One of the biggest education priorities of recent years has been readying more young people for the job-friendly fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). In 2006, President Bush announced the “American Competitiveness Initiative” to strengthen science-and-tech education in the name of advancing innovation. Three years later, President Obama unveiled a program to train 100,000 new STEM teachers and attract more girls and minorities to the fields.

However, many Americans still harbor concerns about the quality of STEM education in the U.S. and see it as “middling” compared with that of other advanced nations, according to a new poll released today by the Pew Research Center. Only 25% of Americans said they thought K-12 STEM education was the best in the world or above average compared with other advanced countries. Additionally, those surveyed found fault with many aspects of STEM education.

Still, STEM jobs are among the fastest-growing middle- and upper-income occupations in America. However, barriers to entry are relatively high requiring certain degrees to gain job access and involve gender discrimination. The study suggests that despite the national focus on recruiting more women and people of color to STEM professions, the fields remain a relatively inhospitable place for these workers.

Read the full article about American's thoughts on STEM education by Caroline Preston by The Hechinger Report.