Briefing on Computer Science and STEM Education for U.S. Congress

By Renee Dopplick, ACM Director of Public Policy
May 14, 2017

On May 10, the ACM Education Policy Committee co-sponsored a briefing for Congress on “STEM 101: Major Policy Issues for the 115th Congress.” Organized by the STEM Education Coalition Policy Forum, the briefing featured panelists Dr. David Evans of the National Science Teachers Association, Allyson Knox of Microsoft, Dr. Norman Fortenberry of the American Society for Engineering Education, Domenic Giandomenico of Project Lead the Way, Erik Peterson of the Afterschool Alliance, and James Brown of the STEM Education Coalition. The event attracted more than 100 congressional staff and education policy leaders.

The panelists explored a range of policy topics related to strengthening STEM education at all levels, integrating innovative education experiences, aligning education with workforce needs, incentivizing public-private coordination, bolstering access to hands-on experiences, and inclusive access. Panelists observed the need for expanded diversity of students and educators in the STEM disciplines.

The briefing was generously sponsored by: STEM Education Coalition, Association for Computing Machinery, Education Development Center, National Science Teachers Association, North American Association for Environmental Education, Afterschool Alliance, American Society for Engineering Education, Battelle/STEMx, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, American Chemical Society, Campaign for Environmental Literacy, and Society for Women Engineers.

View the photos and read the blog by the STEM Education Coalition.

ACM Education Policy Committee

The ACM Education Policy Committee is a high-level committee of acclaimed computer scientists and educators dedicated to improving opportunities for quality education in computer science and computing-related fields. The Education Policy Committee develops initiatives aimed at shaping education policies that impact the computing field. A primary goal of the EPC is to ensure that computer science, computing, and informatics education is recognized in educational initiatives at all levels of the educational pipeline.