A joint position statement on STEM from the
National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics and the
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Our Position
The National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics (NCSM) and the National Council of Teachers
of Mathematics (NCTM) recognize the importance of addressing STEM felds (science, technology,engineering, and mathematics) in PK–12 education and affrm the essential role of a strong foundation
in mathematics as the center of any STEM education program. In addition to integrative experiences
connecting the disciplines of STEM, students need a strong mathematics foundation to succeed in
STEM felds and to make sense of STEM-related topics in their daily lives. Thus, any STEM education
program (including out-of-school activities) should support and enhance a school’s mathematics
program, ensuring that instructional time for mathematics is not compromised. In addition, any STEM
activity claiming to address mathematics should do so with integrity to the grade level’s mathematics
content and mathematical practices.
STEM Skills for the Future
The success of the nation as we move through the
21st century continues to depend on ideas and skills.
Increasingly, the infuence of technology and the
availability of information will shape those ideas and
skills, resting in large part on how well we address
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
in our K–12 education. Business leaders look for
employees who not only possess knowledge and skills
in STEM felds, but also can work together to fnd
creative solutions to complex problems (National
Academy of Engineering & National Research Council,
2014; PCAST, 2010). Information in numerical and
statistical forms inundate us in print and online media,
and the issues that voters increasingly face address
such complex matters as the economy and taxation,
health care and the spread of disease, the stock market
and international behavior, and gerrymandering and
election outcomes. Although the need for mathematics
education has traditionally been cast in terms of
economic need and national defense (Tate, 2013),
mathematics is increasingly needed to understand the
world today and fully engage in democratic society
(NCTM, 2018). All members of society, if they are to
make informed choices for themselves, their families,
and their communities, need to be quantitatively
literate and to have an understanding of quantitative,
scientifc, and technological issues far beyond what
was once adequate.
Envisioning STEM Education
Underlying the confusion and inconsistency in school
STEM programs is the lack of a clear vision of what
STEM is and what STEM programs should include.
There are those who argue that whenever we teach any
of the individual disciplines of mathematics, science,
engineering, or technology, we are teaching STEM
(Bybee, 2013; Larson, 2017). Within this vision is a
strong commitment to teach mathematics and science
in ways that emphasize the relevance of the disciplines
and engage students in developing thinking, reasoning,
and problem-solving skills. Advocates of this view
of STEM also acknowledge the benefts of activities
that connect two or more of the four STEM felds in
meaningful ways.
Others, however, suggest that teaching the individual
disciplines—especially mathematics and science—is
important for STEM, but that true STEM is integrative
(Dugger, 2010; New York City Department of
Education 2015, 2018; Pelesko, 2015). That is, we
can connect and extend mathematics and science and
incorporate engineering and technology to address
relevant problems and tasks arising from life in the 21st
century. Topics including robotics, communication,
urban transportation, health, space exploration,
environmental issues, or disease spread and prevention
offer fertile ground for student explorations in STEM
learning. Students may use mathematics or science to
model problems from the aforementioned list as they
develop creative approaches and solutions.
One way to think about STEM activities is to consider
how much of each STEM feld might be addressed in
a particular activity. Oklahoma’s STEM framework
(Patrick & Neill, 2016) offers a model of four sliders,
one for S, T, E, and M. A robotics activity might be
high on the E slider for an emphasis on engineering
design, with a signifcant amount of technology and
a modest amount of mathematics, but perhaps little
or no attention to science. Another activity involving
computer simulations of plant growth under certain
conditions might have a high connection to science
content, some technology and mathematics, but little
attention to engineering.
In implementing an integrative activity or a
comprehensive integrative program, attention to the
individual component disciplines is essential (Stevens,
2012). In a STEM program, mathematics and science
play a different role from technology and engineering,
in that mathematics and science are school subjects
that must be taught well for both a comprehensive
education and as a foundation for any STEM initiative.
When incorporating mathematics as part of a STEM
activity, it is important to ensure that the mathematics is
consistent with standards for the targeted grade level(s)
in terms of content as well as the level and kind of
thinking called for (Larson, 2017).
NCSM and NCTM believe that prioritizing STEM
is not about making a judgment as to whether or not
any single activity is a good STEM activity. Rather,
we suggest that a meaningful STEM program should
encompass many elements. It should be founded on
the mathematical thinking and knowledge advocated
for several decades by NCTM and NCSM and that
are consistent and supportive of the science and
engineering practices outlined in the Next Generation
Science Standards (NGSS Lead States, 2013). A
well-designed and effective STEM program is going
to have a strong mathematics component, a strong
science component, and many opportunities to use
mathematical and scientifc thinking, reasoning, and
modeling across disciplines to tackle real problems
that involve any or all of the STEM felds. Thus,
mathematics and science as disciplines, as well as
integrative activities that cross the STEM felds,
should be part of a comprehensive STEM program.
An essential feature of integrative STEM activities
should be that they support the individual disciplines
addressed with integrity—using content from gradeappropriate standards that is taught in ways that support
pedagogical recommendations from the disciplines.
STEM in Schools
There are many different interpretations of what
the incorporation of STEM should look like within
schools (National Academy of Engineering & National
Research Council, 2014). Although it may seem
that STEM is pervasive, some schools still devote
inadequate time and attention to mathematics (or
science) and leave students ill equipped to navigate
complex problems that go beyond these disciplines—
problems that can beneft from the creativity and
integrative thinking associated with a strong STEM
program. However, too much emphasis on STEM
felds will lessen time for developing students’ overall
literacy, broad educational knowledge, and experiences
with the arts and other disciplines that are essential to
the well-rounded educational experiences our students
deserve. In some schools, STEM as its own entity
might even threaten valuable instructional time and
adequate attention to necessary development in the
areas of mathematics and science—the very foundation
of STEM.
In terms of instruction, many teachers coming from
mathematics and science backgrounds may fnd
themselves assigned as integrative STEM teachers,
often without any relevant coursework or adequate
professional learning to prepare them for such an
assignment. The kind of real-life problem-based
teaching often associated with the most effective
STEM activities requires considerable expertise in
both content and pedagogy. Teachers assigned to
teach STEM in an integrative way may or may not be
dealing with defciencies in their content knowledge.
Regardless, asking them to teach STEM in an
integrative way without adequate background is likely
to create new knowledge gaps and challenges and
intensify the challenge of fnding qualifed teachers
for mathematics and science classrooms. Building
an effective PK–12 STEM program calls for careful
attention to teacher recruitment and assignment, as
well as appropriate professional learning (Stohlmann,
Moore, & Roehrig, 2012).
Mathematics and STEM
Much can be gained in support of the teaching and
learning of mathematics through connecting and
integrating science, technology, and engineering with
mathematics, both in mathematics classes and in
STEM activities. Engineering design, for example,
offers an approach that nurtures and supports students’
development of their problem-solving abilities, a top
priority for mathematics teachers. The design process
both reinforces and extends how students think about
problems and offers tools that can help students
creatively expand their thinking about solving problems
of all types—the very types of problems and issues that
students are likely to encounter in both their personal
and professional lives.
Teaching mathematics well is an important component
of a comprehensive STEM program. There is more
to mathematics, however, than being part of STEM.
The mathematics that students learn in school
includes content and thinking that can be used as
tools for tackling integrative STEM problems. But
it also includes content that might be considered
“just math†or might be connected to non-STEM
disciplines. Problems involving mathematical models
of fnance might or might not connect to science (S)
or engineering (E) and might or might not involve
in-depth uses of technology (T). Likewise, art might
be integrated into a mathematics lesson that does not
involve either science or engineering. Mathematics
goes beyond serving as a tool for science, engineering,
and technology to develop content unique to
mathematics and apply content in relevant applications
outside of STEM felds.
NCTM has described appropriate mathematical
content and processes for grades K–12 in Principles
and Standards for School Mathematics (2000). The
standards describe a strong, balanced, comprehensive
NCSM • NCTM – 4 – mathedleadership.org • nctm.org
foundation in mathematical knowledge, thinking,
and skills that is refected in mathematics standards
from across the states. Essentially every state includes
attention to the kind of mathematical thinking,
processes, and practices that students should develop
as part of their balanced mathematics experience. Thus,
there is strong professional guidance, as well as policy
direction, for the mathematics that should be taught at
each grade level.
Further, in Principles to Actions: Ensuring
Mathematical Success for All (2014), NCTM has
developed a set of eight teaching practices that describe
the nature of effective mathematics instruction. These
practices paint a picture of an interactive classroom in
which students are engaged in working through rich
tasks—sometimes struggling productively as they
tackle challenging problems—with the teacher guiding
classroom discussion focused on students’ thinking and
monitoring student learning throughout the process.
Professional recommendations for the teaching and
learning of mathematics include offering students
challenging, engaging, and relevant problems
consistent with STEM recommendations from the
public and private sector. Teaching mathematics and
science well, according to these recommendations,
can help students develop creativity, reasoning, and
problem-solving skills that align with the goals of
STEM programs.
Recommended Actions
In support of this position statement, NCSM and NCTM offer the following recommendations.
• Leaders and policymakers should:
° When developing a STEM education
program, make a solid commitment to a
strong mathematics and science program,
including allocating adequate instructional
time and providing appropriate professional
development, instructional materials, and
ongoing support to teach mathematics and
science effectively as described in professional
recommendations (NCTM, 2014).
° When implementing STEM activities or
programs, ensure that students also have access
to the kind of deep, rich teaching that leads to
the development of foundational knowledge and
skills of mathematics and science, including
the development of quantitative reasoning and
mathematical and scientifc thinking.
° Whenever STEM activities or programs address
the disciplines of mathematics and science,
ensure that the mathematics or science included
addresses the appropriate grade level, and
that the activity or program avoids trivializing
the content and promoting misconceptions,
inaccuracies, or misleading ideas about the
disciplines.
° When assessing STEM learning, recognize the
unique nature of integrative STEM activities
and use or develop authentic assessment tools
that look at connections and address problems
integrating the STEM disciplines.
• Mathematics and teachers of STEM should:
° Teach according to professional
recommendations based on what we have
learned from research on effectively teaching
mathematics for student learning, such as
NCTM’s teaching practices (2014).
° Whenever mathematics is included in a STEM
activity, make sure that the mathematics
NCSM • NCTM – 5 – mathedleadership.org • nctm.org
addresses academic standards appropriate for
the grade level and that it is taught in ways
that support the development of mathematical
thinking and quantitative reasoning.
° To support STEM education within the
mathematics program, look for opportunities to
integrate science, technology, and engineering
in meaningful ways as students tackle problems
involving mathematics in relevant settings.
° Whether teaching STEM or teaching
mathematics, recognize whether one discipline
is the primary emphasis of an activity and
maintain the integrity of the discipline in terms
of content, nature of thinking, and assessment.
• Program/curriculum developers should:
° When developing programs and materials
for mathematics, look for opportunities to
integrate science, technology, and engineering
in meaningful ways as applications for
mathematics in solving problems in relevant
settings.
° Whenever STEM activities might not fully
address grade-level appropriate standards in
mathematics, look for ways that the activities
can support the overall development of
problem solving, critical thinking, questioning,
and academic curiosity.
° When assessing STEM learning, recognize the
unique nature of integrative STEM activities
and use or develop authentic assessment tools
that look at connections and address problems
integrating the STEM disciplines.
• Informal educators (after-school, summer,
museums, etc.) should:
° Whenever possible and relevant for the
particular activity, relate informal STEM
activities and programs involving mathematics
to mathematical content appropriate to the
grade level.
° When offering STEM activities in informal
settings, recognize that the activities should
not only be fun and engaging, but also should
also should be related to instructional goals
and grounded in a practical and realistic
understanding of what is involved in pursuing
an interest in the topic or feld involved.
° Whenever possible, coordinate after-school
STEM programs and activities with the schoolday academic program.
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