This article has been updated to reflect 2026 data and recent developments.
Math and science are the backbone of the education system in the United States today, as STEM fields come to the forefront of the global marketplace. However, if one examines the test scores of U.S. students, it becomes clear that many students in this country are not achieving the math and science proficiency needed to make the grade. As the U.S. continues to face competition in math and science on a global scale, many educators and business leaders are leading the charge for more rigorous math and science requirements in high schools. Will more math and science really make the U.S. more competitive?
U.S. Lagging Other Industrial Countries
In 2012, William Bennett, the former U.S. Education Secretary, reported at CNN that the United States scored 23rd in math and 31st in science among 65 participating education systems. The Wall Street Journal also issued a report, citing a warning in a report from the United States National Academies that stated the U.S. was losing ground in both math and science skills. Even as the U.S. has made some improvements in math and science test scores over the years, the country continues to face challenges in these key areas.
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) found that U.S. students scored close to the OECD average in mathematics and above the average in science. However, mathematics performance declined compared with 2018, highlighting continuing concerns about student achievement.
In addition to concerns about global competitiveness, the U.S. may be cheating itself out of future math and science advancements. The original CNN article reported that only 26 percent of high school seniors scored proficient or above on math examinations, and 21 percent scored proficient or above in science. Studies at the time also showed that of the high school graduates who entered college with the intent of pursuing a degree program heavy in math or science, 40 percent switched majors before they completed their degree.
More recent findings continue to highlight academic challenges. The National Center for Education Statistics published its 2024 mathematics results for grades 4, 8, and 12, along with its 2024 eighth-grade science results. These assessments provide updated measures of student achievement and reinforce the importance of monitoring math and science proficiency.
The Importance of Math and Science
In 2012, while hosting the second annual White House Science Fair, President Barack Obama noted the reasons why the U.S. needed to focus more on STEM education. The President cited economic reasons for a strong math and science background to remain competitive in a growing global marketplace. At the time, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology found that in order to keep up with the demands of the new market, the U.S. would need to produce one million more STEM graduates over the following decade.
The President also emphasized the fact that math and science have been an important component in the history of the U.S. The President called on examples of Founding Fathers Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, who never seemed to tire of exploring the world around them. Through experiments and study, the President credited these men with trying to figure out how to “shape that environment so that people’s lives are better.”
The importance of these subjects continues in 2026, particularly as technology, engineering, and scientific research remain essential to many industries. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics continues to identify a wide range of occupations requiring education and training in engineering, mathematics, and related technical disciplines.
The STEM Quandary
Despite our illustrious history in math and the sciences, as well as the recognized need for more STEM graduates to keep the U.S. competitive, there are a number of obstacles standing in the way of producing those graduates. The report from the United States National Academies called one of those obstacles “a recurring pattern of abundant short-term thinking and insufficient long-term investment.” This included declining spending on scientific research, less education funding, and aggressive pushes by other countries to bring their science and math learning to a more competitive level.
“Science has almost been eliminated from the K-6th grade classrooms,” Dr. Francis Eberly, executive director of the National Science Teachers Association, told the Wall Street Journal at the time. “The focus of the No Child Left Behind Act has been on literacy and mathematics, and so we have a whole group of students not being adequately prepared for science careers.”
Since that statement was made, the No Child Left Behind Act has been replaced by the Every Student Succeeds Act, which was signed into law in 2015. However, the broader concern about providing students with sufficient science instruction, qualified teachers, and opportunities to explore STEM subjects remains relevant in 2026.
What the U.S. Can Do
While the STEM quandary may seem like a major roadblock to the economic and technological advancement of the U.S., the good news is there are many ways the country can reverse this trend. An article from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation suggested one option may be as simple as showing both students and parents the advantages of pursuing a STEM education. Instead of focusing on how the U.S. is falling behind in technology advancements, focus on the benefits students may enjoy from studying science and math.
Psychology Today also reported on a study that showed students who take more math and science courses typically have parents with higher levels of education. In addition, parents who provided information to their children about the benefits of an education heavy in math and science were more likely to have children who took more classes in these subjects. The more conversations about math and science that went on in the home, the more classes students took in those subjects overall.
In addition, William Bennett made these additional recommendations in his report for CNN:
Teach STEM subjects earlier in school, to tap into a student’s natural curiosity
Provide sufficient math training to teachers, particularly in the earlier grades
Integrate math and science into curriculum, rather than separating it from the rest of a student’s studies
Use math and science pedagogy when possible in every subject taught in the school
Partner with non-profit organizations in the community to bring more math and science studies from the real world into the school environment
Math and science are key components for a healthy and robust future global workforce. If the U.S. is to remain competitive worldwide, these subjects will need to become a bigger priority for schools across the country.
