On April 25, 2006, Missouri Governor Matt Blunt hosted a Math and Science Education Summit that brought together leaders from education, business, government and communities across the state. The purpose was to raise awareness and to recognize the challenges that Missouri will face in the coming years if more students are not fully prepared for careers that require knowledge and skills in mathematics, engineering, technology and science (the METS fields). This report A Call to Action for Missouri summarizes the discussion at the Math and Science Summit and indicates next steps Missouri needs to take to improve math and science education for all students across the state.
Another publication, Making Missouri a National Leader in Mathematics, Engineering, Technology and Science, served as a data book for the summit, providing participants a baseline analysis of Missouri's current capacities.
In September, 2006, the METS Alliance presented a report to Gov. Blunt detailing recommendations on improving the support of appropriate curricula in Missouri. From the executive summary of that report (available in full at right):
"The importance of mathematics, engineering, technology and science (METS) to the future well-being of Missouri and the nation was firmly established at Governor Blunt’s METS Summit held on April 25, 2006. Post Summit activities include the formation of a METS Alliance and the development of a preschool through graduate level (P-20) action plan organized around five major goals:
- Improve the performance of all P-20 students;
- Expand the pool of students motivated to pursue METS careers;
- Expand the pool of Missouri’s P-20 METS educators;
- Establish a technology plan to support METS curricula, Missouri Grade Level Expectations (GLEs) and assessments in Missouri;
- Increase public awareness of the value of METS knowledge on the lives of all Missourians and highlight the importance of METS-related industries and jobs in enhancing Missouri’s global competitiveness and innovation.
"The METS Alliance created a strategic plan outlining how Missouri could begin to address the needs identified at the Summit. The first step the Alliance took was to recommend establishing a METS Coalition to focus on this crucial statewide priority and increase the likelihood of Missouri’s long-term success in executing its METS action plan. The METS Coalition will be comprised of key business, education, and government leaders who will regularly promote, monitor and evaluate the success of Missouri’s P-20 METS initiatives. Through broad-based collaboration, the METS Coalition will seek to increase the collective impact of the independent efforts of many individuals and groups."
