Every Student Can't Succeed If Every Voice is Not Heard: Equity Perspectives from STEM Educators

Abstract

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) provides numerous provisions to support science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). These provisions do not necessarily address persistent achievement and opportunity gaps. We contend that if states, districts, and local schools capitalize on the autonomy provided in the ESSA, access, equity, and achievement in STEM can be attainable to traditionally underserved populations of learners. The purpose of this article is to review the enumerated provisions pertinent to STEM and, based on these provisions, present recommendations to support access, equity, and achievement in STEM content areas. Our review indicates that the ESSA presents provisions in five areas related to STEM education: (1) standards, (2) assessments, (3) accountability, (4) teacher effectiveness, and (5) well-rounded education. Using these five areas as an organizational framework, we provide recommendations to support enduring challenges related to equity, access, and achievement in STEM education. These recommendations are based on current high-yield practices used to support equity, access, and achievement in STEM content.