Although "STEM" has been part of the education lexicon for years, the "E" for engineering has received little attention from K-12 educators. Engineering is taught only sporadically in K-12 schools, despite growing evidence that engaging in engineering education leads to improved student learning and achievement in mathematics and science, in part by connecting these subjects to real-world problems. This Smart Brief describes research that shows increased national interest in and the benefits of engineering education. It goes on to discuss challenges of implementation as reported by the National Academy of Engineering. Lastly, the Brief highlights three examples of National Science Foundation-funded programs that show promise for educating future generations of scientifically literate and engineering-talented adults.