The National Computer Science Education Community Announces 165 New Efforts to Achieve Computer Science for All
New Commitments Reflect Efforts from Schools, Cities, Nonprofits, and Industry to Advance Computer Science Education Across the U.S. and Around the Globe
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEW YORK, NY, NOVEMBER, 17, 2020 — Today, at the virtual CSforALL Commitments Showcase, CSforALL announced new commitments from the CS education community to advance computer science education for all youth, including highlighting promising new work in response to the impacts of the dual pandemics of COVID-19 and racial injustice on the computer science (CS) education movement. The 2020 CSforALL Commitments were announced during a live-streamed event featuring a keynote from notable CS educator Mitchel Resnick, creator of the SCRATCH programming language, computer science education influencers, policy makers, industry leaders, and celebrities, all celebrating and elevating the incredible work being done in this unprecedented year.
As the U.S. continues to grapple with the dual pandemics of COVID-19 and racial injustice in a year full of obstacles and surprises, the need to bring rigorous and equitable CS education to prepare ALL students for a successful future is more urgent than ever. Fortunately, the systems in place to expand that critical access are getting a significant boost today through 165 new commitments from 127 organizations to advance computer science education access and opportunity for youth across the United States and beyond.
#CSforALL commitments are new, specific, and measurable actions aimed at advancing the goal of rigorous and inclusive computer science education for all U.S. youth, and are designed to grow support and momentum for a sustainable K-12 computer science education system in and out of school. Notably 29 organizations listed below have made a #CSforALL commitment annually since 2017. To continue the trend, in 2020, 78 organizations have returned to make a commitment at least twice. The commitments detailed below include investments in 34 individual states, 43 commitments with a nationwide focus, and 5 commitments serving youth around the globe.
Highlights of Today’s Major Announcements Include:
- 17 organizations, including CodeCrew, Games for Change, Girl Scouts of the USA, KISS Institute for Practical Robotics, and UC Davis C-STEM Center, announced efforts to expand virtual CS, robotics, and STEAM/STEM education offerings for students and educators in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, serving more than 1M students and 2,000 educators through 2022.
- 64 new commitments focus on increasing equity and racial justice in CS education, training, and career development for students and educators, including Chicago Public Schools, Code Nation, Girls Who Code and and Constellations Center for Equity in Computing to name a few.
- 26 new commitments will increase girls’ interest in and access to CS education and opportunities, including Techbridge Girls, Vijay Computer Academy, ChickTech and Girls Computer League among many others.
- Industry partners including Amazon, Microsoft, Dell, NASA and Qualcomm among others are working with organizations and school districts to expand sustainable, diverse, and equitable CS programs, serving more than 1.5M students, 2,700 schools, and 1,300 educators across the U.S. through 2024.
- 33 new commitments will work to ensure greater and more equitable access to CS education in rural communities, including Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative (AMSTI), Maryland Codes and Nuevo Foundation.
- 15 new commitments will provide greater and more equitable access to CS education programs for students with disabilities, including AIU 3 Mon Valley School, The Quorum programming language group, and Young Inquisitive Minds.
- 11 school districts across the U.S. are making big moves to ensure greater access to CS education while building critical life skills, including Ithaca City School District, Dallas Independent School District, Harris County Schools and Metro Nashville Public Schools.
- 5 organizations, including the CTA, Kai’s Clan, Girls Who Code, IPC Systems, Kids Coding, and Veracity House ICT Solutions, are going above and beyond the national stage to empower communities around the globe to engage in CS education.
A full list of the new announcements is detailed and available by regional impact including state, national, and international.
CSforALL is the national hub of the computer science for all movement with a mission to make high-quality computer science an integral part of K-12 education in the United States. Our three-pillar approach; Support Local Change, Increase Rigor and Equity, and Grow the Movement, directs our work across a national and local spectrum to provide equitable and accessible K-12 computer science education to every student. We engage with diverse stakeholders leading computer science initiatives across the nation to support and facilitate implementation of rigorous, inclusive and sustainable computer science. For more information: www.csforall.org Twitter: @CSforALL
The 2020 CSforALL Commitments Showcase will be live streamed Tuesday, November 17th at 7:00 PM EST on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and https://www.summit.csforall.org/
