Monthly Archives: March 2023

Back on top: Leon County’s Chiles HS is #1 in preparing students for college STEM majors in NW Florida.

Posted on March 26, 2023 by Paul Cottle

Chiles High School is #1 again. After several years of being ranked the best high school in Northwest Florida for preparing students for college STEM majors, Leon County’s Chiles was displaced last year by South Walton High School. This year, … Continue reading →

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Florida’s increased support for career and technical education is a great thing. But we should be increasing support for students who are preparing for college STEM majors as well.

Posted on March 23, 2023 by Paul Cottle

One of the most important challenges facing Florida’s educational system (as well as the nation’s) is to provide students who are not well-suited for a four-year college a way to achieve middle-class lives. That is – or should be – … Continue reading →

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The number of large public high schools in Florida that do not teach physics is growing quickly – to 68 this year. What should be done?

Posted on March 15, 2023 by Paul Cottle

In the fall of 2017, there were 31 large (more than 1,000 students) public high schools in Florida that did not teach physics, and at the time that seemed scandalous. Students at those schools had no chance to prepare properly … Continue reading →

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Which school district is best preparing students for college STEM majors this school year? It’s no surprise that it’s Seminole County. Parents there wouldn’t have it any other way.

Posted on March 13, 2023 by Paul Cottle

When it comes to establishing a culture of STEM excellence in a school district, there is no substitute for great math and science teachers and excellent leadership at the school and district levels. But that statement neglects the critical role … Continue reading →

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Number of Florida public high school students taking physics drops 6.6% from Fall 2021 to Fall 2022

Posted on March 10, 2023 by Paul Cottle

The number of students taking physics in Florida public high schools declined sharply in the fall of 2022, reflecting a general long-term trend in which the state’s high school graduates are becoming more poorly prepared for college STEM majors. The … Continue reading →

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Which professor has the most influence over the moral development of an undergraduate majoring in a STEM field? Probably the student’s research advisor. (And yes, many STEM undergraduates are doing research)

Posted on March 10, 2023 by Paul Cottle

Undergraduates majoring in STEM fields are working hard. A mechanical engineering professor I work with on webinars for parents of future college STEM majors tells those parents that students in her field and others like hers should expect to spend … Continue reading →

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Shouldn’t we just pack all of a district’s math and science teachers and the students interested in STEM careers into a single magnet high school like the “Florida School for Competitive Academics” proposed for Alachua County?

Posted on March 3, 2023 by Paul Cottle

Every student in a Florida public school should have the opportunity to fulfill her or his potential. And every school should offer students the tools necessary to achieve at the highest level in every subject area. That means that every … Continue reading →

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