November 2023
On November 6, AERA provided comments to inform the development of the STEMM Opportunity Alliance (SOA) draft of STEMM Equity and Excellence 2050: A National Strategy for Progress and Prosperity. AERA serves as a partnering organization with SOA, which was launched in 2022 as part of a White House Summit on STEMM Equity and Excellence. The draft strategy is one of the actions taken to bring together stakeholders on common goals to build equity and excellence in STEMM by 2050.
The draft strategy presents goals and metrics within five aspects of the STEMM education and R&D pipelines:
The strategy specifies overarching areas in which to implement the strategy, focused on foundations for progress such as accountability and partnerships. It also specifies structures for implementation, including new and renewed commitments, coordination of infrastructure, and public-private partnerships.
In its comments, AERA applauded the overall ambition of the strategy, expressing support for the goals and approaches outlined. For further development of the strategy, AERA recommended investment of resources in the overall education system, research grants, and training programs to develop the STEMM workforce.
In addition, AERA noted the importance of (a) reliable data for measuring progress on the strategy goals by partners, (b) modernizing data systems to determine the extent of STEMM education workforce shortages, and (c) supporting efforts that can allow for student-level data analysis at the postsecondary level for program evaluations. AERA also concurred with the goal of addressing the resource gaps that currently diminish the capacity of historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, and additional minority-serving institutions to fully participate in research and development activities; the gap would be addressed, in part, through federal research investment.