In a Dear Colleague (http://science.nsta.org/nstaexpress/nstaexpress_2005_02_07_extra.pdf) letter sent on February 2, the Senators write “With increasing demands on our economy, workforce, and national security, STEM education is more important than ever. . . A strong education in science, technology, engineering and math skills equip our students not just to hold their own but to advance the frontiers in fields important to our economy and security.”

As you will recall a similar caucus was established last summer in the House by Representatives by Reps. Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) and Mark Udall (D-CO). That caucus is working to promote and improve all areas of science and math education including K-12, higher education, and workforce issues in Congress. (For more information on the House STEM Ed Caucus, visit the website at http://www.stemedcaucus.org). To date there are 52 members of the House STEM ED Caucus (http://science.nsta.org/nstaexpress/nstaexpress_2005_02_07_extra2.htm).

These caucuses are very important to K-12 science and math education in a number of ways.

It will help to bring valuable visibility to STEM education, provide much needed information to members of Congress, and eventually help to secure much needed funding for science and math education. The strength and effectiveness of these STEM Caucuses—and future science and math education initiatives on Capitol Hill—will be influenced by the numbers of Representatives—and now Senators—who join the STEM Education Caucus and work to affect change.

All teachers of K-12 science and math education are urged to contact their representative in the U. S. House of Representatives and their Senators and ask him or her to join the new Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Caucus.

What You Need To Do 
Ask your Representative to Join the House STEM Education Caucus. If your Representative is not on the current list of STEM Ed members, send him or her an e-mail at http://www.house.gov (You can also find out who represents you using this address). Include or reference the Ehlers/Udall Dear Colleague letter in your email (To view the letter visit http://www.stemedcaucus.org or http://science.nsta.org/nstaexpress/nstaexpress_2005_02_07_extra3.htm). Also include a personal note about why this request is important to you and what it will mean to science education in your school/state.

Ask your Senators to join the Senate Science and Math Education Caucus. Also send him or her an e-mail at http://www.senate.gov and ask them to join the Coleman/Durbin Senate Caucus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Education. (Do not send the House letter to your Senators)

Also last week, the House STEM Ed Caucus hosted their first informational event, an orientation on STEM education for new members of Congress and their staff sponsored by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). The lunch time event was hosted by Representatives Ehlers and Udall, and included keynote presentations from Dr. Susan Sclafani, an assistant secretary at the U. S. Department of Education, and Charles Kolb, president of the Committee for Economic Development. The event drew several members of Congress and staffers from more than 15 offices. (To preview Dr. Sclafani’s presentation on the Current State of STEM Education, go to http://www.stemedcaucus.org).

A second STEM Ed Caucus event on STEM education and higher education is planned for February 9; the keynote speaker for the luncheon will be Dr. MRC Greenwood, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, University of California.

Questions? Email Jodi Peterson