Give us your math and science whizzes.

For years, school officials in the United States have racked their brains over how to improve student performance in math and science. The answer, it seems, may not be found in some new curriculum or teaching technique, but in the homes of immigrant families.

A new study has found that more than half the nation's top science and math students are children of immigrants.

The study, conducted by the National Foundation for American Policy, an Arlington, Va-based group, looked at the finalists of the Intel Science Talent Search and the top scorers of the U.S. Math Olympiad. It found that 60 percent of the finalists of the science talent search and 65 percent of the math competition's top scorers were children of immigrants. The study also found 46 percent of the U.S. Physics Team members were children of foreign-born parents.

"These findings provide evidence that maintaining an open policy toward skilled professionals, international students, and legal immigration is vital to America's technological and scientific standing in the world," says Stuart Anderson, executive director of NFAP and author of the study, The Multiplier Effect.

Members of some teachers' associations say the study's findings may warrant a closer look at how immigrants are educating their children.

"In some sense it may validate our efforts to raise the bar on what we expect of our students," says Cathy Seeley, president of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. During his research, Anderson found many of the students had one or more parents working under H-1B visas, which allow professionals with a bachelor's degree or higher to enter the country to pursue higher education. Anderson says the pursuit of education is important to these families. "They see a great emphasis on education as a way to pursue the American dream," he adds.

Another factor Anderson says he noted was that both science and math are "objective" fields of study in which children of immigrants perceive having the greatest chance to make an impact on the field. "Children of immigrant parents feel a real value in pursuing an objective field of study where you either can do the work or not."

Immigration History of Parents of
2004 Math Olympiad Top Scorers

H-1B Visa Holders        50%
Native Born              35%
Family-based Immigrant   10%
Refugee                   5%

Source: National Foundation for American Policy

Note: Student Visa Holders, not shown, are included
in the H-1B Visa Holder category

Note: Table made from pie chart.