The U.S. Department of Education on Dec. 7 launched the Raise the Bar: STEM Excellence for All Students Initiative. According to the U.S. DOE, the initiative is meant to “help implement and scale equitable, high-quality STEM education for all students from PreK to higher education — regardless of background.”
“Research shows how a sense of belonging in rich and rigorous classrooms is directly correlated to students’ long-term academic success,” said U.S. Deputy Education Secretary Cindy Marten. “Moreover, the department’s Civil Rights Data Collection continues to demonstrate that students of color and students with disabilities are disproportionately excluded from learning opportunities in STEM. Today, we are saying unequivocally to all students and educators that they belong in STEM and that they deserve to have rigorous and relevant educational experiences that inspire and empower them to reach their full potential as productive, contributing members of our nation’s workforce.”
Through this initiative, the U.S. DOE is calling on all states, school districts and STEM-connected organizations “to make specific, tangible commitments aligned to these goals to provide all students with the experiences and resources they need to succeed in STEM and in life.”
Read more about the initiative here.