Survey of Programs Supporting Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Education

U.S. Government Accountability Office

Introduction

  The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) was asked by the U.S. Congress to conduct a study to catalog federal STEM education programs and determine the extent to which overlap or potential duplication exists. As part of our study, we are seeking information from federal departments and agencies that will enable GAO to assemble a compendium of federal education programs (pre-kindergarten through doctorate).

Your program was identified by your agency's officials as a STEM education program. To see the definition and program inclusion criteria that we provided to agencies in order to populate the list of STEM education programs to survey, click here.

We estimate that this survey will take at least an hour to complete. You may need to consult with other staff in your agency to answer some of the questions in the survey. The survey does not need to be completed in one sitting. Your responses can be saved and accessed at a later date. To learn more about completing the questionnaire, printing your responses, and whom to contact if you have questions, click here for help.

Thank you for your time and assistance.

(View responses)
 

Section I: Program Background Information

 

We have identified the following as a federal STEM education program within your agency. Please respond to these questions as they relate to this program.

Program name: ______
Department: ______
Agency: ______
Office: ______

(View responses)
 
1.  Is this the official name of the program?
1. (click here to skip to question 2)
2.
(View responses)
 
1a.  If no, what is the official program name?
 
(View responses)
 
2.  Has this program operated under a different official program name within the past 5 years?
1.
2. (click here to skip to question 3)
3. (click here to skip to question 3)
(View responses)
 
2a.  If yes, what is the older, official program name?
 
(View responses)
 
3.  Does this program have any other name(s) by which it is commonly referred?
1.
2. (click here to skip to question 4)
3. (click here to skip to question 4)
(View responses)
 
3a.  If yes, what is the name(s)?
 
(View responses)
 
4.  Is this the correct department, agency, and office name that administers the program?
1. (click here to skip to question 5)
2.
(View responses)
 
4a.  If no, what is the department, agency and office name?
 
(View responses)
 
5.  Please provide the mission statement for the office that administers this program, and provide a link to the statement, if available. If an office mission statement is not available, please provide a mission statement for the program's agency or department (Note: select the mission statement which most closely aligns with the program's objectives).

(Maximum 1,000 characters)
(View responses)
 
6.  Please give a brief description of the program and its objectives.

(Maximum 1,000 characters)
(View responses)
 
7.  Please provide a citation to the statute authorizing this program (either a public law or U.S. code citation) and a citation to the relevant program regulations.
(Note: The authorizing legislation may not necessarily reference the program; rather, it may give broad authorization for an agency to perform related work.)
 
(View responses)
 
8.  Did Congress specifically direct your agency to create this program or has this program been authorized under your agency's general statutory authority?
1.
2.
3.
4.
(View responses)
 
8a.  If other, please explain:
 
(View responses)
 
9.  What was the first fiscal year this program was funded?
  (enter YYYY format)
(View responses)
 
10.  Was this program funded in fiscal year 2010? (Note: A program with an appropriation or allocation in FY10 would be considered to have received funding in that year. Please consult with your agency's budget staff if you are unsure.)
1.
2.
3.
(View responses)
 
11.  Is this program funded for fiscal year 2011?
1.
2.
3.
4.
(View responses)
 
11a.  If this program was consolidated with other programs, what are the other programs?
 
(View responses)
 
12.  Is this program funded by a congressional earmark?
1.
2.
3.
4.
(View responses)
 
13.  Listed below are potential objectives for STEM programs. For each of these objectives, indicate if each was a primary objective, secondary objective, or not an objective of the ______.
(select one circle per objective)
(View responses)
   
Primary Objective
Secondary Objective
Not an Objective
  Attract and prepare students to pursue classes or coursework in STEM areas through formal or informal education activities
(View responses)
  Attract students to pursue degrees (2-year, 4-year, graduate, or doctoral degrees) in STEM fields through formal or informal education activities
(View responses)
  Provide training opportunities for undergraduate or graduate students in STEM fields
(View responses)
  Attract graduates to pursue careers in STEM fields
(View responses)
  Improve teacher (pre-service or in-service) education in STEM areas
(View responses)
  Improve or expand the capacity of K-12 schools or postsecondary institutions to promote or foster education in STEM fields
(View responses)
  Conduct research to enhance the quality of STEM education provided to students
(View responses)
  Other (please specify below):
(View responses)
 
  If "other", please explain:
 
(View responses)
 
14.  Does the ______ have any primary objectives which are NOT related to furthering STEM education?
1.
2. (click here to skip to question 15)
(View responses)
 
14a.  If yes, what are the primary program objective(s) which are NOT related to STEM education?
 
(View responses)
 
15.  Is this program one component of a larger government-wide or multi-agency effort (e.g., White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities)?
1.
2. (click here to skip to question 16)
3. (click here to skip to question 16)
(View responses)
 
15a.  If yes, what is the name of the larger federal effort or other federal entity also providing support for the program?
 
(View responses)
 
16.  Has your agency coordinated with other federal agencies that provide similar STEM education services to similar program beneficiaries?
1.
2. (click here to go to Section II: Program Focus and Target Population)
3. (click here to go to Section II: Program Focus and Target Population)
4. (click here to go to Section II: Program Focus and Target Population)
(View responses)
 
16a.  If yes, please describe how your agency has coordinated with other federal agencies that provide similar STEM education services to similar program beneficiaries. Please include the agency and program name(s) in your response.
(View responses)
 

Section II: Program Focus and Target Population

 

Please respond to these questions with information pertaining to the ______'s STEM activities only.

(View responses)
 
17.  Does this program focus on specific STEM fields?
1.
2. (click here to skip to question 18)
(View responses)
 
17a.  If yes, please check the field(s) of focus for this program.
(select one circle per field)
(View responses)
   
Yes
No
No answer
  Agricultural sciences
(View responses)
  Biological sciences
(View responses)
  Chemistry
(View responses)
  Computer science
(View responses)
  Earth, atmospheric, and ocean sciences
(View responses)
  Engineering
(View responses)
  Mathematics
(View responses)
  Physics
(View responses)
  Social sciences (e.g. psychology, sociology, anthropology, cognitive science, economics, behavioral sciences)
(View responses)
  Technology
(View responses)
  Other (please list below):
(View responses)
 
  If "other", please explain:
 
(View responses)
 
18.  Which of the following funding types does this program provide?
(select one circle per type of assistance)
(View responses)
   
Yes
No
No answer
  Contracts or cooperative agreements
(View responses)
  Grants to K-12 schools or local educational authorities
(View responses)
  Grants to non-academic institutions
(View responses)
  Grants to postsecondary academic institutions
(View responses)
  Grants to states
(View responses)
  Grants to STEM professionals or STEM companies
(View responses)
  Internships or traineeships
(View responses)
  Loan repayments
(View responses)
  Scholarships or fellowships
(View responses)
  Other (please specify below):
(View responses)
 
  If "other", please explain:
 
(View responses)
 
19.  Which of the following descriptions, if any, best describe the types of STEM education services allowed by your program?
(select one circle per type of service)
(View responses)
   
Yes
No
No answer
  Classroom instruction
(View responses)
  Curriculum development
(View responses)
  Educational research aimed at improving the quality of STEM education
(View responses)
  Institutional support for infrastructure (includes efforts to strengthen STEM education capabilities through expansion of facilities, classrooms, and other physical infrastructure)
(View responses)
  Institutional support for management and administrative activities
(View responses)
  Outreach and recognition to generate student interest in STEM field(s)
(View responses)
  Short-term experiential learning activities (includes summer camps, field trips, guest speakers, and workshops)
(View responses)
  Long-term experiential learning activities (semester or more in length)
(View responses)
  Student scholarships or fellowships
(View responses)
  Research opportunities, internships, mentorships, or career guidance
(View responses)
  Teacher pre-service or recruitment activities
(View responses)
  Teacher in-service, professional development, or retention activities
(View responses)
  Other (please describe other services below):
(View responses)
 
  If "other", please explain:
 
(View responses)
 
20.  Which of the following target populations or groups primarily benefit from this program?
(select one circle per population or group)
(View responses)
   
Yes
No
No answer
  Elementary school students
(View responses)
  Secondary school students
(View responses)
  2-year undergraduate students
(View responses)
  4-year undergraduate students
(View responses)
  Master's degree students
(View responses)
  Doctoral students
(View responses)
  Elementary school teachers
(View responses)
  Secondary school teachers
(View responses)
  College faculty or instructional staff
(View responses)
  General public
(View responses)
  Other (please list below):
(View responses)
 
  If "other", please explain:
 
(View responses)
 
21.  Is this program primarily intended to serve minority, disadvantaged, or underrepresented groups in the STEM fields?
1.
2. (click here to skip to question 22)
3. (click here to skip to question 22)
4. (click here to skip to question 22)
(View responses)
 
21a.  If yes, which of the following minority, underrepresented, or disadvantaged groups is this program intended to serve?
(select one circle per group)
(View responses)
   
Yes
No
No answer
  Asian
(View responses)
  Black or African American
(View responses)
  Hispanic or Latino
(View responses)
  Native American or Alaskan Native
(View responses)
  Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
(View responses)
  Economically Disadvantaged
(View responses)
  Persons with Disabilities
(View responses)
  Women
(View responses)
  Other (please list below):
(View responses)
 
  If "other", please explain:
 
(View responses)
 
22.  Is this program limited to serving students or teachers in a certain geographical region (or regions) of the U.S.?
1.
2. (click here to go to Section III: Output Measures)
3. (click here to go to Section III: Output Measures)
(View responses)
 
22a.  If yes, what are the geographical restriction(s)?
 
(View responses)
 

Section III: Output Measures

 

Note: Output measures are the ongoing monitoring and reporting of the direct products and services delivered by a program. They are typically collected by program or agency management.

(View responses)
 
23.  Which of the following dates represent the program year for which output measures are collected for this program?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
(View responses)
 
23a.  If other, what are the dates of the program year?
 
(View responses)
 
24.  For each of the following years, how many students were directly served by this program?
(View responses)
 
  24a. Number of K-12 students served
1.
(View responses)
 
Program year
Number served (if none, enter 0)
Don't know
  2008
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
  1.
(View responses)
  2009
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
  1.
(View responses)
  2010
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
  1.
(View responses)
 
  24b. Number of postsecondary students served
1.
(View responses)
 
Program year
Number served (if none, enter 0)
Don't know
  2008
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
  1.
(View responses)
  2009
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
  1.
(View responses)
  2010
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
  1.
(View responses)
 
24c.  Please describe how your agency determined the number of students directly served, if applicable.
(View responses)
 
25.  For each of the following years, how many teachers were directly served by this program?
(View responses)
 
  25a. Number of K-12 teachers served
1.
(View responses)
 
Program year
Number served (if none, enter 0)
Don't know
  2008
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
  1.
(View responses)
  2009
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
  1.
(View responses)
  2010
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
  1.
(View responses)
 
  25b. Number of postsecondary teachers served
1.
(View responses)
 
Program year
Number served (if none, enter 0)
Don't know
  2008
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
  1.
(View responses)
  2009
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
  1.
(View responses)
  2010
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
  1.
(View responses)
 
25c.  Please describe how your agency determined the number of teachers directly served, if applicable.
(View responses)
 
26.  For each of the following years, how many academic institutions were directly served by this program?
(View responses)
 
  26a. Number of K-12 schools served
1.
(View responses)
 
Program year
Number served (if none, enter 0)
Don't know
  2008
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
  1.
(View responses)
  2009
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
  1.
(View responses)
  2010
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
  1.
(View responses)
 
  26b. Number of postsecondary institutions served
1.
(View responses)
 
Program year
Number served (if none, enter 0)
Don't know
  2008
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
  1.
(View responses)
  2009
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
  1.
(View responses)
  2010
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
  1.
(View responses)
 
26c.  Please describe how your agency determined the number of academic institutions directly served, if applicable.
(View responses)
 
27.  Were any grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements awarded under this program for the 2010 program year?
1.
2. (click here to skip to question 28)
3. (click here to skip to question 28)
(View responses)
 
27a.  If yes, please provide the number and total dollar amount of the grants, contracts or cooperative agreements awarded for the 2010 program year. (Please include both new and continuing awards and exclude any sub-awards.)
(View responses)
 
  Number of awards
 
(View responses)
 
  Total dollar amount of awards
$  
(View responses)
 
27b.  If yes, who are the allowable award recipients?
(select one circle per each type of recipient)
(View responses)
   
Yes
No
No answer
  States
(View responses)
  Local governments
(View responses)
  School districts
(View responses)
  K-12 schools
(View responses)
  Postsecondary institutions
(View responses)
  2- or 4-year undergraduate students
(View responses)
  Graduate students
(View responses)
  Non-academic institutions
(View responses)
  Other (please list below):
(View responses)
 
  If "other", please list:
 
(View responses)
 
 

As part of GAO's Quality Assurance Framework, we are required to ensure that data used in our reports are sufficiently reliable. Therefore, for any computer-processed data maintained by your agency or a third party that is used to track output measures for your program, we would like to ask you some basic questions about whether or not your agency carries out certain practices or procedures to ensure or monitor the quality of those data. Please check with other staff, as necessary.

(View responses)
 
28.  For databases or data systems maintained by program staff, which of the following policies and procedures are routinely followed?
1.
click here to skip to question 29
(View responses)
 
   
Yes
No
Don't know
No answer
  Perform routine edit checks, such as testing for outliers or other anomalies
(View responses)
  Conduct routine management reviews of system and data outputs to look for inconsistencies
(View responses)
  Adhere to written procedures that outline how data should be collected, stored, and processed
(View responses)
  Limit access to database or system to appropriate program staff only
(View responses)
  Other (please specify below):
(View responses)
 
  If "other", please specify:
 
(View responses)
 
29.  For databases or data systems maintained by third parties, such as grantees or contractors, which of the following procedures do program staff routinely conduct?
1.
click here to skip to question 30
(View responses)
 
   
Yes
No
Don't know
No answer
  Request and review documentation on how third party collects, stores, and processes data
(View responses)
  Perform routine edit checks, such as testing for outliers or other inconsistencies
(View responses)
  Independently verify output measures through site visits, tracing to source documents, or other method
(View responses)
  Other (please specify below):
(View responses)
 
  If "other", please specify:
 
(View responses)
 
30.  Which of the following non-program staff, if any, have reviewed the program's databases or systems since 2008?
(select one circle per staff)
(View responses)
   
Yes
No
Don't know
No answer
  Inspector General or other internal auditor
(View responses)
  Office of Management and Budget
(View responses)
  External auditor or evaluator (e.g. private contractors, consultants, etc.)
(View responses)
  Other (please specify below):
(View responses)
 
  If "other", please specify:
 
(View responses)
 
31.  Do you know of any potential problems or limitations with the reliability of the data used to answer any of the questions in this section?
1.
2. (click here to go to Section IV: Program Outcome Measures & Evaluations)
3. (click here to go to Section IV: Program Outcome Measures & Evaluations)
(View responses)
 
31a.  If yes, what are the potential problems or limitations?
(View responses)
 

Section IV: Program Outcome Measures & Evaluations

 

In this section, we will be asking for information about outcome measures and program evaluations. Before answering these questions, please read the definitions provided below and, if necessary, consult with the staff in your agency responsible for monitoring research on this program's performance.

Note: Outcome measurement is the ongoing monitoring and reporting of the results of the products and services delivered by the program, or program accomplishments, particularly progress toward pre-established goals. It is typically conducted by program or agency officials.

(View responses)
 
32.  Has this program been evaluated by OMB's Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) since the beginning of fiscal year 2005?
1.
2.
3.
4.
(View responses)
 
33.  Were any outcome measures tracked or monitored by your agency for this program in 2010?
1.
2. (click here to skip to question 34)
(View responses)
 
33a.  If yes, what type of outcomes were they?
(select one circle per outcome)
(View responses)
   
Yes
No
No answer
  Student performance (e.g., attendance, test scores, pass rates, achieving selected performance levels, or grade point average)
(View responses)
  Number or percent of students who pursue coursework in STEM fields
(View responses)
  Student educational attainment (includes obtaining a GED, high school diploma, or postsecondary degree)
(View responses)
  Number or percent of students who took a job in a STEM field
(View responses)
  Teacher improvement and performance in STEM education instruction
(View responses)
  Number or percent of qualified teachers teaching STEM education
(View responses)
  Number or percent of institutions with expanded institutional capacity for STEM education (increase in classes, teachers, research opportunities for students, infrastructure, etc.)
(View responses)
  Number or percent of research projects funded to enhance the quality of STEM education
(View responses)
  Program participant satisfaction
(View responses)
  Other (please specify below):
(View responses)
 
  If "other", please specify:
 
(View responses)
 
 

Note: Program evaluations are individual systematic studies conducted periodically or on an ad hoc basis to assess how well a program is working. They are often conducted by experts external to the program, either inside or outside the agency, as well as by program managers. A program evaluation typically examines achievement of program objectives in the context of other aspects of program performance or in the context in which it occurs.

(View responses)
 
34.  Has a program evaluation been completed in 2005 or later that evaluates the program's performance with regard to STEM education?

(Before answering this question, please consult with the staff in your agency responsible for monitoring research on this program's performance.)

1. (click here to skip to question 36)
2. (click here to skip to question 35)
3. (click here to skip to question 35)
4. (click here to skip to question 38)
5.
(View responses)
 
  If other, please describe:
 
(View responses)
 
35.  What is the estimated date of completion of the performance evaluation?
(enter date using YYYY-MM-DD format)
  Use calendar to set date
(View responses)
 
  After answering question 35,
click here to skip to question 38
(View responses)
 
36.  If yes and completed, please provide a citation for the most recent evaluation. Include in your citation the author, title, year, and other publication information (such as publisher, journal, volume, or report number). Please include a link to the publication, if available, or email a copy of the evaluation to STEMSurvey@gao.gov. If an evaluation is already listed below, you do not need to cite the publication or provide GAO with a copy of it.

Evaluation 1
Name: ______
Date: ______
Author: ______

Evaluation 2
Name: ______
Date: ______
Author: ______

(View responses)
 
37.  Which of the following methods does your program use to disseminate program evaluation results?
1.
click here to skip to question 38
(View responses)
 
   
Yes
No
No answer
  Agency website
(View responses)
  Another agency's website
(View responses)
  Interagency meetings
(View responses)
  Other website
(View responses)
  Publication in professional journal
(View responses)
  Publication through news releases, agency publications, etc.
(View responses)
  E-mail notifications
(View responses)
  Press conference or agency briefing
(View responses)
  Presentations at conference or forum
(View responses)
  Webinars, Videos, Podcasts
(View responses)
  Contract with relevant organizations or associations for dissemination
(View responses)
  Other (please specify below):
(View responses)
 
  If "other", please specify:
 
(View responses)
 
 

Note: Output measurement is the ongoing monitoring and reporting of the direct products and services delivered by a program. It is typically conducted by program or agency officials.

(View responses)
 
38.  Does this program require grant or other funding recipients to perform any of the following activities to evaluate their program's performance?
1.
SKIP TO: Section V: Program Funding Levels
(View responses)
 
   
Yes
No
No answer
  Perform a program evaluation
(View responses)
  Track select outcome measures
(View responses)
  Track select output measures
(View responses)
 

Section V: Program Funding Levels

 

You may need to consult with staff in your agency's budget office to answer these questions. For data reliability purposes, we will request supporting budget documentation from a randomly selected list of STEM programs. Your program may be selected to provide this documentation.

For questions in this section, please use the following definition:

An obligation is a definite commitment that creates a legal liability of the government for the payment of goods and services ordered or received, or a legal duty on the part of the United States that could mature into a legal liability. Payment may be made immediately or in the future. An agency incurs an obligation, for example, when it places an order, signs a contract, awards a grant, purchases a service, or takes other actions that require the government to make payments to the public or from one government account to another.

(View responses)
 
39.  Please enter the dollar amount of the total federal funds obligated to the ______ in each of the following fiscal years. Please include American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) dollars, if applicable. If no federal funds were obligated in a fiscal year, please enter "0" in the appropriate box.
(View responses)
 
Fiscal year
Total program obligations
Obligations (Non-ARRA)
Obligations (ARRA)
  2008 (actual)
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
  N/A
(View responses)
  2009 (actual)
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
  2010 (actual)
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
  2011 (planned)
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
  2012 (planned)
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
 
40.  Please enter the dollar amount of the total federal funds obligated with the STEM education component of the ______ only for each of the following fiscal years. If ______ consists of STEM education activities only (i.e., the figures for question 40 are the same as for question 39), please check the boxes with the same numbers as above. If no federal funds were obligated in a fiscal year, please enter "0" in the appropriate box.
1.
click here to skip to question 41
(View responses)
 
Fiscal year
Total program obligations
Obligations (Non-ARRA)
Obligations (ARRA)
Same as question 39
  2008 (actual)
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
  N/A
(View responses)
  1.
(View responses)
  2009 (actual)
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
  1.
(View responses)
  2010 (actual)
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
  1.
(View responses)
  2011 (planned)
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
  1.
(View responses)
  2012 (planned)
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
   
(View responses)
  1.
(View responses)
 
41.  Does your program track expenditures for its federal administrative costs? For the purposes of this survey, federal administrative costs are all direct and indirect costs incurred by the federal government to administer this program excluding funds provided to grantees or program beneficiaries.
1.
2. (click here to skip to question 42)
(View responses)
 
41a.  If yes, what were the program's fiscal year 2010 expenditures for federal administrative costs?
$  
(View responses)
 
  After answering question 41a,
click here to skip to question 43
(View responses)
 
42.  If no, what were the estimated federal administrative costs as a percent of total program costs for the fiscal year 2010?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
(View responses)
 
43.  Please describe how your agency determined actual or estimated federal administrative costs for the program in questions 41 and 42.
(View responses)
 
44.  If you have any additional comments or questions about this questionnaire or about programs that support education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, please write them below.
(View responses)
 
45.  Please provide information of the person who primarily completed this questionnaire. We may contact this individual with follow-up questions or for additional information.
(View responses)
  Name
(View responses)
 
  Department
(View responses)
 
  Agency
(View responses)
 
  Office/ Division
(View responses)
 
  Title
(View responses)
 
  Phone (xxx-xxx-xxx)
(View responses)
 
  E-mail address
(View responses)
 
 

Submit your responses to GAO

46.  This completes our survey. Are you ready to submit your final completed survey to GAO?

1.
2.
(View responses)
 

  You may view and print your completed survey by clicking on the Summary link in the menu to the left.
(View responses)




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