Nick Smith, November 2, 2003

Earlier this week, the Department of Commerce announced that our nation's economy grew at an annual rate of 7.2% during the third quarter, the largest quarterly increase since 1984. To have long term economic and job recovery our workforce needs the skills necessary to compete in an international market for jobs. Increasingly, business must continue to implement new technologies with highly skilled workers to increase productivity. In this employment climate, a solid background in math and science is quickly becoming a requirement for a good job.

Unfortunately, American children are not keeping up with their counterparts in other countries. Results from the most recent Third International Math and Science Study demonstrate in stark terms the need to improve math and science achievement for students. While U.S. students are nearly first in the world in science and above the international average in mathematics in grade four, their achievement falls continuously the longer they are in school. By 12th grade, U.S. students rank among the lowest of all countries.

Last year, I introduced and passed through Congress the National Science Foundation Authorization Act. The Math and Science Partnership (MSP) program was a key component of the bill, and gives competitive, peer-reviewed grants to universities and colleges to work with business and local schools to improve K-12 math and science education. Through its awardees, the MSP program seeks to improve U.S. math and science education. While recognizing that there is no one factor that makes all the difference, we do know that kids can't learn what their teachers don't understand. We also know that when parents are supported students do better.

I called my Research Subcommittee hearing to examine the effectiveness of the MSP program thus far. Among the witnesses giving testimony was Dr. Joan Ferrini-Mundy from Michigan State University, which just last month received a five-year MSP grant worth more than $35 million to partner with five intermediate school districts, including Calhoun and Ingham County.

So far, the results are promising. Participating schools are integrating math, science and technology concepts into previously stand-alone classes like algebra and biology. New, exciting curricula and projects are being developed to capture students' imagination, sparking interest in math and science. Teachers are receiving additional training so that they can more effectively convey math and science concepts to their students. And perhaps most importantly, the schools work with parents and students to communicate the considerable financial benefits of math and science knowledge.

But it isn't just kids who want to go on to be engineers and professors that need to learn science and math. From store clerks and auto mechanics to shop and factory, all now look for employees that are familiar with basic mathematics and science. Computer literacy is almost a prerequisite for most jobs these days, and being highly skilled with computers is almost a guarantee of a good job. As time goes on, job applicants in every sector of the workforce are more competitive if armed with a solid math and science background. If we are to continue to lead the world economically and technologically, our schools need to be re-tooled to better prepare students in math and science.

Nick Smith is a Republican Member of Congress representing the Michigan's 7th Congressional district.