Policy Resolution EDU-15-22

WHEREAS, the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) has a long history of promoting public policy that seeks to increase educational opportunities, improve educational outcomes, and close the education achievement gap;

WHEREAS, NBCSL has passed resolutions, such as EDU-11-27, “COMMON CORE CURRICULUM STATE STANDARDS,” which ensures that regardless of where they live, children should receive a high-quality education that prepares them for success in college and in a globally competitive economy;

WHEREAS, NBCSL passed resolution such as EDU-12-02, “SUPPORTING INNOVATIONS IN MATHEMATICS EDUCATION AND TEACHER EFFECTIVENESS,” all of which aim to strengthen elementary school education in mathematics;

WHEREAS, NBCSL has called for an end to economic redlining in resolution TST-09-07, “PROMOTING EXPANSION METHODS OF COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES THAT ADDRESS THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES,” the practice of excluding low-income, minority, and underserved communities from broadband infrastructure build-out;

WHEREAS, NBCSL recognizes the critical need to improve achievement levels of all children, especially those who are disadvantaged and historically underserved;

WHEREAS, numerous companies support the academic achievement of disadvantaged students
and help to bridge the digital divide, such as Comcast’s Internet Essentials Program;

WHEREAS, some companies have made progress in employing a diverse workforce but women
and minorities remain grossly underrepresented;

WHEREAS, NBCSL acknowledges that our increasingly competitive global economy requires a
growing number of highly educated and skilled workers;

WHEREAS, NBCSL recognizes there is a growing opportunity to leverage the STEM economy;

WHEREAS, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce, over the past 10 years, growth in STEM was three times as fast as growth in non-STEM jobs;

WHEREAS, NBCSL recognizes that increasing opportunities for minority students in STEM fields is an important step towards realizing economic prosperity and equality for students across the board;

WHEREAS, NBCSL recognizes that minorities continue to earn a shrinking share of STEM degrees, and African Americans and Latinos remain among the most underrepresented, which limits their economic prosperity, professional growth, and deprives our nation of the full benefit of their talents;

WHEREAS, according to the National Science Foundation, about half of Americans said their local public school did not place enough emphasis on teaching science and math;

WHEREAS, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s latest Civil Rights Data Collection, information compiled from all 97,000 of the nation’s public schools, Black students (57 percent), Latino students (67 percent), and English Language Learners (65 percent) have less access than their White, English-speaking peers (71 percent) to the kinds of rigorous math and science courses needed for college and many careers;

WHEREAS, according to U.S. Department of Education only 68 percent of Black students attend a high school that actually offers calculus, and 81 percent of White high school students have the option of taking calculus;

WHEREAS, NBCSL urges the development of programs to encourage women, minorities, and economically disadvantaged students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) throughout the nation; and

WHEREAS, NBCSL supports strategies for transforming K-12 STEM education.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) supports President Barack Obama’s STEM initiatives and investments in the Next-Generation Learning Technologies that complements the Administration’s Connect Educators program, which ensures that students receive the full benefit of broadband connectivity in school districts across the country;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, NBCSL urges companies to implement concrete actions to increase the diversity of the workforce and retain diversity in their current workforce;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NBCSL reiterates its call to end economic redlining and encourages federal, state, and local officials to ensure that broadband build-out is equitably distributed to all communities regardless of race or income level; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States, members of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, and other federal and state government officials as appropriate.

• SPONSOR: Representative Alan Williams (FL)
• Committee of Jurisdiction: Education Policy Committee
• Certified by Committee Chair: Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter (SC)
• Ratified in Plenary Session: Ratification Date is December 12, 2014
• Ratification is certified by: Representative Joe Armstrong (TN), President