– With the exception of multi-race students, the authors found that Florida’s STEM-capable students had lower persistence in rigorous mathematics and science course taking than students in the national cohort from ninth to eleventh grade.
– The authors also found that participation in STEM career academies did not support persistence in
rigorous mathematics and science courses, a prerequisite for success in postsecondary STEM education and careers.
– Female students in Florida entered the ninth grade with lower probabilities of persistence in rigorous course taking than their male counterparts, but completed the eleventh grade with higher probabilities of persistence. This finding suggests that female students have similar capabilities as male students to excel in rigorous mathematics and science courses upon entry into Florida’s high schools, but their experiences in these courses may negatively impact their persistence and related academic achievements.
– Asian and Multi-race students had the highest probabilities of persistence in the national sample of STEM-capable students, but Asian and White students had the highest probabilities of persistence in Florida.