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Why
our Nation Needs to Educate our Gifted and Talented Youth:
·
About
one-third of all jobs in the United States require science or
technology competency, but currently only 17 percent of Americans
graduate with science or technology majors … in China, fully 52
percent of college degrees awarded are in science and technology.
(William R. Brody,
president of Johns Hopkins University, Congressional testimony, 2005)
·
Only 11
percent of bachelor’s degrees in the United States
are in the sciences or engineering, compared with 23 percent in the
rest of the world and 50 percent in China. (National
Summit on Competitiveness, 2005)
·
China
graduates about
500,000 engineers per year, while India
produces 200,000 and the United States turns out a mere 70,000. (National
Academy of Sciences: “Rising Above the Gathering Storm,” 2005)
·
The United States
in 1970 produced more than half of the world’s Ph.D.s.
But if patterns continue, it will be lucky to produce 15
percent of the world’s doctorates by 2010.
(National Bureau of
Economic Research, 2005)
·
45% of
new U.S. patents are granted now to foreigners.
(Education Week “A
Quiet Crisis is Clouding the Future of R&D,” 2005)
·
Only
three of the top 10 recipients of U.S. patents in 2003 were American companies. (National Academy of Sciences: “Rising Above the Gathering Storm,” 2005)
·
In the
fourth grade, U.S. students score above the international average in math and near first
in science. At eighth
grade, they score below average in math, and only slightly above
average in science. By 12th
grade, U.S.
students are near the bottom of a 49-country survey in both math and
science, outscoring only Cyprus
and South Africa. (William
R. Brody, president of Johns Hopkins University, Congressional
testimony, 2005)
·
Less
than 15 percent of U.S. students have the prerequisites even to pursue scientific or technical
degrees in college. (William R. Brody, president of Johns Hopkins University, Congressional
testimony, 2005)
·
The
number of students in the United States planning to pursue engineering degrees declined by one-third between
1992 and 2002. (The
Business Roundtable, 2005)
·
88% of
high school dropouts had passing grades, but dropped out due to
boredom. (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: “The Silent Epidemic,” 2006)
·
Up to
20 percent of high school dropouts test in the gifted range.
(Handbook for Gifted
Education, 2003)
·
Four-fifths (81%) of teachers surveyed believe that "our advanced
students need special attention - they are the future leaders of
this country, and their talents will enable us to compete in a
global economy."
(High Achieving Students
in the Era of NCLB, 2008)
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