The New 5-Year Federal STEM Education Strategic Plan: What's in it for Atmospheric Science Education?

The Committee on STEM Education, established under the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), completed a new 5-year Federal STEM Education Strategic Plan in 2018. It is the first such plan from this Administration and represents a shift in perspective from the previous Federal STEM strategic plan (2013-2018). The author was part of the interagency writing team and will discuss elements of the plan as they relate to science agencies and atmospheric science education programs. The plan has two overarching goals. First, to serve as a North Star, pointing toward the direction that STEM educations initiatives should be moving. And second, to set specific ways in which federal agencies can impact STEM education through programs and initiatives. The writing process began early in 2018 with a series of stakeholder meetings including representatives from government, education, business, and nonprofit sectors. These meetings generated 14 strategic areas strongly weighted toward White House priorities of workforce development and technical skills. The writing team organized them into four themes along with discussions of how existing programs and new directions can support the themes. The four themes are: Strategic Partnerships; Convergence/Integrated Thinking; Computation and Technology; and Transparency and Accountability.