STEM Update 3

Study Shows AP Program Igniting Learning for Thousands of Youth
A rigorous study just released by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) finds that students who were part of the Advanced Placement Training and Incentive Program (APTIP) “took and passed more AP courses and exams, and enrolled in college in greater numbers. Most of this increase occurred at four-year colleges and private universities. Affected students were also more likely to persist in college, to earn more college credits, and slightly more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree. In addition, affected students were more likely to be employed and earned higher wages.”

Green Schools and Students’ Science Scores are Related
A nationwide survey shows a positive correlation between Green School practices and student achievement in science. The study was conducted by the University of Colorado Denver’s Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences and presented last week at the Green Schools National Network conference in Denver. Schools that took part in the survey observe GreenPrint core practices as defined by the Green Schools National Network (GSNN).

Low Retention of STEM Faculty Raises Concerns 
AWIS in Action! – February 2012
A recent study published in ScienceDaily indicates that men and women faculty members are now being retained in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) at roughly the same rate, with the exception of mathematics departments. Funded by the NSF-ADVANCE Program, this is the first large-scale longitudinal study on faculty retention, and researchers found that the median number of years male and female faculty stay at an institution is 11. This means that half of the faculty hired this year will be gone in 11 years, which is a real problem for research universities which have competitive startup packages and expensive recruitment strategies.