Computer science has become a new basic skill, essential in order to excel in an increasingly
computational and data-intensive world
However, access to computer science (CS) at the K-12 levels remains limited. CS is taught in less than 25 percent of U.S. high schools. Rural and high-need schools are even less likely to offer it. Moreover, in schools that do offer CS, students of color and girls often participate in very low numbers
But this is changing through a groundswell of interest in CS education at the state, city and local levels.
President Obama in his 2016 State of the Union address laid out a goal of expanding computer science in schools across the country, saying, "In the coming years, we should build on that progress, by ... offering every student the hands-on computer science and math classes that make them job-ready on day one."
Today, the White House announced a new initiative, CS for All that aims to give all students in the U.S. the opportunity to learn CS, with the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S. Department of Education serving as the lead federal agencies.
"CS for
All builds on NSF's investments
in developing, piloting and assessing materials
and resources for computer science education, and on the growing momentum for
science, technology, engineering and mathematics education more broadly, that
is taking hold across the country," said NSF Director France Cordova.
"We are proud to play a leading role in this new initiative."
