How Do We Get More Students Interested in Math, Science & Tech Careers? [INFOGRAPHIC].

Interesting takeaways from this Mashable article:

Why do students choose to pursue math or science? The answer appears to vary by gender. Forty-nine percent of female STEM students say it was to make a difference, and 61% of male students said that games or toys in their childhoods sparked their interest. For 68% of the female respondents, a teacher or class got them interested in science, math, engineering or technology.

AND

Harris Interactive asked parents about their perception of STEM education in K-12. It found that 93% of parents believe that STEM education should be a priority in the U.S., but only 49% believe it is treated as a priority. And while 50% of parents want to see their children pursue careers in STEM, only 24% said they were willing to spend extra money to make their children successful in math and science classes.

So parents want their children to pursue STEM studies, but are unwilling to pay extra for the specialized, technical courses? Sounds like there’s a couple of solutions:

1. Adopt a school-choice policy that lets parents and students select the best (not just the local) school for their future career options.
2. Change the pay structure for teaching careers. Pay the science and math more than English or Social Sciences teachers, regardless of experience or level.

It’s up to politicians and administrators to consider all options. Parents must be understand the value of investing in education now, to produce better professionals later.