Geographic Distribution of High Scores on the SERI index.

Science and Engineering Readiness Index (SERI) State by State

Many states are failing the nation in preparing their students for future careers in the knowledge economy. Unfortunately Maryland, my own state, is not among the nation's leaders as judged by this index.

The Science and Engineering Readiness Index (SERI)  incorporates results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (“NAEP”, conducted periodically by the U.S. Department of Education), Advanced Placement Examination results in calculus and physics, the physics course-taking results from the American Institute of Physics National Survey of High School Physics Teachers and information on teacher certification requirements in science compiled by the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ).  The information from these sources is gathered into three scores on mathematics performance, science performance and teacher qualifications.  The scores are then used to assign each state a single composite score.

Source

The map above shows the 2012 presidential election results on a population cartogram (state sizes are adjusted to reflect their populations). Fortunately the North Eastern and Mid Atlantic states that have high performance on the SERI index also have large populations. I note that many of the states that voted Republican (red) in the last election are among those that are not teaching enough STEM to their high school students.