Despite demand for computer science professionals, the country’s K-12 education system continues to marginalize computer science education. While decisions about what is taught in elementary, middle and high schools are vested in state and local authority, policy at all levels of government must support putting students on a path to fill high-demand, high-skilled, high-paying computing jobs across all sectors of our economy.
MATA supports the efforts of the Code.org Advocacy Coalition–a non-partisan group that believes computer science should be part of the core curriculum in education, and that we must increase participation and access for female students and underrepresented minority students. Download a description of the coalition here.
The Code.org Advocacy Coalition supports the implementation of the following policies to make computer science a fundamental part of the K-12 education system:
- Create a state plan for K-12 computer science
- Define computer science and establish rigorous K-12 computer science academic standards
- Fund computer science professional development and support course development
- Implement a clear certification pathway for computer science teachers
- Incentivize higher education institutions to offer computer science to pre-service teachers
- Establish dedicated computer science positions in state and local education agencies
- Require that all high schools offer computer science with an appropriate implementation timeline and financial resources
- Allow computer science to satisfy a core graduation requirement
- Clearly define computer science education in federal policy and programs
- Leverage federal policies that influence teacher preparation programs at colleges and universities to grow a computer science teaching workforce
- Adequately support computer science education by devoting a portion of STEM funding available from 13 federal agencies