fiscal
Year 2004

According to the agency responses to GAO's survey, most STEM education
programs had multiple goals, and one goal was to attract students or
graduates to pursue STEM degrees and occupations. Many STEM programs also
were designed to provide student research opportunities, provide support
to educational institutions, or improve teacher training. In order to
achieve these goals, many of the programs were targeted at multiple groups
and provided financial assistance to multiple beneficiaries. STEM
education programs most frequently provided financial support for students
or scholars, and several programs provided assistance for teacher and
faculty development as well. U.S. citizenship or permanent residence was
required for the majority of programs. Table 1 presents the most frequent
program goals and types of assistance provided.

Table 1: Most Frequent Federal Program Goals and Types of Assistance
Provided

Most frequent program goals (in           Most frequent types of           
descending order)                         assistance (in descending order) 
o Attract students to pursue degrees      o Financial support for students 
(2-year through Ph.D.)                    or scholars                      
                                                                              
o Attract graduates to pursue careers in  o Support for teacher and        
STEM fields                               faculty development              
                                                                              
o Attract and prepare students at any     o Institutional support to       
education level to pursue coursework in   improve educational quality      
STEM areas                                                                 
                                             o Institutional physical         
o Provide growth and research             infrastructure support           
opportunities for undergraduate and       
graduate students in STEM fields          
                                             
o Improve or expand the capacity of       
institutions to promote or foster STEM    
fields                                    
                                             
o Improve teacher education in STEM areas 

Source: GAO survey responses from 13 federal agencies. Note: Information
on program goals and types of assistance was not provided by the
Department of Defense.

Agency officials reported that evaluations-which could play an important
role in improving program operations and ensuring an efficient use of
federal resources-had been completed or were under way for about half of
the STEM education programs. However, evaluations had not been done for
over 70 programs that were started before fiscal year 2002, including
several that had been operating for over 15 years. For the remaining over
30 programs that were initially funded in fiscal year 2002 or later, it
may have been too soon to expect evaluations.

Federal Coordination Has Been Limited, but a Federal Group Was Established in
2003 to Help Coordinate STEM Education Programs among Federal Agencies

Coordination of federal STEM education programs has been limited. In
January 2003, the National Science and Technology Council's Committee on
Science (COS) established a subcommittee on education and workforce
development. According to its charter, the subcommittee is to address
education and workforce policy issues and research and development efforts
that focus on STEM education issues at all levels, as well as current and
projected STEM workforce needs, trends, and issues. The subcommittee has
working groups on (1) human capacity in STEM areas, (2) minority programs,
(3) effective practices for assessing federal efforts, and (4) issues
affecting graduate and postdoctoral researchers.

NSTC reported that, as of June 2005, the subcommittee had a number of
accomplishments and had other projects under way related to attracting
students to STEM fields. For example, it had surveyed federal agency
education programs designed to increase the participation of women and
underrepresented minorities in STEM studies, and it had coordinated the
Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education
Week activities, which provide an opportunity for the nation's schools to
focus on improving mathematics and science education. In addition, the
subcommittee is developing a Web site for federal educational resources in
STEM fields and a set of principles that agencies could use in setting
levels of support for graduate and postdoctoral fellowships and
traineeships.

Congress Created New Grants to Help Needy Students Obtain STEM Degrees and
Established a Council to Determine the Effectiveness of Federal STEM Programs
and Provide Coordination

In passing the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005,19 Congress created a new
source of grant aid for students pursuing a major in the physical
sciences, the life sciences, the computer sciences, mathematics,
technology, engineering, or a foreign language considered critical to the
national security of the United States. These National Science and
Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grants-or SMART Grants-provide up to
$4,000 for each of 2 academic years for eligible students. Eligible
students are those who are in their third or fourth academic year of a
program of undergraduate education at a 4-year degree-granting
institution, have maintained a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or
above, and meet the eligibility requirements of the federal government's
need-based Pell Grant program.20 Education expects to provide $790 million
in SMART Grants to over 500,000 students in academic year 2006-2007.

Congress also established an Academic Competitiveness Council in passing
the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. The council is composed of officials
from federal agencies with responsibilities for managing existing federal
programs that promote mathematics and science and is chaired by the
Secretary of Education. Among the statutory duties of the council are to
(1) identify all federal programs with a mathematics and science focus,
(2) identify the target populations being served by such programs, (3)
determine the effectiveness of such programs, (4) identify areas of
overlap or duplication in such programs, and (5) recommend ways to
efficiently integrate and coordinate such programs. Congress also charged
the council to provide it with a report of its findings and
recommendations by early 2007. In an April 2006 hearing before the House
Committee on Education and the Workforce, the Secretary of Education
testified that she and President Bush convened the first meeting of the
council on March 6, 2006.

19 Pub. L. No. 109-171 (2006).

20 The Federal Pell Grant Program promotes access to postsecondary
education by providing need-based grants to low-income students.

                            Concluding Observations

While the total numbers of STEM graduates have increased, some fields have
experienced declines, especially at the master's and doctoral levels.
Given the trends in the numbers and percentages of graduates with STEM
degrees-particularly advanced degrees-and recent developments that have
influenced international students' decisions about pursuing degrees in the
United States, it is uncertain whether the number of STEM graduates will
be sufficient to meet future academic and employment needs and help the
country maintain its technological competitive advantage. Moreover,
although international graduate applications increased in academic year
2005-2006 for the first time in 3 years, it is too early to tell if this
marks the end of declines in international graduate student enrollment. In
terms of employment, despite some gains, the percentage of women in the
STEM workforce has not changed significantly, minority employees remain
underrepresented relative to their employment in the civilian labor force,
and many graduates with degrees in STEM fields are not employed in STEM
occupations. Women now outnumber men in college enrollment, and minority
students are enrolling in record high levels at the postsecondary level as
well. To the extent that these populations have been historically
underrepresented in STEM fields, they provide a yet untapped source of
STEM participation in the future.

To help improve the trends in the numbers of graduates and employees in
STEM fields, university officials and others made several suggestions,
such as increasing the federal commitment to STEM education programs.
However, before expanding the number of federal programs, it is important
to know the extent to which existing STEM education programs are
appropriately targeted and making the best use of available federal
resources-in other words, these programs must be evaluated-and a
comprehensive evaluation of federal programs is currently nonexistent.
Furthermore, the recent initiatives to improve federal coordination, such
as the American Competitiveness Council, serve as an initial step in
reducing unnecessary overlap between programs, not an ending point. In an
era of limited financial resources and growing federal deficits,
information about the effectiveness of these programs can help guide
policymakers and program managers in coordinating and improving existing
programs as well as determining areas in which new programs are needed.

Mr. Chairman, this concludes my prepared statement. I would be pleased to
respond to any questions that you or other members of the Committee may
have.

                        GAO Contact and Acknowledgments

For further contacts regarding this testimony, please call Cornelia M.
Ashby at (202) 512-7215. Individuals making key contributions to this
testimony include Jeff Appel (Assistant Director), Jeff Weinstein
(Analyst-in-Charge), Carolyn Taylor, Tim Hall, Mark Ward, John Mingus, and
Katharine Leavitt.

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www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt? GAO-06-702T .

To view the full product, including the scope

and methodology, click on the link above.

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Highlights of GAO-06-702T , a report to Committee on Education and the
Workforce, House of Representatives

May 3, 2006

HIGHER EDUCATION

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Trends and the Role of
Federal Programs

The United States is a world leader in scientific and technological
innovation. To help maintain this advantage, the federal government has
spent billions of dollars on education programs in the science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields for many years.
However, concerns have been raised about the nation's ability to maintain
its global technological competitive advantage in the future.

This testimony is based on our October 2005 report and presents
information on (1) trends in degree attainment in STEM- and
non-STEM-related fields and factors that may influence these trends, (2)
trends in the levels of employment in STEM- and non-STEM- related fields
and factors that may influence these trends, and (3) federal education
programs intended to support the study of and employment in STEM-related
fields. For this report, we analyzed survey responses from 13 civilian
federal departments and agencies; analyzed data from the Departments of
Education and Labor; interviewed educators, federal agency officials, and
representatives from education associations and organizations; and
interviewed students.

While postsecondary enrollment has increased over the past decade, the
proportion of students obtaining degrees in STEM fields has fallen. In
academic year 1994-1995, about 519,000 students (32 percent) obtained STEM
degrees. About 578,000 students obtained STEM degrees in academic year
2003-2004, accounting for 27 percent of degrees awarded. Despite increases
in enrollment and degree attainment by women and minorities at the
graduate level, the number of graduate degrees conferred fell in several
STEM-related fields from academic year 1994-1995 to academic year
2003-2004. College and university officials and students most often cited
subpar teacher quality and poor high school preparation as factors that
discouraged the pursuit of STEM degrees. Suggestions to encourage more
enrollment in STEM fields include increased outreach and mentoring.

The past decade has seen an increase in STEM employees, particularly in
mathematics and computer science. From 1994 to 2003, employment in STEM
fields increased by an estimated 23 percent, compared to 17 percent in
non-STEM fields. Mathematics and computer science showed the highest
increase in STEM-related employment, and employment in science-related
fields increased as well. However, in certain STEM fields, including
engineering, the number of employees did not increase significantly.
Further, while the estimated number of women, African-Americans, and
Hispanic-Americans employed in STEM fields increased, women and minorities
remained underrepresented relative to their numbers in the civilian labor
force. The number of foreign workers employed in the United States has
fluctuated, experiencing declines in 2002 and 2003. Key factors affecting
STEM employment decisions include mentoring for women and minorities and
opportunities abroad for foreign employees.

Thirteen federal civilian agencies spent approximately $2.8 billion in
fiscal year 2004 to fund over 200 programs designed to increase the
numbers of students in STEM fields and employees in STEM occupations and
to improve related educational programs. The funding reported for
individual STEM education programs varied significantly, and programs most
commonly provided financial support to students or infrastructure support
to institutions. However, only half of these programs had been evaluated
or had evaluations underway, and coordination among STEM education
programs was limited. It is important to know the extent to which existing
STEM education programs target the right people and the right areas and
make the best use of available resources. Since our report was issued in
October 2005, Congress, in addition to establishing new grants to
encourage students from low-income families to enroll in STEM fields,
established an Academic Competitiveness Council to identify, evaluate,
coordinate, and improve federal STEM programs.
*** End of document. ***