Business, government, and education leaders have rightly declared science education “in crisis.” From low student performance to a lack of skilled workers, it is painfully evident that the nation’s scientific leadership has slipped. There is widespread consensus that we need a strong push across the nation to bolster support for science education, and we need it now!
NSTA is answering this call. The NSTA Leadership Institute will support the launch of Science Matters, a nationwide public awareness and engagement campaign. Our goal is to do what has not been done since the era of Sputnik—instill a national sense of urgency about the importance of scientific literacy and create a groundswell of public support, especially among parents.
Experts agree that we must excite students about science and engage them at the earliest grades. Science Matters will target parents and teachers of elementary school students. Through the power of print, broadcast, and radio media, the campaign will help parents understand why strong science and mathematics skills are essential for student success and learn how they can support their children’s learning in these subjects. It will encourage them to advocate for high-quality science and mathematics education in their schools and communities, and—ultimately—build a vital coalition of committed parents and teachers who will work together to achieve these goals.
The uniqueness of this campaign—and a powerful factor for its success—is NSTA’s ability to marshal the nation’s teachers to ensure they are active participants in this highly visible effort. NSTA will use its existing networks of science educators at the community and state levels and empower them to be central advocates of the campaign, its messages, and high-quality science education.
We believe the Science Matters campaign can help stimulate a 21st-century version of the rebirth and reform of the Sputnik era—more successfully informing the nation about what it takes to become truly scientifically literate citizens, and encouraging a joint commitment by parents and teachers to achieve that vital goal.
To learn more about the Science Matters campaign, click here.
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