STEM Education & Workforce

Hillary Rodham Clinton (Democrat)

Clinton has made improving U.S. STEM education part of her competitiveness agenda. Two of her proposals related to STEM education were included in 2007's America COMPETES Act. Her plan would create new fellowships at the National Science Foundation for math and science professionals interested in becoming teachers in high-need schools.

John Edwards (Democrat)

Edwards has stated that "every school should be wired" and that "we need to overhaul our curricula to emphasize technological skills, math and science, creative thinking and problem-solving." Edwards's plans emphasize teacher training, affordable college, and strengthening high school curricula.

Mike Gravel (Democrat)

One of Gravel's goals as President would be to overhaul the No Child Left Behind Act.

Rudy Giuliani (Republican)

Giuliani is a major proponent of school choice and wants to establish federal school voucher programs. Regarding the STEM workforce, Giuliani would promote science and math careers via technical certification or associate degrees. He also has pledged to expand the number of H-1B visas for skilled foreign workers.

Mike Huckabee (Republican)

Huckabee's platform focuses primarily on school choice and strong state control over educational benchmarks. Huckabee also pledges to increase visas for highly skilled and highly educated applicants.

Duncan Hunter (Republican)

Hunter supports efforts to return school curriculum to the states, local communities and to the family.

Dennis Kucinich (Democrat)

Kucinich proposes to broaden educational systems by providing public pre-kindergarten education as well as tuition-free college, repealing No Child Left Behind, and emphasizing such areas as art education. On workforce issues he has spoken out against H-1B and L-1 visas, which he argues have taken jobs from Americans and forced down wages.

John McCain (Republican)

McCain has noted that "Innovation is fueled by risk capital, skilled workers, incentives for entrepreneurs, a light regulatory framework, and open access to markets." McCain has often supported increasing immigration to the United States, including expansion of the H-1B visa program.

Barack Obama (Democrat)

Obama promises to make math and science education a top national priority and would seek to increase the number of graduates and undergraduates pursuing STEM fields. His plan would support a scholarship program that would focus on recruiting math, science and technology degree graduates, access to computers and broadband connections in public schools, and investment in science education R&D to determine what types of curriculum and instruction work best.

Ron Paul (Republican)

Paul wants educational policies to be determined by states and localities and would seek to abolish the Education Department if elected.

Mitt Romney (Republican)

Romney's plans for strengthening education include emphasizing math and science while promoting charter schools as well as public-private partnerships. Romney has argued for the need to streamline the immigration system in order to recruit and retain skilled workers, and has coupled this with an emphasis on ending illegal immigration.

Fred Thompson (Republican)

Part of Thompson's plan for education includes encouraging students and teachers to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math—fields he claims are crucial to American security, competitiveness, and prosperity. He also advocates "innovations that enhance education excellence through competition and choice."