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Gates to Congress: Improve Math, Science Education
3/13/2008
In testimony before the Committee on Science and Technology at the United States House of Representatives Wednesday morning, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates implored Congress and the President to "act decisively" to ensure that the country maintain its global leadership position in technology innovation. Gates's testimony focused on three key themes: education, research, and immigration.
Fueling K-12 and Post-Secondary Education
Gates said the United States faces a crippling shortfall in scientists and engineers and that the private sector alone can't solve the problem. He said the legislature must follow through on the America COMPETES Act of 2007 ("America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science") to fund the educational initiatives of the law because only the government has the resources needed "to effect change on a broad scale," according to a statement released by Microsoft. He added, "If we don't reverse these trends, our competitive advantage will continue to erode. Our ability to create new high-paying jobs will suffer."
The America COMPETES Act contains provisions for training new teachers in STEM subjects and to provide additional resources to science, technology, engineering, and teachers through the National Science Foundation.
"Like many others, I have deep misgivings about the state of education in the United States," Gates told Congress. "Too many of our students fail to graduate from high school with the basic skills they will need to succeed in the 21st Century economy, much less prepared for the rigors of college and career. Although our top universities continue to rank among the best in the world, too few American students are pursuing degrees in science and technology. Compounding this problem is our failure to provide sufficient training for those already in the workforce."
He cited low graduation rates--particularly among underrepresented groups--along with a low level of college preparedness as two troubling factors in education impacting students. He said that fewer than 40 percent of graduating high school students are prepared to enter college without taking remedial courses in material "they should have learned in high school."
He added: "Our record on high school math and science education is particularly troubling. International tests indicate that U.S. fourth graders rank among the top students in the world in science and above average in math. By eighth grade, they have moved closer to the middle of the pack. By 12th grade, U.S. students score near the bottom of all industrialized nations.1 As a result, too many U.S. students enter college without even the basic skills needed to pursue a degree in science and engineering."
He stressed three factors in improving the quality of education in secondary schools:
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