the impending shortage of scientists & engineers is 1 of the longest running hoaxes in the country

[Hannah Bell]

Our science and math test scores are unspectacular, but the problem is not science and math education. Studies show that American students from well-funded schools who come from high-income families outscore all or nearly all other countries on international tests. Only our children in high poverty schools score below the international average. (Payne and Biddle, 1999; Bracey, 2009; Martin, 2009). The US has the highest percentage of children in poverty of all industrialized countries (25%, compared to Denmark's 3%). Our educational system has been successful; the problem is poverty.

- The US ranks at or near the top of the world on all categories related to science and math education, availability of expertise, and creativity: According to the World Economic Federation, the US ranks 5th out of 133 countries in "availability of scientists & engineers," second in "quality of scientific research institutions" and first in "university-industry research collaboration." The US also ranks sixth out of 133 countries in "capacity for innovation," and third in the number of patents for new inventions per capita, slightly behind Taiwan and Japan. (In contrast, China ranks 50th.)

- There is no shortage of science and technology-trained professionals in the United States. In fact, there is a surplus (Teitelbaum, 2007; Toppo and Vergano, 2009; Bracey, 2009). Gerald Bracey, in fact, concluded that "… the impending shortage of scientists and engineers is one of the longest running hoaxes in the country."

http://www.schoolsmatter.info/2010/06/is-there-us-science-education-crisis.html