Funding for General Education and STEM in Primary and Secondary Schools
The modern education system in primary and secondary schools can be divided into two groups which include general education and STEM. There is a large number of benefits that both groups provide. Despite this fact, the popularity of STEM is increasing compared to general education. The development of general education and STEM in primary and secondary schools requires a diverse financial support. That is why the question of funding is very important. However, it is important to note that the processes of funding general education and funding STEM can be very different.
Despite the ever increasing popularity of STEM, general education still has to meet the needs of a large number of students. General education can be defined as an important component of undergraduate student education that prepares students for their lives beyond their school experience. Under the Constitution, general or public education is funded by federal, state, and local governments (Hanushek & Lindseth, 2009). Annual funding depends on a particular state, but generally, the government pays from $4,000 to $10,000 for students without disabilities and $10,000 to $20,000 for students with disabilities (Hanushek & Lindseth, 2009). Nearly 10% of the total budget comes from the federal government and more than 40% comes from local taxes and can be defined as the bulk of school funding.
While general education in primary and secondary schools is supported by the government, STEM education requires other school funding opportunities. Generally, finding money for classroom STEM activities comes from external educational grants and resources such as private philanthropies and corporations. However, the federal government also supports the development of STEM education as students who have competency in science, technology, engineering, and math are ultimately important for supporting the development of national economy. It is possible to conclude that general and STEM education is equally important, however, STEM education requires more support from the government in order to stay effective in the long-term.
References
Hanushek, E. A., & Lindseth, A. A. (2009). Schoolhouses, courthouses, and statehouses: Solving the funding-achievement puzzle in America's public schools. Princeton University …
