{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-158.846","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 158.846","heading":"Legislative findings concerning academic achievement in STEM","body":"disciplines.\nThe General Assembly hereby finds that:\n(1) The future of Kentucky depends upon the ability to develop intellectual capital that\ncan drive the research and development activities that will allow the\nCommonwealth to successfully compete in the global knowledge-based economy;\n(2) Kentucky's natural resources, the nation's need for energy independence, and the\nworldwide movement toward the creation of cleaner and more sustainable energy\ntechnologies afford Kentucky the opportunity to become an international le ader in\nenergy diversification;\n(3) Strengthening Kentucky's position in key areas of the knowledge -based economy,\nincluding energy and environmental technology, biosciences, materials science,\nadvanced manufacturing, information technology, human health a nd development,\nand other fields, requires a strong and steady stream of researchers, workers,\npolicymakers, and entrepreneurs trained in the STEM disciplines;\n(4) The number of Kentucky's elementary and secondary students interested in\npursuing, and adequ ately prepared for success in, the STEM disciplines in college\nand the workforce is insufficient to meet the challenges and opportunities with\nwhich Kentucky is confronted;\n(5) The number of Kentucky's elementary, middle, and secondary school teachers who\nare highly qualified to provide instruction in the STEM disciplines is insufficient to\nadequately prepare students for careers in the knowledge-based economy; and\n(6) Bold, collaborative, and strategic action is needed by all stakeholders in Kentucky's\nP-20 education system, business sector, and government to improve Kentucky's\nposition for success in the knowledge -based economy by expanding and\nstrengthening STEM educational opportunities from prekindergarten through the\ndoctoral degree level, inspiring more Kentuckians to pursue those opportunities, and\nlinking those opportunities with a coherent set of statewide economic and\nworkforce development strategies.","path":["KRS Chapter 158"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=3617","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:51:06Z","sha256":"5e62453198d93ea149345c1a342ab21b5337e1b8154b9991f97c2ee44ae882d5","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-158.845","next":"us-ky/krs-158.847"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}