Featured Reports
Why is K-12 CS Education Fading as Digital Economy Grows?
System Failure: ACM and CSTA release report on CS education standards; Computing in the Core coalition launched
Computer science and the technologies it enables now lie at the heart of our economy, our daily lives, and scientific enterprise. As the digital age has
transformed the world and workforce, U.S. K-12 education has fallen woefully behind in preparing students with the fundamental computer science knowledge
and skills they need for future success. To be a well-educated citizen as we move toward an ever-more computing-intensive world and to be prepared for the
jobs of the 21st Century, students must have a deeper understanding of the fundamentals of computer science. The report by ACM and CSTA examines current
learning standards in core subject areas in every state and finds that roughly two-thirds of the country have few computer science education standards for
secondary school education, and most states treat high school computer science courses as simply an elective and not part of a student's core education.
The report includes state-by-state standards report cards.
Read more about
the ACM and CSTA study and download the report.
Addressing Core Equity Issues in K-12 CS Education:
Identifying Barriers and Sharing Strategies
This new report from CSTA, the Anita Borg Institute, and the University of Arizona focuses on the critical absence of women and underrepresented minority
students from computing at the K-12 level. It provides an in-depth look at the barriers currently existing in our educational system and provides practical
recommendations for solutions to address core equity issues. It also highlights the need for engagement and action by a broad cross section of stakeholders
and provides a comprehensive set of recommendations for each stakeholder group. The report stems from a town hall and workshop held at the 2009 Grace Hopper
Celebration of Women in Computing. "This report is a clarion call to all of the stakeholders who think these problems are solved," said Chris Stephenson,
executive director, CSTA and co-author of the report. "It provides practical, achievable suggestions for working together to ensure that all students have
the opportunities that rigorous computing provides." Click the image to download.
Ensuring Exemplary Teaching in an Essential Discipline:
Addressing the Crisis in Computer Science Teacher Certification
For computer science teachers, the challenge of becoming and remaining exemplary educators is hampered by systems of
pre-service education and teacher certification that are profoundly disconnected from the discipline of computer science
and the needs of teachers and students.
This white paper addresses a number of aspects of the crisis in high school computer science teacher certification. It
includes a comprehensive description of the issues relating to certification, a review of the relevant research literature,
a selection of examples of current teacher certification models, and a set of recommendations for a multi-level model that
will provide detailed requirements for educators from multiple pathways, including new teachers, teachers from other
disciplines with computer science experience, teachers with no computer science experience, and people transitioning to
teaching from business and industry. Click the image to download.
The New Educational Imperative:
Improving High School Computer Science Education
Computer Science and the National Competitiveness Debate
This report of the CSTA Curriculum Improvement Task Force provides a comprehensive look at high school computer science
education in the United States and around the world. Beginning with an examination of the current state of high school
computer science education and its link to national economic issues, it includes: an extensive review of international
research, a look at how other countries have successfully developed and implemented national curricula for high school
computer science, and common sense suggestions for how all stakeholders (legislators, state and federal policy makers,
school district policy makers, principals, teachers, university and college faculty, and business and industry)
can implement changes that will improve every aspect of high school computer science education. Click the image to download.
The New Educational Imperative:
Improving High School Computer Science Education
*International Version*
This report of the CSTA Curriculum Improvement Task Force and the CSTA International Committee examines the current
state of high school computer science education and its link to economic issues; it includes: an extensive review of
international research, a look at how several countries have successfully developed and implemented national curricula for
high school computer science, and common sense suggestions for how all stakeholders (legislators, state and federal policy
makers, school district policy makers, principals, teachers, university and college faculty, and business and industry)
can implement changes that will improve every aspect of high school computer science education.
Click the image to download.
CSTA International Guide to Establishing a Computer Science Teachers Association
This document is a highly valuable resource for individuals or groups of individuals outside of North America who have the
desire and will to establish a computer science subject association in their own country. Using the experiences of key
leaders in CSTA, it provides the underlying principles for establishing a computer science subject association as well as
discussions and guidelines for such critical steps as defining your mission, developing and supporting leadership, creating
an organizational structure, building membership, communications, advocacy, funding, and fiscal responsibility.
Click the image to download.
ACM K-12 CS Model Curriculum, 2nd Edition
Preparing Young People to Excel in Computer Science
Although computer science is an established discipline at the collegiate and post-graduate levels, its integration into the K-12 curriculum has not kept pace in the U.S. As a result, a serious shortage of information technologists exists at all levels.
The second edition of the ACM Model Curriculum sets the context for computer science within K-12 education today and provides a framework for state departments of education and school districts to address the educational needs of young people and prepare them for personal and professional opportunities in the 21st century.
Click the image to download.
