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Using the nationally representative High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), this study documents that rural and small-town students were significantly less likely to enroll in postsecondary STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) degree programs, compared with their suburban peers. This study also shows that schools attended by rural and small-town students offered limited access to advanced coursework and extracurricular programs in STEM and had lower STEM teaching capacity. Those opportunities to learn in STEM were linked to the widening geographic gaps in STEM academic preparation. Overall, our findings suggest that during high school rural and small-town students shifted away from STEM fields and that geographic disparities in postsecondary STEM participation were largely explained by students’ demographics and precollege STEM career aspirations and academic preparation. 

This study explores how participation in an out-of-school time (OST) STEM summer program over multiple years improves STEM learning and motivation among a diverse sample of adolescents. In this study, we focus on a qualitative case study of a multi-site OST STEM summer program in the southwest U.S. We discuss how students who participate in OST STEM summer programs enhance their human and social capital, which increases their STEM learning and interest. Specifically, we find that participation leads to advanced STEM learning, expanding one’s social network to include individuals with shared interests in STEM, and access and interaction with real-world STEM knowledge. 

Broadening participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is critical to the nation’s economic growth and national security. In K–12 and higher education, researchers and educators increasingly employ the concept of social capital to develop programs for improving STEM learning, motivation, and participation of young students. STEM social capital in education comprises STEM-oriented resources—whether instrumental, informational, or emotional—that students access through their social networks. Major theoretical perspectives, research evidence, and promising practices are associated with the concepts of social capital in STEM education. Students’ social capital in STEM education (derived from families, peers, teachers, and professional networks) demonstrably promotes their STEM educational outcomes and career paths. Inclusive STEM schools, mentoring, and after-school programs are some promising approaches that can enhance STEM social capital and outcomes of underrepresented students, particularly women, Blacks/Hispanics/Native Americans, youth with low socioeconomic status, and persons with disabilities.