Today, countries and their education systems are engaged in a mad rush to keep pace with the world's technological advances. Unfortunately for residents of the United States, one of the country's most debilitating problems is the lagging behind lack of STEM (science, technology, mathematics, and engineering) education aimed at all students, both male and female, in its school systems. Attempts to remedy this problem are currently underway, but the nation has fallen dramatically behind other global powers when it comes to its STEM-literate workforce. This is the result of educational failures, particularly the failure of educational opportunities to close the gender gap. Improving the diversity and knowledge of the tech workforce is the only way to return America to a position of technological prowess. Creating an environment that ignores gender and other “traditional” points of discrimination will allow women to branch out into these traditionally male-dominated fields without facing undue prejudice. This means that efforts to provide additional, pre-existing STEM-related educational opportunities and encourage them are of paramount importance. An improvement in America's technological prowess and gender-related social dynamics can only happen with reform of the education system to meet today's needs. Recently, Americans no longer enjoy the excellence and distinction in STEM fields that they do. once held. This is due to an education system that does not prepare students for activity in key fields. In a series of shocking statistics from the National Math and Science Initiative it is revealed that students across the United States are going to school unprepared and graduating in far fewer numbers than the current climate… middle of the paper… evident. These types of programs, these detailed reforms in specific areas, and direct interactions with students, are what will truly lead to the improvement of American STEM education. There is only one way to truly solve this nation's STEM education crisis, and that is to cultivate a classroom environment that fosters the growth and development of STEM literacy in this budding generation. Works Cited Bohannon, John. “Both genders think women are bad at basic math” Latest ATOM News. Np, March 20, 2014. Web. March 28, 2014. Chemaly, Soraya. “In the world of technology, women are ignored.” CNN. Cable News Network, October 15, 2013. Web. March 28, 2014.Huhman, Heather R. “STEM Fields and the Gender Gap: Where Are the Women?” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, June 20, 2012. Web. March 28, 2014."Join the Movement." The STEM crisis. National Math and Science Initiative, nd Web. March 26. 2014.