Blowing off STEM
Let’s Talk Education.
The U.S. is a hub of innovation, but its education system is losing its luster. According to a 2017 report from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the U.S. placed 38th in math and 24th in science out of 71 countries. To make matters worse, the Department of Education may fall victim to a proposed $9.2 billion budget cut.
Education technology, or “edtech,” could be a solution. Edtech has displayed its potential where traditional classrooms have proven insufficient. Khan Academy, a well-known name in the edtech sphere, is but one of the many educational tools shown to improve academic performance in students of all ages. E-courses such as Udemy and Crash Course seek to supplement classroom learning, and other virtual platforms such as Quizlet and LightSail allow students access to helpful study resources. Analysts predict a consistent industry growth rate of 17% annually until 2020, providing opportunity for both entrepreneurs and investors to pioneer STEM education in the U.S.
Patrick Wu, Summer Analyst
China’s STEM learning industry, consisting of edtech, textbooks, and other tools for academic development, is expected to reach $15 billion by 2020. Companies such as Pearson, Lego, and Sony are already pouring capital into the Chinese education market, signaling even faster growth for edtech in the future.
A recent study is questioning the common assumption that poverty guarantees subpar test scores. In 500 schools across the largest 300 U.S. cities, students with lower-than-average family incomes performed above the national average on standardized tests.
Clark provides tutors with a virtual assistant that manages their educational services. This enables tutors to save time and increase their tutoring hours by 25%, allowing them to tutor more students.
