Computer science education advocates met this week with legislators at the State Capitol in Sacramento to discuss the status of computer science education in California and solutions to address the workforce needs. The event, named “Beyond Coding: Advancing K-12 Computer Science Education in California” is a milestone for the advocates and represents a growing interest in ensuring all students have opportunities to become computer literate and to gain foundational computer science skills, such as computational thinking and programming/coding.

A recent report by Google and Gallup, Inc. found:

• Exposure to computer technology is vital to building student confidence for computer science learning.
• Opportunities to learn computer science at schools is limited for most students. When available, courses are not comprehensive.
• Demand for CS in schools is high amongst students and parents, but school and district administrators underestimate this interest. The study found 91 percent of parents want their child to learn CS, but less than 30 percent of administrators and teachers say CS is a top priority in their school or district.
• Barriers to offering computer science in schools include testing requirements for other subjects and limited availability and budget for qualified teachers.

The report findings regarding access to computer science instruction are consistent with the recent report by the Level Playing Field Institute which found disparities in Access to computer science courses in California high schools.

Special thanks to the sponsors of the event at the Capitol: ACCESS, California STEM Learning Network, TechNet, Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, CODE.org, and the Silicon Valley Educational Foundation!