Who We Are

STEM is an acronym for the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, commonly used among educators, policy-makers, and government officials. STEM careers are the cornerstone of the 21^st century economy. For this reason, STEM is commonly used in reference to our nation’s economic competitiveness and the related need for education programs that prepare and inspire future generations of STEM professionals.

STEM Tutoring is a non-profit organization that seeks to fill the need for STEM education at low performing schools in Austin ISD and around Texas.

Our mission

To prepare economically disadvantaged, minority, and women students at low performing schools for success in STEM subjects through creative and engaging tutoring experiences.

STEM education is at the forefront of education reform efforts with initiatives like Educate to Innovate and Change the Equation—initiatives designed to encourage public and private investment in STEM education programs across the country and to prepare and inspire future generations of STEM professionals.

See “The Problem” and “The Solution” pages for more information from recent publications and reports on the declining state of STEM education in the U.S. and what STEM Tutoring is doing to address the issue.

Our nation is at a tipping point. We are in danger of losing our position as the global leader in scientific discoveries and technological innovation.

In September 2010, the Presidential Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) released its “Report to the President” on the future of STEM education- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics- in America. The PCAST report cited numerous statistics as evidence of the current unacceptable state of STEM education in the U.S., such as:

• In 2009, just 34 percent of U.S. 8th graders were rated proficient or higher in a national math assessment, and more than one in four scored below the basic level.
• In an international exam given in 2006, U.S. high school students ranked 21st out of 30 industrialized nations in science and 25th in math.
• Only 43 percent of U.S. high school graduates in 2010 were ready for college work in math and 29 percent were ready in science.

According to ChangtheEquation.com (a public-private collaborative project encouraging private companies like Time Warner Cable and Exxon-Mobil to invest in STEM education),

“Adding to these problems is the fact that math in our country suffers from an image problem. In a recent poll, more than half of Americans aged 18 to 34 admitted that they often say they can’t do math. Nearly a third said they would rather clean the bathroom than solve a math problem.”

For the past few decades, the American education system allowed a gradual decline in STEM education. Students lack inspiration to strive for success and are severely underperforming and underprepared in STEM subjects.

How can our country claim to be the world’s leader in technological innovation, engineering feats, and scientific breakthroughs if we are not graduating STEM literate students? If America is going to tackle the big issues of our time like green energy solutions, communications needs, and global poverty/health/hunger, we need students with strong foundations in STEM who are inspired to change the world.

One of PCAST’s recommendations for improving STEM education is supporting “high-quality STEM-based after-school and extended day activities.”

See “The Solution” for what STEM Tutoring and others are doing to answer this call.

“STEM education is an economic imperative. Experts say that technological innovation accounted for almost half of U.S. economic growth over the past 50 years, and almost all of the 30 fastest-growing occupations in the next decade will require at least some background in STEM.”

—PCAST “Report to the President”, September 2010

As our country becomes increasingly dependent on a STEM-literate workforce, we believe it is imperative that our nation moves quickly to improve STEM education and recapture the interest and imaginations of students. One of the ways the PCAST report recommends improving STEM education is by “supporting high-quality STEM-based after school and extended day activities.”

STEM Tutoring seeks to answer this call by giving middle and high school students access to free before and after school STEM tutoring with highly-qualified instructors. We believe giving students daily opportunities to receive extra time, attention, and guidance with their school work is key to empowering students to succeed.

But we’re not only seeking to improve student performance in STEM classes. We want to inspire students to pursue STEM careers by serving as a bridge that connects community professionals—scientists, engineers, professors, architects, computer engineers, doctors, bankers, etc.—with students through volunteer tutoring/mentoring opportunities, as well as interactive STEM projects.

What We Offer:

• Free before and after school small group STEM tutoring
• Free access to highly qualified educators trained in research-based instruction
• Free access to a rich, interdisciplinary, STEM curriculum
• Free access to STEM professionals in the community who volunteer their time to tutor, mentor, make presentations about their careers, and lead engaging/creative STEM-based group projects.

We believe education reform must be a collaborative effort, involving students, teachers, parents, administrators, community organizations and businesses–all striving to make a positive impact, one student at at time.

We need your involvement, whether its time, money, or collaboration to continue serving students and preparing them for academic and professional success.

See our “Get involved” page for more details on how you can participate in STEM Tutoring.