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In winter 2011, I traveled to 12 communities located throughout the state of Idaho to moderate focus groups with teachers, parents of kindergarten-to-12th-grade (K-12) students, and community members with no children in K-12 education. The focus groups were conducted the first year of a 5-year study using multiple methods to explore the cultural factors shaping Idahoans' experiences with, and perceptions of, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and fields. We randomly selected 12 communities from 6 education regions designated within the state of Idaho; 6 communities were in rural districts and 6 were in urban districts. Through focus groups, we became familiar with all 12 communities and learned how each relates to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. Using this information, we developed well-informed research instruments for the remaining phases of our …