Expanding STEM opportunities through inclusive STEM-focused high schools.

Area of Science:

• Education Policy
• STEM Education
• Sociology of Education

Background:

• Inclusive STEM high schools (ISHSs) admit students based on interest, not competitive exams.
• A key assumption is that ISHSs better prepare underrepresented groups for STEM careers.
• This study evaluates the academic and attitudinal impact of ISHSs on diverse student populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine if ISHSs effectively equip underrepresented minority and female students for the STEM pipeline.
• To assess the impact of ISHSs on advanced STEM coursework enrollment, career interest, GPA, and test scores.
• To compare outcomes for students in ISHSs versus traditional comprehensive high schools.

Main Methods:

• Hierarchical modeling was used to analyze data from 5113 students across 39 ISHSs and 22 comprehensive high schools in North Carolina and Texas.
• Data included student surveys and state longitudinal records.
• Comparisons were made between ISHS students and similar peers from comprehensive schools, controlling for Grade 8 achievement.

Main Results:

• ISHS students from underrepresented groups were more likely to take advanced STEM courses.
• Hispanic students in Texas and female students in both states showed increased STEM career interest.
• ISHS attendance correlated positively with GPA in North Carolina and with science test scores in both states, and math scores in Texas.

Conclusions:

• ISHSs appear to provide valuable academic and attitudinal benefits for students, especially those underrepresented in STEM.
• These schools may play a crucial role in broadening participation in STEM fields.
• Further research could explore long-term impacts and specific program elements contributing to success.