STEM Education Funding: Trends in Federal Funding and the Impact on Career and Technical Education

• In Event: 25.047 - Pipeline to the Global Workforce: Investing in Career and Technical Education for the Next Generation

Abstract

The United States federal funding agencies continue to support STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) education as a funding priority. Evidence of this can be seen in the most recent federal budget, where the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) remain two of the highest funded research entities, even with the recent movement to reduce spending (H. Res. 1625, 2018). The consistent presence of STEM education as a funding priority is due to many factors, including the health needs of an aging population, advances in technology creating new opportunities, and at some level the national desire to stay ahead of other nations in scientific discovery (National Academy of Sciences, 2011; National Research Council, 2014; U.S. Department of Education, n.d.).
Career and technical education (CTE) is sometimes seen as a subset of STEM education (Lynch, 2000a, 2000b; Stone, 2011). CTE STEM areas can include computer technology, engineering, medical training, and other careers fields. However, while support for STEM education research continues at the federal level, the argument has been made to increase funding opportunities for CTE (Brand, 2008; Carnevale, 2010; Castellano, Stringfield, & Stone, 2003; Cohen & Besharov, 2002; Lamberth, Joerger, & Elliot, 2018). In relation to federal research funding, the NSF has limited funding targeted for CTE-type proposals, with only one funding program directly focused on technician training (Advanced Technician Education). Outside of this, other NSF funding programs are available that could potentially be appropriate for CTE proposals, in competition with other STEM education topics. However, the question then would be are CTE proposals funded at an equitable rate to other STEM education proposals?
To evaluate the current federal funding allocations, the present paper details an evaluation of the NSF fiscal year 2017 awards, comparing funded projects emphasizing CTE vs. those emphasizing other areas of science education. The present study utilizes a systematic search protocol and content analysis of NSF award titles and abstracts available in the online funded projects database. These projects are evaluated for topic comparisons to assess what is being funded related to CTE in the current funding structure. It is not realistic to expect equal funding to be allocated from NSF for CTE education compared to all other areas of STEM education. However, if there is a lack of equitable support for CTE it may imply a lack of value or understanding of this work. Indeed, the perception of CTE has been noted repeatedly as a challenge to the advancement of these programs (Brand, 2008; Carnevale, 2010; Cohen & Besharov, 2002). Discussion of this paper in the working group roundtable will focus on implications for CTE research and programming and recommendations for both researchers and practitioners in the field.

Author

• Sarah Ferguson, Rowan University