A Year of Action Supporting Computer Science for All

There are half a million open technology jobs in the United States today, and that number is projected to more than double within the next 4 years. These jobs pay 50 percent more than the average private-sector job. One recent analysis of 26 million job postings found that nearly half of all the jobs in the top quartile in pay require some computer-science (CS) knowledge or coding skills.

And yet, CS remains largely missing from American K-12 education. By the most recent estimates, just 40 percent of K-12 schools report offering even a single computer-science course, and only 32 states currently allow students to count computer science towards core high school graduation requirements.

These challenges, and the growing relevance of computing to America’s economy, cybersecurity, and national security, are why President Obama issued a bold call to action at the beginning of this year—in his final State of the Union address—to give every child the opportunity to learn computer science.

Since then, 2016 has been a year of action in support of computer science. Fourteen new states have expanded CS education, more than 500 organizations have responded to the President’s call to action, and a new AP-CS course launched this fall and is already being offered in more than 2,000 classrooms. Fifteen Federal agencies are coordinating efforts to expand CS education, with new investments and guidance. Twenty-seven governors have called on Congress to support CS education.

Marking this year of progress, and kicking off the Computer Science Education Week 2016, the White House is announcing new actions in support of CS education.

In New Hampshire

• CS4NH, a new partnership of the New Hampshire Department of Education, public and charter schools, institutions of higher education, industry and community stakeholders will launch an advocacy campaign aimed at offering CS for all 189,000 of New Hampshire’s public school students by 2020.
• New Hampshire Department of Education Office of STEM Education will lead statewide efforts to develop and adopt academic standards for K-12 CS serving 189,000 public school students across New Hampshire; and adopt teacher credentialing standards to provide a pathway to certification for 15,000 public school teachers by the end of the 2017 calendar year.

FACT SHEET: A Year of Action Supporting Computer Science for All

In addition to this work, schools and educators across the state are integrating CS across the curriculum, expanding CS course offerings, offering extended learning opportunities for students, and more. For more information on these NH initiatives, contact David Benedetto, Director of STEM Education at David.Benedetto@doe.nh.govor (603) 271-3855.

Let us know what you're doing by completing a brief survey at www.cs4nh.org.