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Tom Friedman's comments in the School Administrator suggesting that simply increasing the amount of mathematics and science instruction in our nation's schools would not be enough to make the US globally competitive is absolutely on target.  What needs to be added to the theoretical and procedural aspects of traditional mathematics and science instruction in our nation's schools is the context for the learning.  In reality many of our teachers, who have little real world employment experience outside of the classroom, are poorly equipped to provide it.

"Why do I need to know this and where will I ever use it," are questions that we have all heard as educators and parents, and have also uttered as students ourselves.  In curricula that provides a context for the application of mathematics and scientific principles, the words are seldom heard.  Contextual learning provides the relevance of the instruction for students, and when offered in project and problem-based format, the result is increased critical thinking and problem solving skill development.  And aren't these the attributes of a workforce that would be globally competitive?

Increase the high school graduation requirement in both mathematics and science to four units, but also provide rigorous contextual learning in themes of engineering and technology for students to apply their learning.

Students can take all the math and science available in the high school but if they don't have a context for using the academic skills they become good test takers but not necessarily what the future workplaces need. Education policy makers and legislators have used the advice gained from corporate America (which are generally large businesses) to set in place STEM funding and initiatives that are sweeping the education system.

Workers with high level skills are truly needed if America is to compete with businesses around the Globe. We need to look at new realities. America is now becoming more entrepreneurial. 70% of the businesses in America according to the latest Business Census are businesses without payroll, meaning they are operating as an organization of one. Small business in America has developed the net new jobs in this country for the past two decades as large corporations are right sizing, downsizing, or off shoreing jobs. Large corporations have decreased their workforce yet they are steering the education policy and legislation of America.

Perhaps the education community should consider STEME - meaning that Entrepreneurship should be added to the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math so that the students have a context for using the high level skills that we desire them to acquire. If America is to remain the most innovative nation in the world, then all the individuals who are going to operate their own businesses need to gain the skills essential for the 21st Century which is more than just STEM.

Entrepreneurship provides a context that is important to the more than 70% of high school students who indicate they want to start their own businesses sometime in their lives. Lets capitalize on high entrepreneurial interest of students and help them acquire the high level skills (STEME) that will allow them to succeed in the future workplaces of America! 

This one school improvement idea should get some other ideas flowing!