2012 NSSME: Unequal Distribution of Resources for K–12 Science Instruction

This paper highlight ways that data from the 2012 NSSME can be used to examine issues
of equity in science and mathematics education, focusing on how three important educational resources—well-prepared teachers, material resources, and the nature of instruction (course offerings and instructional strategies)—are currently distributed among K–12 science classrooms in the United States.

For this paper, data from the 2012 NSSME was examinedby five factors historically associated with differences in students’ educational opportunities:

• Prior achievement level of the class

• Percent of students historically underrepresented in STEM in the class

• Percent of students in the school eligible for free/reduced-price lunch

• School size

• Community type

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Unequal Distribution of Resources for K–12 Science Instruction: Data from the 2012 National Survey of Science and Mathematics Education (PDF)