Dive Brief:
- Two bills heading to the Michigan House of Representatives in November may add STEM certification to the state's high school diplomas and transcripts.
- If the two bills, which have already been introduced in the state's Senate, pass and are signed by Gov. Rick Snyder, then Michigan will become the first state to offer the option.
- Under the bills, high school students could earn the certification by taking six credits of math and six credits of science, in addition to all of their other high school graduation requirements.
Dive Insight:
“STEM education is not only one of the most exciting pieces of education but one of the most important pieces we could aim our kids toward,” Rep. Amanda Price, R-Park Township, who is introducing the bills to the House of Representatives, told MLive. Price argues that STEM jobs "are great," and the state should be aiming to bring more of them to Michigan.
One STEM skill that is getting a lot of buzz these days is coding. Last December, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced a plan that calls for a foundational computer science course to be a prerequisite for graduation within three years, and for at least 50% of the city's high schools to offer AP computer science in five years. The push for coding classes is in response to the lack of students ready for jobs in blossoming field. Coding has become so big that there are even resources available for students as young as kindergarten.
