Business leaders in Alabama cannot find the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) talent they need to stay competitive. Students' lagging performance in K-12 is a critical reason why. The good news is that the nation's most effective STEM education programs can help turn the tide. Alabama students have already made real progress in math over the past decade. Yet not enough have the chance to learn rich and challenging content to prepare them for college and careers. The state's eighth graders are also much less likely than their peers in other states to engage in hands-on science investigations, and most don't have teachers with an undergraduate major in math.