STEM Education in the United States: An Analysis of Standardized Test Scores Comparing STEM and non-STEM Public High Schools
Abstract
In recent years, the government and private organizations have dedicated more
resources to the development of additional STEM education opportunities for high school
students across the nation. However, the effectiveness of those efforts has not been
determined. This researcher set out to determine if the percentage of public STEM high school
students who met or exceeded state proficiencies on state standardized tests was higher than
the percentage of non-STEM high school students who took the same standardized tests.
This study was split into two parts. The first part investigated test scores from one STEM
school and one non-STEM school from all SO states, minus Nebraska, plus the District of
Columbia. The second part of this study examined test scores from all STEM schools within six
Midwest states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. For each part of
the study, four two-sample t-tests assuming equal variances were conducted at a .OS level of
significance to calculate the statistical significance ofthe test scores collected. The findings
from this study implied that students who attended STEM schools produced statistically
significantly higher scores on mathematics, reading, science, and combined mathematics,
reading, and science standardized tests than students who attended non-STEM schools within
the same school district or geographic area during the 2011-2012 school year.
Collections
Related items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
-
The Effects of School Year Length on Fourth Grade Standardized Test Scores in Year-Round Schools and Traditional Schools
(2015)This research study was designed to determine if there are academic benefits in attending a school with a year-round calendar compared to a traditional school calendar. This research analysis compared the standardized ... -
An Analysis of Time in Schools: A Study of Schools with Expanded Time, Comparing Standardized Test Scores of Public Elementary Schools in High-Poverty Areas
(2014)The educational field has had many "new" ideas on how to improve student learning in recent years. One such new idea was Expanded School Time, where the time students spend in school is increased. The premise is: more ... -
Optimization of School Bus Routes for Crystal Lake South High School Utilizing ARCLogistics
(2013-09-20)The ability to efficiently and safely transport their students to and from school on a daily basis is an important part of every school district’s responsibilities. Like any organization, school districts want to cut down ...
