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

虽然我们有一些证据表明国家政策对高等教育成本、学费减免和大学出勤拨款的影响，但我们几乎没有证据表明STEM特定的国家政策(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考试对高中机会和STEM的短期和长期结果的影响。尽管对STEM感兴趣的学生追求STEM学位和相关成果的不同途径，但高中的机会结构是重要的。他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，从高中到大学，数学和科学的持续有序发展是被期望的。该研究将阐明旨在增加和扩大STEM领域参与的国家政策举措的成功/失败。根据2015年12月签署的《每个学生成功法案》（Every Student success Act， ESSA），各州政策的作用越来越大，州际课程和考试政策的差异及其对代表性不足的少数族裔（URM）结果的影响将为了解不同州一级政策举措的有效性提供重要见解。拟议的研究将找到具体的空间和机制，其中现有的URM不平等可以改善。该项目由教育和人力资源核心研究计划支持，该计划资助STEM学习和学习环境的基础研究，扩大STEM参与和STEM劳动力发展。本研究的目的是探讨：(1)国家政策（高中毕业数学和科学课程要求，以及是否存在高风险考试）的相互作用效应；(2)高中机会结构（经实证验证的数学和科学课程的可用性、内容、顺序和学校水平要求）。本研究是对具有全国代表性的纵向数据进行多层次分析（HSLS:09）。使用多层次回归，该研究将寻找高中机会结构与学生成果之间的关系，包括学生学习，主修STEM学科的意图和长期成果。

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.