American students are falling behind in the essential subjects of math and science, putting our position in the global economy at serious risk.

Here are just a few examples among many:
+ U.S. students recently finished 15th in reading, 19th in math, and 14th in science in the ranking of 31 countries by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

+ Only 29 percent of American fourth grade students, a third of eighth grade students, and barely 18 percent of 12th grade students perform at or above the proficient level in science.

+ About a third of high school math students and two-thirds of those enrolled in physical science have teachers who did not major in the subject in college or are not certified to teach it.

+ In 2000, only 4.4 percent of the science and engineering jobs were held by African Americans and only 3.4 percent by Hispanics.

+ In Business Week’s ranking of the world’s information-technology companies, only one of the top 10 is based in the U.S.

+ Nearly 60 percent of the patents filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark office in the field of information technology originate in Asia.

+ The U.S. share of the world’s leading-edge semi-conductor manufacturing capacity dropped from 36 percent to 11 percent in the past seven years.

+ Of the new R&D sites planned for construction in the next three years by 177 companies queried in a survey, 77 percent are to be built in China or India.

+ 75 percent of all high school graduates enter college; about half of all college freshman take at least one remedial course.

+ U.S. advanced math and physics students were not leading, but lagging behind other students around the world in math and physics achievement.

+ The U.S. ranks 17th among nations in high school graduation rate and 14th in college graduation rate.

“To keep America competitive in the future, we must trust in the skill of our scientists and engineers and empower them to pursue the breakthroughs of tomorrow. Last year, Congress passed legislation supporting the America Competitiveness Initiative, but never followed through with the funding. This funding is essential to keep our scientist edge. So I ask Congress to double federal support for critical basic research in the physical sciences and ensure America remains the most dynamic nation on Earth.”
-President George W. Bush, State of Union address 2008