K–12 EDUCATION

Abstract

Though the United States has all the ingredients for leadership in science--world-class higher education institutions, strong industry and nonprofit sectors, philanthropic giving, and talented young people--not all US students have access to early or sustained learning experiences in the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) and computer science (CS) in prekindergarten through grade 12 (pK-12). To close the gaps, more coordination across the education ecosystem is necessary. Every student should be able to access STEAM and CS learning experiences embedded in the school day. In elementary grades, this includes integrating content across disciplines and providing time for students to do hands-on engineering, coding, and computational thinking projects. In middle and high school, elective courses create pathways to college and careers. These classroom experiences can be enhanced when offered in conjunction with after-school and summer programs, family events, and work-based learning opportunities such as workplace tours, internships, and apprenticeships. Providing these layered STEAM and CS offerings demands more resources and coordination.

Though the United States has all the ingredients for leadership in science-world-class higher education institutions, strong industry and nonprofit sectors, philanthropic giving, and talented young people-not all US students have access to early or sustained learning experiences in the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM)

and computer science (CS) in prekindergarten through grade 12 (pK-12). To close the gaps, more coordination across the education ecosystem is necessary.

Every student should be able to access STEAM and CS learning experiences embedded in the school day. In elementary grades, this includes integrating content across disciplines and providing time for students to do hands-on engineering, coding, and computational thinking projects.

In middle and high school, elective courses create pathways to college and careers. These classroom experiences can be enhanced when offered in conjunction with after-school and summer programs, family events, and work-based learning opportunities such as workplace tours, internships, and apprenticeships. Providing these layered STEAM and CS offerings demands more resources and coordination.

In Fairfax County, Virginia, where I work, state leadership and federal government investments are supporting student access to STEAM and CS. Virginia was one of the first states to establish K-12 CS standards and expand early access to CS. In a school division that serves nearly 183,000 students, grant funding from the Department of Defense Education Activity Military-Connected Local Educational Agencies for Academic and Support Programs has offered flexibility to fund central staff to support Code Up projects that are dramatically accelerating the integration of CS and STEAM into math instruction system wide.

Local employers, universities, and colleges have partnered with the school system to expand pK-12 opportunities that ignite student interest in STEAM and CS. For example, Capital One connects middle school students with mentors and hands-on learning in their Capital One Coders summer and after-school programs. The nonprofit Children's Science Center Lab has established a wide array of elementary, middle, and high school programs, including family science nights and internships for high schoolers in high-demand fields like cybersecurity. The Compose and Code program, funded by the National Science Foundation and led in partnership by researchers at George Mason University, Old Dominion University, and the University of Alabama, developed inclusive CS lessons that strengthen the computational thinking, coding, and writing skills of students with and without disabilities. George Mason University's Building the Quantum Workforce Project connects students with industry leaders and

internships. And Northern Virginia Community College and the Northern Virginia Technology Council have partnered on the Aim High initiative to expand career experiences.

This strategic cross-sector coordination invests directly in the talent and ingenuity of young people, equipping pK-12 students in our region with the critical thinking and collaboration skills that fuel success. Providing STEAM and CS opportunities to all pK-12 students requires investment, but it offers a high return. One high school student in Fairfax County Public Schools merged topographic mapping practices with cell histology and artificial intelligence to invent an accurate method of diagnosing cancer-she now works in the field of AI. Her pathway to STEAM and CS began well before graduation.