MATH AND SCIENCE EDUCATION AND UNITED STATES COMPETITIVENESS: DOES THE PUBLIC CARE?

Recognizing the changing nature of the global economy, policy makers and opinion leaders have recently placed much attention on the subject of American economic competitiveness. The following study, commissioned to evaluate the opinion environment regarding higher education’s role in promoting policies that will ensure a competitive 21st Century workforce, seeks the input of a wide variety of audiences, both directly and indirectly linked to American colleges and universities. Following a series of focus groups nationwide and a national survey of 1000 registered voters, topics such as career choice, American economic positioning in an increasingly competitive global economy, curriculum rigor, incentive programs for academic programs in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) , the relationship between colleges and students, and the value of college education were all analyzed. The findings lay the groundwork for understanding the environment in which policy reform will take place.

METHODOLOGY

The study was prepared by The Winston Group at the request of the American Council on Education. The research conducted for this report consists of seven focus groups, including
Fathers of college or college-bound students (Philadelphia, PA; July 11, 2006)
Mothers of college or college-bound students (Atlanta, GA; July 13, 2006)
College and university faculty members (Atlanta, GA; July 13, 2006)
College and university administrators (Cleveland, OH; July 25, 2006)
Current college students (Cleveland, OH; July 25, 2006)
Business executives involved in hiring employees (Washington, DC; August 10, 2006)
College graduates five years out of school (Washington, DC; August 10, 2006)
These groups were followed by a national survey of 1,000 registered voters, conducted September 6-7 (margin of error = +/- 3.1 percent).