Because employers are facing a growing shortage of American STEM workers combined with the continued mediocre performance of American students in international rankings, Bentsen proposes engaging students by:
- Eliminating lecture-only classes
- Opening up private school choice to allow students to connect with schools and teachers that best fit their learning styles
- Using free-market principles to improve teacher quality and pay
“Engaging students in STEM fields is the key to encouraging economic growth and securing America’s competitive advantage,” says Bentsen. “Encouraging competition to bring out the best in our schools, teachers and students is the best way to truly invest in education.”
According to a 2013 Gallup Poll, students who strongly agreed with both of the following two statements were 30 times more likely to be emotionally engaged at school than those who strongly disagreed:
- My school is committed to building the strengths of each student.
- I have at least one teacher who makes me excited about the future.
The survey also reported that:
- Nearly half of students feel stuck or discouraged by their ability to succeed at school and beyond.
- Forty-five percent of students are not engaged or — even worse — are actively disengaged while at school.
- Only 33 percent of students in grades five through 12 are “success-ready,” meaning they scored highly on measures of hope, engagement and well-being.
Laura Ascione is the Editorial Director at eSchool Media. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland's prestigious Philip Merrill College of Journalism.
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