Health and STEM Career Expectations and Science Literacy Achievement of U.S. 15-Year-Old Students. Stats in Brief. NCES 2020-034

National Center for Education Statistics. Available from: ED Pubs. P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Tel: 877-433-7827; Web site: http://nces.ed.gov/

Y

23

EDIES12D0002

STEM Education; Allied Health Occupations Education; Academic Achievement; Student Characteristics; High School Students; Careers; Expectation; Science Achievement; Gender Differences; Racial Differences; Ethnicity; Immigrants; Socioeconomic Status; Cultural Influences; Scores; Achievement Gap; Adolescents

Demand for jobs in many science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields and in the health care field is projected to grow faster than the average for all occupations in the United States (Bureau of Labor Statistics 2019). However, the current STEM and health care workforces are characterized by demographic disparities and a lack of diversity in many positions (e.g., see Funk and Parker 2018). For the United States to equitably meet national demands for STEM and health care jobs, it is important to understand key factors that may be associated with students' decisions to pursue STEM and health-related careers. Some of these key factors may include student career expectations, academic achievement, and demographic characteristics. This Statistics in Brief contributes to the understanding of U.S. high school students' expectations of health or STEM careers and their science achievement. Analyses between and within demographic groups highlight whether any disparities are evident years before young people begin their careers.

ERIC

Yes

https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2020034

2020

ED605517