the need to improve math and science education

play videomission: math and science

Excellence in math and science education in the United States has a direct correlation to the country's ability to successfully compete, prosper and be secure in the global community of the 21st century. The National Academies of Science, in their 2005 blue-ribbon panel report, Rising Above the Gathering Storm, found:

  • Only 29 percent of 4th grade students, 32 percent of 8th grade students, and 18 percent of 12th grade students performed at or above the proficient level in science;
  • Almost 30 percent of high school mathematics students and 60 percent of those enrolled in physical science have teachers who either did not major in the subject in college or are not certified to teach it;
  • The U.S. ranks 16th of 17 nations in the proportion of 24-year-olds who earn degrees in natural science or engineering as opposed to other majors; and,
  • Those undergraduates who switch from science and engineering majors to other majors “are often among the most highly qualified college entrants, and they are disproportionately women and students of color.”

Rex W. Tillerson, Chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil, has said that "continuing to make focused and aggressive improvements in both the way the subjects are taught and learned will make a vital impact in retaining the nation’s economic competitiveness and reassuring young people of a secure future".

ExxonMobil focuses much of the company’s math and science outreach on programs that address these concerns and emphasize:

  • Encouraging students to take an active interest in math and science education and careers;
  • Motivating all students to learn and perform well in math and science courses;
  • Providing math and science teachers with professional development opportunities; and
  • Supporting the development of highly qualified teachers in the math and science fields.