It is vital that we prepare students for an increasingly global economy. Due to technological advances and the presence of the world-wide web, Americans will compete with people from all over the world for the high tech high wage jobs of the future. We must improve the quality of America’s workforce by ensuring that students become effective critical thinkers, communicators, problem solvers, innovators, and inventors.

"Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) is the future for our students. Not only is Maryland in the thick of the nation’s economy-driving technologies of aerospace, defense, and systems engineering, computer software and network engineering, and bioinformatics and biotech but also the nation’s biggest beneficiary of Base Realignment And Closure (BRAC). The Department is committed to helping our schools prepare globally competitive graduates with the skills necessary for tomorrow’s world and the resulting work environment."

"Why is science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education so important and what must we do? The global economy has "flattened" the world in terms of skills and technology. A new workforce of problem-solvers, innovators, and inventors who are self-reliant and able to think logically is one of the critical foundations that drive a state economy's innovation capacity. State K-12 (kindergarten through grade 12) education systems, with the support of postsecondary education, the business sector, foundations, and governments, must ensure that 1) all students graduate from high school with the necessary science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) competencies to become this workforce; and 2) a greater number of students graduate from high school as potential professionals in STEM fields."

National Governors’ Association