John H. Marburger

 

Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy

 

NATIONAL SCIENCE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION CONVENTION

 

March 27, 2002

San Diego Convention Center

San Diego, CA

 

 

QUESTIONS FROM THE NSTA TEACHERS FOR DR. MARBURGER

 

Role as Chief Science Advisor

 

Q:        I am interested in knowing whether the advice you give the President comes solely from you or do you have a team of scientists who you work with in order to arrive at advice to give to the President. Just between you and me, what is the latest advice that you gave to the President?

William Anschuetz, Sayreville Public Schools, New Jersey

 

A:         It would be impossible for any one person to provide sound advice on the entire spectrum of science.  I have a small staff of scientists who cover the broad areas of the physical, life, environmental and social and behavioral sciences, but I also rely on the input of scientists from federal agencies throughout the government.  One of the most important parts of my job is to make sure that the different federal agencies coordinate their efforts, and that their expertise is available when the President calls on them.  For example, I have been working very closely with Governor Ridge, the Director of the Office of Homeland Security, to provide advice and support on the many scientific issues that have arisen in the war on terrorism.

 

Federal Funding of Science Education and Loss of Eisenhower Funds in New Education Bill (received many questions)

 

Q:        Since the federal funding for staff development (Eisenhower Program) is gone, how does the Bush administration plan to insure that our nation's teachers are adequately prepared to teach Science and Mathematics? Are there plans to develop a Master Teacher program for science that is similar to the program for reading?

Claire Hodgin
Texas Rural Systemic Initiative

 

A.        The No Child Left Behind Act requires states to have a highly-qualified teacher in every public school classroom by the end of the 2005-2006 school year. This means, for example, that all new teachers will have to be certified by the State, hold at least a bachelor’s degree, and pass a rigorous State test on subject knowledge and teaching skills. While reaching this goal will require reform of pre-service training, which is usually conducted in colleges of Education across the country, it will also require more effective in-service training and professional development for teachers in the classroom already.

 

To help states meet this goal, states, districts and schools will be eligible to receive in 2002 about $3 billion for teacher training, recruiting and hiring. This represents an increase of more than 30 percent over the 2001 levels of funding. President Bush has proposed to sustain this level of funding in his 2003 budget. Although the categorical Eisenhower program has been eliminated, these funds continue to exist in the state teacher training grants, and may result in the expansion of teacher training and professional development opportunities available to math and science teachers.

 

The Improving Teacher Quality State Grants are designed to help states implement strategies grounded in scientifically based research to prepare, train, and recruit high-quality teachers.  The Teacher Quality State Grants gives States and districts flexibility to select the strategies that best meet their particular needs for improved teaching that will help them raise student achievement in the core academic subjects. The grants are funded at $2.85 billion.  The Eisenhower program funds are now part of this state grant, and in their annual plans states must specify how these funds will be used, including the training of math and science teachers.

 

Teacher Training and Professional Development

 

Q:        What do you feel would be the best way to improve teacher training/professional development for science teachers.  In other words, with limited funds and resources, in what ways should school districts use federal funds and federal resources to the best advantage in terms of professional development?  And should professional development be the top priority, or do you believe that there are better ways to prioritize federal funding related to improving science education in the US?

            Jess Clark

 

Q:        I suggest that the current trend of encouraging scientists and engineers to partner with educators be encouraged.  This requires that teachers be provided the time and resources to partner with scientists and engineers to experience, first hand, how scientific research is actually conducted.  Can and should the nation's scientists be encouraged or rewarded for partnering with teachers in the classroom for improving science teaching?

Jim Thieman

 

A.        In his Education Blueprint, No Child Left Behind, the President proposed a new type of Math and Science Partnership (MSP) that brings together scientists and mathematicians from institutions of higher education with teachers and administrators from our primary and secondary schools to address what needs to be done to revise and strengthen how these subjects are currently taught in our schools.

 

The new Math and Science Partnership (MSP) program enacts a portion of the President's vision to strengthen and reform preK-12 science and math education.  It builds on the nation's dedication to educational reform through support of partnerships that unite the efforts of local school districts with science, mathematics, engineering and education faculties of colleges and universities.  The MSP seeks to improve student outcomes of all students by increasing and sustaining the number, quality, and diversity of preK-12 teachers of mathematics and science, and enhancing the capacity of schools to provide a challenging curriculum.  This goal will be accomplished through the development of a teacher education continuum, including preservice education, alternative routes into the profession, induction, and continued professional development.  In 2002 the National Science Foundation (NSF) received $160 million and the Department of Education (ED) $12.5 million to begin the MSP program.  In 2003 the President requests an additional $40 million for this program for NSF ($200 million total) while keeping the ED request at $12.5 million. 

 

The President also has requested an increase in funding for the exisiting Centers for Learning and Teaching (CLT) Program, which supports the systemic reform of K-16 education with an emphasis on inquiry and student learning.  Program objectives are (a) to rebuild and diversify the national human infrastructure for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education; (b) to increase the number of K-16 educators with deep knowledge of disciplinary content, pedagogical strategies, and student assessment; and (c) to provide substantive research opportunities in learning and teaching, as well as education reform policies and outcomes.  The CLT program requires partnerships among education stakeholders, especially Ph.D.-granting institutions, school systems, and informal education performers.  In 2003, the President proposed to increase CLT funding to $28.00 million, an increase of $6.86 million (or 32%) above the 2002 plan.

 

Recruiting and Retaining Good Science Teachers

 

Q:        I am a physics teacher at one of the public schools in San Antonio, TX. I want to know what is being done to make science teaching at high school level an attractive option for science graduates. If we do not have good science teaching at the high school level, how are we going to get students to enter graduate schools in the future? 

Rajee Thyagarajan  

 

In the Department of Education’s budget request the President has called for the expansion of a current math and science teacher student loan forgiveness program.  In the current program qualified teachers who serve in high poverty schools for five years can have up to $5,000 of their student loans forgiven.  The FY03 budget provides that qualified math, science and special education teachers can have up to $17,500 of their student loans forgiven if they serve in high poverty schools for five years, more than tripling the current amount.  The President believes that the expansion of the loan forgiveness program will provide a significant incentive for qualified teachers in these subject areas to teach in our country’s neediest schools. The 2003 budget sets aside $7.5 million for this purpose ($18 million over the next five years).

 

In order to help support teachers once they are in the classroom, the President’s 2002 budget proposed $21 million in the first year to establish a teacher tax deduction to help defray out-of-pocket classroom expenses. The deduction would cover expenses such as books, school supplies, professional enrichment programs and other training. All teachers would be able to deduct up to $400 of these expenses on their federal tax return, recouping a portion of their personal expenditures. The 2003 budget sets aside $577 million over five years for this purpose.

 

In addition, the National Science Foundation (NSF) has several exciting new or expanded programs, including:

 

A new Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Talent Expansion Program (STEP), established in 2002, is funded at $2.0 million in 2003.  Grants will be provided to colleges and universities to undertake steps necessary to increase the number of undergraduate math and science majors.

 

A new Robert Noyce Scholarship Program, begun in 2002, offers (a) scholarships for college juniors and seniors who are majoring in mathematics, science or engineering and who wish to become teachers; and (b) stipends for science, mathematics, or engineering professionals seeking to become teachers.  Projects help recipients to obtain certification to teach in K-12 schools and to become successful math and science teachers. Requested funding for this program is $4.00 million in 2003.

 

 A $37 million increase in the Graduate Teaching Fellowships in K-12 Education, Graduate Research fellows, and Integrated Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) programs.  Annual stipends will rise from $21,500 to $25,000 for academic year 2003-2004.  This increase is aimed at attracting the most promising U.S. students into careers in math and science teaching and research.

 

Equity

 

Q:        What is the Administration's policy (and what are they doing) concerning the "achievement gap" and the presence of minorities in science? For many years, science has been a hostile neighborhood for minorities and diverse groups, and there is plenty of evidence (NAEP, TIMSS, NSF studies) that "science for all" as a goal has failed in the United States. Should science be a national priority for all?

 

A.        Throughout his education blueprint, "No Child Left Behind", the President has called for the elimination of the "achievement gap" by making sure that schools and teachers have the resources that they need, and that they are held accountable for the progress of their students.  The majority of the programs I described in response to previous questions target schools or teachers who serve a disproportionate number of students from disadvantaged backgrounds.  These students need and deserve the best learning opportunities we can give them, and programs like the Math and Science Partnership are designed to make sure that we achieve that goal.

 

Testing

 

Q:        It seems that the "hands-on science" approach has won many accolades as the best way to make science meaningful, interesting, engaging and leads to the most successful learning. Yet, with the pressure on testing and "national standards," and much of it coming at the Federal level, I find an intense demand for the rote memorization of facts and figures. Teachers say they'd love to do more inquiry-based teaching, but have to be sure to cover "testable" material.  Could you comment?

Steele Hill

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Greenbelt, MD

 

 

Scientific knowledge is increasing at an enormous rate, and recent discoveries such as the mapping of the human genome and global climate change require that all of us be scientifically literate as never before. This means that our students must know and be able to apply complex scientific ideas. At the same time, students need a command of important factual information in each discipline that is connected to these important scientific ideas.  It is not obvious to me that “covering testable material” necessarily means “rote memorization.”

 

As more states develop science assessments that are required to be in place by 2006 under the No Child Left Behind Act, it is critical for states to develop assessments that will get at the degree to which students understand key ideas in science and are able to think about complex issues.  The National Science Foundation and the Department of Education will work together to support the development of such assessments.  For example, a series of Problem-Solving and Inquiry Tasks are now being pilot tested for inclusion in the next TIMSS assessment, and might prove to be useful models for state science assessments.

 

Importance of Science in Our Society

 

Q:        What can the current administration and White House Office of Science and Technology Policy do to assist future citizens of the U.S. to become technologically literate?

William E. Dugger, Jr.

 

A.        First, let me note the progress that we have made in this area.  A February 2002 Commerce Department Report titled: "A Nation Online: How Americans Are Expanding Their Use of the Internet" reports that few technologies have spread as widely as computers and the Internet.  Not only are many more Americans using the Internet and computers at home, they are using them at work, school, and other locations for an expanding variety of purposes.   More than half the nation is online.  Now 90% of children between 5 and 17 use computers and 75% of 14-17 year olds use the Internet at school or home. In addition, Internet use is increasing for people regardless of income, education, age, race, ethnicity, or gender.

 

Second, with respect to this Administration's priorities, the President's proposal to enhance education through technology is central to the bipartisan No Child Left Behind Act he signed into law in January.  It shifts support for educational technologies from a variety of disparate programs (each requiring separate applications and administrative burdens) to a consolidated block grant program to ensure that more technology funds reach the classroom.  Funds are targeted to high-need schools, including rural schools and schools serving high percentages of low-income students.  This program will give states the flexibility and support that they need to increase the technological literacy of both students and teachers.

 

Q:        It is sometimes difficult to get my young students to appreciate the importance of science. What can I tell 12 to 14 year olds to stress the importance of science and careers in science to them? Why is it important for young students, who do not have an interest in science careers, to still have a good science education?

            Diane L. Kowal

7th/8th Grade Science Teacher

Coventry Middle School

Coventry, RI

 

A.     More than ever before, we must ensure that American youth understand the contributions of science and technology to our global society, and we must provide every U.S. student with quality math and science education.  Consequently, it is my pleasure to announce that the Office of Science and Technology Policy, in partnership with public and private organizations, are undertaking a nationwide initiative, “Global Science and Technology Week (GSTW),” April 28-May 4, 2002.  Now in its third year, Global Science and Technology Week will underscore the President’s commitment to education, and launch public outreach activities across the United States to excite students about science.

 

As many of the greatest challenges and brightest hopes our Nation faces are of global concern and interest, Global Science and Technology Week will help our young people appreciate how international science ventures, such as the Human Genome Project, accelerate scientific breakthroughs and medical discoveries that improve the lives of not only U.S. citizens, but all citizens of the world.  Global Science and Technology Week will highlight to students that international teams of scientists are increasingly transcending national boundaries to serve their global community, working together to address global challenges that interest and affect all people, such as poverty, disease and space exploration. 

 

And as U.S. citizens benefit from international scientists of diverse backgrounds and cultures working together to solve the complex problems of our day, our Nation needs a diversity of students to strive for excellence in math and science, regardless of race, gender or ethnicity.  Thus, Global Science and Technology Week will help our nation’s youth understand that by studying math and science in their local communities, U.S. students are also part of a larger international science and technology enterprise.  It will emphasize to students that mathematics provides a universal language, and that science is our planet’s common ground.   And through their interest in math and science, they will not only strengthen America, they can work together to build a better world.

 

For more information on how you and your students can participate, please see the NSTA representatives who will direct you to copies of our one-page brief and our GSTW website, www.ostp.gov/html/gstw.html

 

 

National Security

 

Q:        My students would like to know:

1.      How is the government controlling the anthrax bacteria and who can get to it?

 

A:         Dangerous organisms (such as the bacterium which causes anthrax) and chemicals which might be used to harm people are tightly regulated by a variety of federal agencies that monitor their transportation.  In the old days, scientists used to freely exchange these reagents, even across international borders.  Today, and even more so after 9/11, the shipment and transport of hazardous biological material is closely guarded so that people are protected, but also so that scientists can still have access to necessary reagents in order to do research.  Additional laws are being considered that would further restrict possession and use of these agents.

 

2.      Is national security improving with use of x-ray and other technologies in the airports?

 

A:         Yes it is.  We need to think carefully about all the places where, and means by which, terrorists could make trouble, and then take steps to prevent, to deter, to detect, and to minimize the consequences of any such trouble.  Airports are important places.  The new x-ray and other machines that are being installed in airports to prevent any kind of weapons being used in them will make people who fly, and all of us, more secure.  There is an important role here for people who do science and engineering in improving these machines to make them better, cheaper, and able to operate faster.

 

3.      How does the administration think the fight against HIV is going?

 

A:         As of December 2001, 40 million adults and children worldwide were estimated to be living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS), with five million new infections and three million deaths occurring during 2001. This pandemic has effected every continent and is poised to explode, especially in key countries in Asia.  AIDS is not merely a health tragedy, but it also is destroying the economic and social fabric of many countries.  AIDS related deaths decimate educators, administrators, health workers, and the general population. 

 

The President has made fighting this pandemic and other key infectious diseases (TB and malaria) a major domestic and foreign policy objective of both U.S. bilateral and multilateral assistance programs.  The 2003 Budget proposes total bilateral and multilateral assistance for HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria programs in developing countries of nearly $1.2 billion, up from $1 billion in 2002.  The U.S. commitments in these two years will account for more than a third of estimated international donor funds. The Administration is prepared to increase funding to the Global Fund over the 2002-2005 period if appropriate burden sharing arrangements with other donors are agreed to, and if the fund becomes an effective operation.

 

In recognition of this program’s importance, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are expanding these country programs in an effort to shorten the period needed to reach prevention and care goals.  By the end of 2003, USAID and CDC plan to meet the following goals:

·        Reduce HIV prevalence in young adults by 30 percent;

·        Increase care to 321,000 infected people;

·        Increase orphans receiving community services to 168,000; and

·        Increase HIV-infected pregnant women getting antiretrovirals to 21,000, in order to prevent mother-to-child-transmission.

 

Q:        (a)How prepared is the U.S. to defend against biological or chemical warfare.  (b)How can we prepare ourselves and our students to be prepared for such an event.  And, (c) what part does science play in national security.  (d)Are the National Labs the key to our national science security?

Nancy Vawter

Montgomery, AL

 

 

(a)While we have a vital and effective public health system to meet emergencies that would arise from use of such weapons, we are not as well prepared as we would like.  Consequently the President has called for a large new investment to improve our abilities to identify those who would make and use such weapons, to detect such weapons and their use, and to manage the consequences of such use.

 

(b) The chances of any one person being affected by such weapons are very small, so it is hard to be prepared for that possibility.  Should such an unforeseen and unlikely event occur, the most important thing is to avoid panic, and to stay in communication, so as to be able to obtain and to follow advice, and any instructions, from FEMA (the Federal Emergency Preparedness Agency) and other federal, state and local authorities.  Every locality has designated "first responders."  The office of the mayor or governor knows who they are.  It might be instructive to invite one to come to class and to tell about their plans in case of such an event.  They might also have more detailed suggestions about preparedness.

 

(c) Science, and engineering, play key roles in national security.  They work to provide us with the tools to be more secure in the future.  With biological weapons, for example, research and development is being done to improve our ability to detect such weapons and their use.  We want to know about a biological weapon as soon as possible - not just after people begin to get sick from it.  We want better vaccines to keep such weapons from affecting people (or plants and animals).  And we want better drugs for treating unvaccinated people and animals.

 

(d) The national laboratories are important, but in the long term the key to our national security is our schools.  Our schools give us the leaders of tomorrow in science and other fields.  They give us the educated workers and future scientists and engineers who can do the research and development necessary for us to have better tools to make us more secure.  The Department of Energy National Laboratories and those of the Department of Defense, the National Institutes of Health, and other agencies do play an important role in conducting that research and development in many areas of national security.  They make use of basic research carried out at universities (and the national labs as well) sponsored by the National Science Foundation and other parts of the federal government.  Laboratories run by private industry also play important roles.   But the fate of U.S. national science security is tied most closely to the school system producing young adults who enjoy the challenge of learning how nature works and how that knowledge can be translated to systems and other products that will make the world a safer place.

.

The Environment

 

Q:        I am concerned about the President's environmental policy. What advice are you giving the president concerning such issues as global warming, drilling for oil in environmentally sensitive areas, protection for endangered species when such protection conflicts with business interests, etc.

Gordon Wells

Associate Professor

Ohio Valley College

 

A:         OSTP provides science advice on all environmental issues.  The advice is drawn from the most valuable and expert sources, such as the National Academies of Science, and panels of experts from universities and national laboratories. Many of these issues involve science as only one component of a complicated whole.  The President needs more than scientific advice, especially when the nation’s economy may be at stake.  As the President makes difficult decisions, he has access to the best possible advice in every field.