Whether you’re a teacher or a parent with school-age children, you’ve probably noticed a shift in education standards. Naturally, any changes in standards and benchmarks impact curriculum development and classroom practices.

Such is the case with the rise of computer science at multiple grade levels. Not only is computer science integrated into more classes, but more states are including it as part of their standards. Let’s look further into this trend to gain a better idea about its impact on our students and where it might lead.

Insight into Education Standards and Current Status of Computer Science

Before we dive further into the evolving relationship between computer science and educational standards, we should look at some important factors. First off, standards and graduation requirements are established at the state and local level with some guidance from the fed. For example, a U.S. executive order went out in April of this year calling for increased efforts in teaching AI literacy.

That implementation depends on the decisions made by state departments and local school boards. Nonetheless, the drive to implement computer science into a state’s curricula has gained momentum in recent years. So far, 32 states have adopted requirements for high schools to offer computer science courses and 37% of all the middle schools in the U.S.

The elementary level, on the other hand, still remains somewhat stagnant when it comes to integrating computer science into the core subjects. Regardless, resources for early childhood and intermediate teachers and administrators are widely available. So we’ll be interested to see what happens in kindergarten through fifth grade as progress continues.

Setting a Technological Foundation for All Students

As noted, not all states and districts offer comprehensive computer science courses or make it a part of the early childhood grade levels, but more educators, stakeholders, and even CEOs realize that the next generation needs a foundation in tech to be able to succeed in the job market. Anymore, students need to study digital literacy, coding, and networking as much as reading, writing, and arithmetic.

For this reason, more districts are adopting (if not creating) the framework for computer science standards. Usually, this process involves more players than the local board and personnel. Some tech companies and other businesses for instance lend their expertise in drafting the standards. We can see how this partnership works as a win for everyone involved since tech companies need more skilled employees, and school district officials want to see their students successfully competing at the national level if not on the world stage.

Adopting Framework and Adding Course Offerings

One step that state and local education boards take is to evaluate their current course offerings and computer science standards to see how closely the two align. Likewise, the process is sometimes reversed if a set of school districts did not already have standards set. Either situation brings schools closer to giving their students an added advantage in their study of computer science.

As more states incorporate computer science standards, more curriculum developers are creating the necessary courses across grade levels. Consequently, more districts are adopting this curriculum, course outlines, and materials.

While some states call on their own policy makers, administrators, and stakeholders to write the standards and determine which curriculum, others look to organizations that specialize in drafting such documents. New Mexico, for instance, adopted the K-12 Computer Science Standards created by the Computer Science Teachers Association in 2017. However, in 2021, just 44% of all N.M. high schools offered at least one computer science course. As we can see, their public schools are moving in a positive direction, but there are opportunities for improvements since computer science hasn’t been fully implemented in the early childhood or intermediate grade levels as of yet. 

Integrating Computer Science into More Grade Levels

The shift in standards has also resulted in computer science instruction across more grade levels.  We’ve mentioned how middle schools and high schools have implemented more courses from digital literacy at the sixth grade level to Принципы компьютерных наук AP for sophomores and older.

Conversely, the primary and intermediate grades might be a different story–for now. Although elementary schools appear to fall behind in progress compared to the secondary level, more primary and intermediate teachers are implementing age-appropriate programs to their school day. This change stems from state boards enacting a policy that requires computer literacy, if not computer science, to be taught from kindergarten on. From there, principals and instructors gain more freedom to explore coding programs, devices, and anything else their classroom lab requires.

Adding a Computer Science Requirement for Graduation

Another profound pivot includes making computer science a core requirement for high school graduation. In short, this change comes about at the state level (usually in the form of legislation) and subsequently filters down to the district school boards. In turn, board members, administrators, and stakeholders determine the best route regarding curriculum and course adoption.

This exploratory process involves determining instructional and logistical needs specific to the community while getting feedback from parents and stakeholders. This step also presents the opportunity to inform the community about the benefits of adding computer science as a graduation requirement. In fact, you may also notice that this part of the conversation between the board and the community remains ongoing to better gauge opportunities and obstacles.

Nonetheless, you can also expect further monitoring of student engagement and achievement once the new policies are enacted. As teachers and department heads gather data, they’ll adjust requirements, course offerings. and professional development.

Regardless of the process, one consistent finding remains: computer science is not leaving the classroom any time soon.

Creating a Career Pathway

Another interesting factor that we should note is the correlation between career trends and changes in education standards. Generally, public school districts are also implementing more programs and courses to get students career-ready right after graduation or ready for the next steps in college. Likewise, some communities have taken the vocational pathway a step further by building relationships with local tech-related businesses. In turn, they offer students an apprenticeship either before or after graduation.

We’ve also seen an interesting trend relating to vocational classes for high schoolers. They can choose from courses relating to specific trades such as graphic design, cyber security, IT and network setup. In other words, students can take a more focused path toward their career even before they graduate. In some districts, these types of courses culminate in certification in that particular trade, giving students more options for a school-to-work situation or a head start toward an associate’s degree.

Building a Connection between Schools and Community

Furthermore, we have seen “Big Tech” and other businesses addressing this matter with a call-to-action for more states to jump on board with integrating computer science. And the state boards are increasingly answering the call by implementing changes to their standards and graduation requirements.

This connection between the business world and the local schools derives from an establishment’s need for employees with certain skill sets. Therefore, they’ll look to their own community and immediate area for their workforce. In turn, state and local boards make the necessary adjustments to their standards and benchmarks. In this case, education standards are shifting toward a more comprehensive inclusion of technology and programming.

Providing More Access to Computer Science

Likewise, the aforementioned CEOs have mentioned the issue of students’ access to tech at a national level. Plus, most (if not all) states have recognized gaps in achievement, especially if they have trouble with gaining classroom equipment, programs, and personnel due to location and funding issues. For this reason, at the state level, policies are changing to encourage the integration of computer science and standards that set the bar for student achievement.

Some disparities still exist for rural school districts and urban areas. By integrating computer science as part of the curriculum from Pre-K through senior year (and even making it a graduation requirement), the door opens to funding and grants from foundations and businesses.

Enhancing the Rigor of Classroom Instruction

Plus, you may have heard from various outlets about research focusing on the state of education during and after the pandemic. These studies have brought the topic of academic rigor to the forefront along with the use of technology for instructional purposes. Oftentimes, the data related to such studies–from test scores to graduation rates–have given a wakeup call to state and local boards to change direction with their curriculum. So computer science could be part of the solution, especially if district and school officials consider integrating related activities and instruction across the curriculum.

For this reason, district boards would consider vertical and horizontal alignment of computer science as a means to prepare students from an early age to take on critical thinking and problem-solving tasks that gradually become more challenging.

Increasing Student Engagement

We might not always think of student engagement as part of the decision-making process for standards, but this aspect does weigh into the conversation.

When you think about it, this generation has never known a world without technology and the Internet. So, it makes perfect sense to incorporate real-world lessons into their studies, which is why educators and policymakers consider student engagement when drafting standards. If the students are interested and believe that instruction in programming applies to real-world careers, then they’ll more likely succeed in tech-related courses.

Opportunities for Change

Likewise, we can expect changes in educational standards every few years. Each state has its own cycle for updating their current standards and/or creating new ones.  From addressing achievement gaps to improving competitive prospects, integrating computer science may provide an answer to multiple issues.

Likewise, when we see change, we also see exciting opportunities for cooperation between school districts and the private sector. From offering consultation on curriculum development to providing training for teachers, implementing computer science requirements as part of a state’s standards opens the door to the future for students. Likewise, these changes to educational standards would have a far-reaching effect on many generations.

What the Future Holds

With the job market evolving, more companies will need a tech-savvy workforce–even with the rise of AI. As mentioned, several CEOs have posted and signed an open letter online regarding the dire need for computer science courses. Hence, we can expect to see some sort of  impact from corporate America’s call-to-action on state boards and local school districts.

Possibly this message coming from the corporations could lead to a partnership between them and the schools that allows for acquiring classroom equipment and professional development. Moreover, computer science experts from private businesses could also facilitate more conversations at the legislative level to expedite the process of integrating CS curriculum across the grade levels.

Adopting Standards Specific to Computer Science or Cross Curricular Integration?

As we might’ve guessed, there is no one correct path to take except the one that best supports learning for each community. So we have two examples of states who have had computer science standards in place for quite some time and how they update them to align with current changes in instructional methods and of course, the latest innovation.

Computer Science Across the Curriculum

Connecticut’s state board of education serves as an example. In their 2018 report, the board detailed their steps toward adopting the framework for computer science standards and passing legislation to codify the change. In short, Connecticut’s standards encompass curricula that involve instruction in tech usage and innovation.

Providing Consistency from Level to the Next

As another illustration, the Texas State Board of Education adopted the TEKS Standards for grades kindergarten through eight with high school courses following a similar framework that lines out each set of requirements for a particular class. During the 2024-2025 school year, the standards were updated to reflect the latest trends in technology and to provide more consistency from one grade level to the next.

The idea of drafting and applying educational standards related to computer science may not be a new idea, but the momentum is rapidly building. Luckily, more states will sign onto this concept in order to fill positions in the STEM field and to make way for our next generation of innovators. 

Заключение

We’ve seen so many shifts in education standards in all subject areas. However, we can definitely say that the trend toward computer science has happened quickly over the last decade and continues to evolve. Whether students opt for four-year universities or for certification programs in the trades, computer science can give them an edge since technology seems to be utilized in numerous fields. By establishing standards and keeping them updated, state educational boards can serve our students well by preparing them for an increasingly high-tech future.