Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of the STEM education initiative:
Pros:
1. Promotes equality in education. It benefits both male and female students equally.
2. Teaches independent innovation
3. Allows students to explore subjects at greater depth
4. Helps students develop critical and creative thinking skills
5. Allows for an integrated curriculum
6. Gifted students have high interest in these areas

Cons:
1. The initiative does not provide clear-cut guidelines for educators to follow.
2. Few elementary teachers are qualified to teach in the areas of math or science.
3. No national standards
4. No teacher certification
5. Can be costly
6. Comes at the expense of other subject matter
7. Most school systems do not teach integrated curriculums, therefore teachers do not know how to integrate

The STEM Education Initiative aims to engage all students in learning by allowing investigative and hands-on activities. The list of disadvantages demonstrates that the STEM Education Initiative falls short due to a lack of teacher expertise, curriculum, and financial support.