STEM--shorthand for "science, technology, engineering, and mathematics"--has been part of the school improvement discussion for more than a decade, as educational leaders and policy makers have underscored the importance of these areas in an internationally competitive, 21st-century economy. But building and implementing programs that emphasize STEM subjects has proved easier said than done, as districts have faced challenges from financing STEM initiatives, to finding and training good science teachers, to simply making more room in the school day to offer more science. Over the past two years, though, the STEM movement has shown signs of taking root, as district leaders find public and private funding to develop STEM-related curricula, ramp up professional development, and even launch dedicated STEM academies. Recent national developments--including the importance placed on STEM in awarding states federal Race to the Top funds, and the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB)--have all given proponents hope that STEM programs will become more common.