Лілія Батюк
The article provides a comparative and analytical review of the thematic component of STEM education in legislative and regulatory documents in the field of education and science in Ukraine and the United States of America. The existing laws, strategies, state programs and by-laws that determine the directions of STEM education development, its goals, implementation mechanisms and institutional support at the national level are analyzed. It is established that in the USA STEM education is established as a long-term state priority with clear interagency coordination, stable funding and orientation towards innovation, national security and competitiveness of the economy. US regulatory documents are characterized by systematicity, heredity and a direct connection between education, science, technological development and the labor market. At the same time, in Ukraine, the regulatory and legal support for STEM education is formed mainly through framework laws on education and science, concepts, strategies and state programs that reflect the adaptive and transformative nature of educational policy in the context of social challenges and martial law. It was found that a common feature of the legislation of both countries is the integration of STEM approaches with the goals of developing an innovative economy, digital competencies and training specialists for high-tech industries. The differences lie in the level of regulatory detail, the degree of institutional maturity and the mechanisms for implementing STEM education. The results obtained can be used for scientific research in the field of comparative pedagogy, educational policy, as well as to substantiate the areas of improving the regulatory support for STEM education in Ukraine, taking into account the experience of the United States.