The United States faces one of its greatest challenges as Asia (specifically, China and India) soars to economic and scientific heights. Both Fishman’s China, Inc.: How the Rise of the Next Superpower Challenges America and the World and Friedman’s The World is Flat point out numerous ways that the United States is slipping academically, economically, and technologically.

Fully aware of the world picture, two United States Senators requested that the National Academies name ten actions that the United States must take in order to prosper in the global economy of the 21st century. In Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future (draft, fall, 2005), the National Academies made four recommendations rather than ten and presented twenty recommended actions. The four recommendations follow:

Recommendation A: Increase America’s talent pool by vastly improving K-12 mathematics and science education.

Under Action A-3, statewide specialty schools are listed as a way to improve science and mathematics education: “Specialty secondary education can foster leaders in science, technology, and mathematics. Specialty schools immerse students in high-quality science, technology, and mathematics education; serve as a mechanism to test teaching materials; provide a training ground for K-12 teachers; and provide the resources and staff for summer programs that introduce students to science and mathematics” (p. 20).

Recommendation B: Sustain and strengthen the nation’s traditional commitment to the long-term basic research that has the potential to be transformational to maintain the flow of new ideas that fuel the economy, provide security, and enhance the quality of life.

Recommendation C: Make the United States the most attractive setting in which to study, perform research, and retain the best and brightest students, scientists, and engineers from within the United States and throughout the world.

Recommendation D: Ensure that the United States is the premier place in the world to innovate, invest in downstream activities, and create high-paying jobs that are based on innovation by modernizing the patent system, realigning tax policies to encourage innovation, and ensuring affordable broadband access.

The report argues: “This nation must prepare with great urgency to preserve its strategic and economic security. …the United States must compete by optimizing its knowledge-based resources, particularly in science and technology, and by sustaining the most fertile environment for new and revitalized industries and the well-paying jobs they bring.” Through the Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky, Kentucky certainly is addressing this challenge.

In response to the four recommendations in Rising Above the Gathering Storm, Senators Domenici (R-NM), Bingaman (D-NM), Alexander (R-TN), and Mikulski (D-MD) introduced the Protect America’s Competitive Edge (PACE) Act. The PACE legislation was proposed in three bills to implement the 20 recommended actions. One of the pieces of legislation that is of particular interest involves high school math and science specialty schools. The funding for this part of the proposed legislation would be in the energy budget. After all, the impact of developing top level talent in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics will impact all aspects of our economy, energy included. The Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky will certainly have such a positive impact and would benefit from support the PACE legislation could provide.

The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky is designed for the entire Commonwealth of Kentucky. Kentucky’s very talented young people reside in Appalachia, the Pennyrile, the knobs – in large cities and tiny little towns. The Gatton Academy provides challenging opportunities for those Kentucky young people who are exceptionally advanced in math and science. And those young people (if they follow patterns similar to Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science upon which it is based) will provide economic growth and innovation in their home state, Kentucky. (Sixty-seven per cent of responding TAMS alumni are currently in Texas, with the majority of the remaining third attending west coast or east coast schools. Most attending east coast schools return to their home state to live and work.)

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