In addition, women made up 46 percent of the total labor force, but only 22 percent of the SMET labor force. The presence of women and minorities in the science and technology professions should reflect their presence in the population as a whole. As the nation's economic base shifts increasingly toward technology, the participation and achievement of minorities and women in the SMET labor force become increasingly important. The United States can meet the projected shortage of scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and technology professionals only by attracting underrepresented minorities to these occupations. Unfortunately, underrepresented minorities, on average, are the children most left behind in science and math education.
Many factors contribute to unequal participation of minorities in science and mathematics education.
Inequities in school funding can also highlight the social context of schooling. Children in low-ability classes are more likely to read from a textbook and spend time doing worksheet problems. Minority children typically have less access to qualified teachers. The instructional emphasis in minority-predominant classes is likely to differ as well. The teachers in science and math classes having a high minority enrollment are more likely to emphasize preparing children for standardized tests.