Effects of State Policy on High School Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Opportunities and Outcomes for Low-Income Underrepresented Minorities

尽管我们有一些证据表明，州政策对高等教育成本、学费减免和大学入学专项拨款的影响，但我们几乎没有证据表明特定于STEM的州政策的影响，这些政策被定义为高中毕业的数学和科学课程要求，以及是否存在高风险测试对STEM的高中机会和短期和长期结果的影响。尽管对STEM感兴趣的学生追求不同的途径获得STEM学位和相关结果，但高中机会结构是重要的。它们可以加强或限制以后的选择，特别是在基于等级的STEM领域，在这些领域，从高中到大学，数学和科学有望持续有序地进步。这项研究将阐明旨在增加和扩大STEM领域参与度的国家政策倡议的成败。鉴于《每个学生成功法案》(ESSA；2015年12月签署)预计州政策的作用将会增加，课程和考试政策的州际差异及其对未被充分代表的少数群体(URM)结果的影响将为各种州一级政策举措的有效性提供关键的洞察。拟议的研究将确定具体的空间和机制，在这些空间和机制中，现有的URM不平等可以得到改善。该项目得到了教育和人力资源核心研究计划的支持，该计划为STEM学习和学习环境的基础研究、扩大STEM的参与和STEM劳动力发展提供资金。本研究的目的是调查国家政策(高中毕业对数学和科学课程的要求，以及是否有高风险测试)和(2)高中机会结构(经验证的数学和科学课程的可获得性、内容、顺序和学校水平要求)的交互影响。拟议的研究是对具有全国代表性的纵向数据(HSLS：09)进行的多层次分析。使用多水平回归，这项研究将寻找高中机会结构和学生结果之间的关系，包括学生学习、主修STEM学科的意图和长期结果。

Although we have some evidence of the effects of state policy on postsecondary costs, tuition waivers, and earmarked grants for college attendance, we have little evidence of the effects of STEM-specific state policy defined as math and science course requirements for high school graduation, and presence or absence of high-stakes testing on high school opportunities and short and long term outcomes for STEM. Although students interested in STEM pursue varying paths toward STEM degrees and related outcomes, high school opportunity structures are consequential. They can enhance or constrain later choices, particularly in hierarchically based STEM fields where continuous orderly progression in math and science, from high school through college, is expected. The study will illuminate the success/failure of state policy initiatives designed to increase and broaden participation in STEM fields. Given the increased role of state policies that is expected under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA; signed December 2015), interstate differences in curriculum and testing policies and their effects on outcomes for underrepresented minorities (URM) will provide critical insight into the effectiveness of varying state-level policy initiatives. The proposed study will locate specific spaces and mechanisms wherein existing inequalities for URM can be ameliorated. This project is supported by the Education and Human Resources Core Research Program, which funds fundamental research in STEM learning and learning environments, broadening participation in STEM, and STEM workforce development. The purpose of this study is to investigate the interacting effects of: (1) state policy (math and science course requirements for high school graduation, and presence or absence of high stakes testing); and (2) high school opportunity structures (empirically verified math and science course availability, content, sequences and school level requirements). The proposed study is a multilevel analysis of nationally representative longitudinal data (HSLS:09). Using a multi-level regression, the study will look for relationships among high school opportunity structures and student outcomes including student learning, intentions to major in STEM disciplines, and longer term outcomes.