Report: Not enough teachers for STEM fields

While the same number of Tennessee students remain interested in fields related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, there won't be enough teachers in those fields soon, according to a report from the ACT.

The report shows Tennessee mirrors national trends when it comes to the low number of students interested in STEM fields looking to move on to teaching. Nationally, about 900,000 students who took the ACT expressed interest in STEM fields; 4,424 said they'd like to teach math, and 1,115 said they'd like to teach science.

In Tennessee, only 35 of the 4,170 students who said they were interested in science said they'd like to have a career in science education, according to the report. For math, 155 students of the 2,153 who said they had an interest in computer science and math—about 7 percent—said they'd like to pursue a career in math education.

"The numbers we're seeing are not likely to meet the expected demand for future STEM teachers," said Jon Erickson, ACT president, in a news release. "Highly qualified teachers play an essential role not only in preparing students to succeed but also in raising awareness of and interest in STEM careers, which are vital to our nation's competitiveness in the global economy."

Every high school student in Tennessee is required to take the ACT. This year, 33,370 Tennessee students expressed interest in STEM fields, compared to 33,803 in 2013 and 32,472 in 2010.

Reach Dave Boucher at 615-259-8892 and on Twitter at @Dave_Boucher1.