Residential Math and Science High Schools

1. Benefits and Controversy Correlating with the Selective Nature of Governor’s Schools
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Residential math and science high schools are an accelerated option for gifted learners,
offering them advanced preparation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics (STEM) fields. There are a large number of both residential and
nonresidential academic-year and summer programs for gifted students (Pfeiffer,
Overstreet, and Park, 2007, p. 25). Today, the National Consortium of Specialized
Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science, and Technology (NCSSSMST) boasts more
than 100 member schools (Jones, 2009, p. 474). A representative NCSSSMST member
is Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, in Fairfax County,
Virginia (Sieff, 2010, “National Trend,” para. 1). NCSSSMST schools have been praised
for the quality and breadth of instruction they offer but have been criticized for being
elitist, expensive, and not racially representative of the communities they serve (Seiff,
2010, “Fierce Competition,” para. 3 ; Baker, 1990, para. 10). Approximately 80% of
SCSSSMST schools are non-residential, 18% are residential, and 2% are both residential
and non-residential (Jones, 2009, p. 474). This review considers two detailed studies of
the residential component of the community of math and science specialized secondary
schools as well as two articles from mainstream newspapers, which deliver compelling
criticisms of these schools. State-supported residential academies provide significant
opportunities for the students they serve, but one important factor correlating with their
success is their ability to be highly selective of whom they serve.
In The State of Science and Mathematics Education in State-Supported Residential
Academies, Pfeiffer, Overstreet, and Park (2006) detail the results of a comprehensive
survey questionnaire they prepared with the goal of surveying 17 schools nationwide that
met their definition of state-supported residential academies. This survey mixed
quantitative and qualitative data, covering topics such as cost and funding, admissions
statistics, school location, faculty and staff, administrative policies, infrastructure, and
STEM-related items. Only one school declined to participate in the survey. The article
presents data specifically related to STEM education at the schools; it addresses the ways
in which the subject schools incorporated STEM content and learning opportunities into
their curriculum. The article is clear and concise, the authors state their intention of
sharing their results with the directors of each academy as well as using the results to help
plan for the creation of a Florida Governor’s School for Space Science and Technology,
which would be affiliated with the Kennedy Space Center and NASA (Pfeiffer et. al.,
2007, p. 28) . The article is published in the Roeper Review, a journal that publishes
research in gifted education.
Brent Jones (2009) in Profiles of State-Supported Residential Math and Science Schools,
published by the Journal of Advanced Academics, prepared a more comprehensive study.
Jones states he obtained data for this study primarily from school brochures, websites,
student handbooks, and school admissions officers. The schools described are STEM-
focused and receive funding from their respective state governments. The author draws a
distinction between early college entrance academies and independent schools. The 5
early college entrance academies are located on university campuses and utilize
university faculty, facilities, and curricula. They tend to have higher total costs for the
students than the independent schools, although one has no cost for students (Jones, 2009,
p. 475). The independent schools set their own curricula, although 4 of these schools are

2. Benefits and Controversy Correlating with the Selective Nature of Governor’s Schools
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located on university campuses and utilize some university resources (Jones, 2009, pp.
478-480). The other 7 independent schools described are fully autonomous and have
their own campuses (Jones, 2009, p. 478). The article details both quantitative data, such
as student demographics, and qualitative data, including curriculum requirements and the
methods by which the schools encourage scientific research. The intended audience of
this article is the education community.
Two newspaper articles intended for a more general audience offer context and criticism
of NCSSSMST member schools. Peter Baker (1990) of the Washington Post details the
expected costs of a putative state-supported residential academy in Va. Panel Backs
Tuition-Free Boarding High School for Gifted Students. Kevin Sieff (2010), also
reporting for the Washington Post, discusses the lack of racial diversity at Thomas
Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, in his article One Thing Elite N.Va.
School Doesn’t Do Well. Thomas Jefferson High School and the other 17 regional
Virginia governor's schools are not residential and for this reason are specifically
excluded from the studies by Jones and Pfieffer et al., although the schools are similar to
the residential schools because they emphasize STEM fields and are highly selective
secondary schools.
Pfiefer et al.’s state-supported residential academies and Jones’ state-supported
residential math and science schools are an almost identical set of schools. Pfiefer et. al.
(2007, p. 475) specifically name 15 of the 16 schools which responded to their survey.
One school is not named. The same 15 schools are named in Jones’(2009, pp. 28-29, 31)
study, with the addition of Georgia Academy of Aviation, Mathematics, Engineering, and
Science. The term governor’s school has been used to describe the residential academies
profiled in both studies, as well some highly selective, STEM-focused public schools
such as Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (Pfieffer et al., 2007,
p. 25).
Governor's schools provide many options for acceleration in STEM fields to their
students. Many of these schools partner with nearby universities or research institutions
to give their students research opportunities. For example, Tennessee Governor's
Academy partners with Oak Ridge national laboratory; Mississippi School for
Mathematics and Science with Mississippi State University, University of Mississippi,
and University of Southern Mississippi; Maine School of Science and Mathematics with
Jackson Lab, Mount Desert Island Biological Lab, and the Schoodic Education and
Research Center (Pfeiffer et al., 2007, p. 28). Several schools have departments
specifically created to mentor students for scholarships and competitions (Jones, 2007).
Students in 68.75% of public governor's schools participated in outside research based
competitions such as the Intel Science and Engineering Fair, Goldwater Scholarship
Competition, American Junior Academy of Sciences competition, and state science and
engineering fairs (Pfeifer et. Al, 2007, p. 27; Jones, 2009, p. 490). Governor's schools
have similar curricula, all required courses in advanced mathematics, biology, chemistry
and physics (Jones, 2009, p. 488). Unusual electives allow for additional math and
science enrichment such as astrophysics, galaxies, and cosmology at North Carolina
School of Science and Mathematics; organic chemistry at Illinois Mathematics and

3. Benefits and Controversy Correlating with the Selective Nature of Governor’s Schools
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Science Academy; and multivariable calculus at Texas Academy of Math and Science
(Jones, 2009, p. 489). The schools as a group offer an extensive variety of intermediate
and advanced math and science classes: an average of 34 science classes and 21 math
classes Pfeiffer et. al., 2007, p. 28).
Graduates of governor's schools often achieve success in college admissions and later
work in STEM fields. The Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts' 3,875
graduates had accumulated $153 million in merit based scholarships as of 2008, (Jones,
2009, p. 497). Thomas Jefferson High School graduates averaged an SAT score of 2184
out of 2400 in 2009, and U.S. News & World Report ranked the school as the top high
school in the country (Sieff, 2010, “Fierce Competition,” para. 2). The five out of state
universities that enroll the highest number of Illinois Academy's graduates are
Washington University, MIT, Stanford, Harvard, and Rice (Jones, 2009, p. 497). More
than 80% of Texas Academy graduates pursue careers in STEM fields (Jones, 2009, p.
497).
While governor's schools offer significant services to their students, they are not for
everyone. Admissions requirements are similar to colleges and universities; they include
transcripts, essays, references, and standardized tests such as PSAT, SAT, ACT, and
PLAN (Jones, 2009, p. 483). Missouri Academy of Science and Computing requires a
minimum math SAT score of 560 or an ACT score of 24; George Academy of Aviation,
Science, and Engineering requires a math SAT score of 530 or an ACT score of 22; Carol
Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky requires a math SAT
score of 520. (Jones, 2009, 484). From 2001-2006 the average math SAT score for Texas
Academy entrants was 667 (Jones, 2009, p. 484). Thomas Jefferson High School rejects
85% of applicants (Sieff, 2010, “Fierce Competition”, para. 3). Without these
requirements would it be possible for Jones (2009, p. 498.) to describe these schools as “a
respite from traditional settings,” and as “liberating environments that allow students to
learn at a pace suited to their talents” where they are “surrounded by intellectual peers.”
The journal articles are mainly concerned with characterizing the state of math and
science education at governor's schools. The newspaper articles are more critical;
however, they are narrowly focused mainly on costs and diversity issues at the schools.
Baker (1990, paras. 16-17) notes that from 1988-89, the poorest school district in
Virginia spent $2,610 per student, the richest school district spent $6,953, and a new
boarding school for the gifted would cost the state $13,500 per student. Another concern
is racial diversity. Thomas Jefferson High School admitted 15% of all applicants, but
only 6% of Hispanic applicants, and 2% of African American applicants (Sieff, 2010,
“Fierce Competition,” para 3.) Jones provided the most information on diversity at
residential governor's schools. Asian American students are generally overrepresented.
For example, at North Carolina School of Mathematics and Science ,18% of students are
Asian American compared to 1.7% of the state's population (Jones, 2009, p. 487).
Hispanics comprised a small number of total students, never rising to more than 6.8%
(Texas Academy); in Texas Hispanics comprised 34.2%, significantly more than in any
other state with a residential governor's school (Jones, 2009, p. 487). Demographics for
African American students were a little closer to parity, at Alabama School African

4. Benefits and Controversy Correlating with the Selective Nature of Governor’s Schools
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Americans comprised 25.9% compared to 26.4 of the state population, but unlike
Caucasians and Asian Americans, African Americans were never overrepresented. It is
clear that while residential governor's schools are a compelling option for gifted students,
there is still room for improvement in terms of equitable racial representation.
The subject of governor's schools, their contribution to STEM fields, and criticisms for
their improvement could be studied in much greater detail. Coverage of this topic in
popular media such as by Baker and Sieff is limited and neither author takes a
particularly in-depth look. Pfeiffer et. al. (2007, p. 30) do not know the long-term
academic and life outcomes of residential governor’s school graduates, and in future
study would have to compare the results of attendees with those similarly gifted, who
were accepted, and chose not to attend. Pfeiffer et. Al. do not include demographic data
in their study. Neither study looks at the cost per student and student outcomes. Some
residential governor's schools charge fees to cover gaps in state funding. To what degree
does this policy affect diversity at the schools? Another interesting line of inquiry
would be to study the Virginia regional non-residential governor's schools and compare
them with the residential ones. Is this model superior to that of states such as Louisiana,
where LSMSA is the only NCMSSST option in state? The Virginia state-supported
residential academy discussed by Baker in 1990 still has not been built; 20 years later
perhaps it is time to give the proposal another look.
References:
Baker, P. (1990, June 4). Va. Panel Backs Tuition-Free Boarding High School for Gifted Students.
The Washington Post, p. D7 .
Jones, B. M. (2009). Profiles ofState-Supported Residential Math and ScienceSchools. Journal
of Advanced Academics, 20, 472-501.
doi: 10.1177/1932202X0902000305
Pfeiffer, S. I., Overstreet, M. J., & Park, A. (2010). The State ofScience and Mathematics
Education in State-SupportedResidential Academies: A NationwideSurvey. Roeper Review, 32,
25-31.DOI:10.1080/02783190903386579
Sieff, K. (2010, October 31). One Thing Elite N.Va. School Doesn't Do Well. The New Y ork
Times. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
dyn/content/article/2010/10/30/AR2010103004439.html