Business leaders in Georgia 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. The state's students have made real progress in math over the past decade, though that progress has slowed. Large racial and ethnic achievement gaps persist in Georgia, as in all states. Not enough students get the chance to learn rich and challenging content that prepares them for college and careers, and few eighth graders have teachers with an undergraduate major in math or science.