Tapping America's Potential: The Education for Innovation Initiative

This document examines the need to reform education in America. The goal of the United States is to double the number of science, technology, engineering and mathematics graduates with bachelor's degrees by 2015. A core set of recommendations are reviewed: (1) Build public support for making science, technology, engineering and math improvement a national priority; (2) Motivate U.S. students and adults to study and enter science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers, with a special effort geared to those in currently underrepresented groups; (3) Upgrade K-12 math and science teaching to foster higher student achievement; (4) Reform visa and immigration policies to enable the United States to attract and retain the best and brightest science, technology, math and engineering students from around the world to study for advanced degrees and stay to work in the United States; and (5) Boost and sustain funding for basic research, especially in the physical sciences and engineering.