A new survey by the Intel Corporation found that although most parents realize math and science are critical for their child’s success, they don’t feel comfortable talking about those subjects because of their own lack of familiarity with math and science.   Here’s an opportunity to pass the word along that NMSI has a Parent’s Guide to Math and Science posted on our website (include link or site location) that could help give parents the direction they need. – Rena Pederson, NMSI communications director

Intel Survey Reveals Majority of Parents of Teens Find It Difficult to Help Their Kids With Math and Science

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — NEWS HIGHLIGHTS:

The News: A recent Intel Corporation survey found that parents feel more equipped to talk about drug abuse than math and science with their children.

The Context: Despite a perceived importance of math and science for success, and an overwhelming willingness to be involved, the survey results reveal that parents, particularly those of teenagers, often find themselves with little more understanding of these subjects than their children and without the necessary resources to bridge this gap.

Why It Matters: A strong background in math and science is increasingly critical for American prosperity, security, health, environment and quality of life. And yet, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress report released last week, less than 40 percent of fourth- and eighth-graders are proficient in math. Intel believes that to better engage America’s future innovators, we need to understand and appreciate the role that parents play in education and help them inspire their children to take an interest in math and science.

When it comes to talking with their kids, parents say the topics of math and science are harder to discuss than drug abuse, according to a survey released by Intel Corporation today.

The survey found that although more than 50 percent of parents rank math or science as the subjects most critical to their children’s future success, they report discomfort talking to their children about these subjects. In fact, nearly a quarter of parents who admit to being less involved in their child’s math and science education than they would like say that a key barrier is their own lack of understanding of these subjects.

Last week, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), commonly called the “nation’s report card,” revealed that fewer than 40 percent of fourth- and eighth-graders in the United States are proficient in math. The NAEP report also found that fourth-graders have not improved since the last test was given in 2007, even though fourth-graders had improved on every NAEP math test since 1990.

“The link between math and science education and American innovation and competitiveness is more apparent than ever,” said Shelly Esque, vice president of Intel’s Corporate Affairs Group. “Our survey points to a difficult reality for our nation’s parents: While they may recognize the importance of math and science, they are unable to engage with their children around these subjects due to limited understanding of the topics and scarcity of resources to help. We need to help parents help their kids make the best choices, including taking math and science courses so they are prepared to succeed.”