Standards Make Computer Science Accessible for All

The Legislature’s Technology Caucus, led by Senator Karen Spilka and Representative Kathi-Ann Reinstein, met earlier this month to hear from representatives of Google, Intel, Microsoft and Oracle about the need for more computer science education to better train students for the technological demands of the workforce and society.  MBAE has posted previously on this topic, and supports making computer science a core course in the science, technology and engineering (STE) category.

Since press coverage about the Technology Caucus created some confusion about what high tech companies are talking about and asking for, I want to share MBAE’s perspective.

• In Massachusetts, local districts, NOT the legislature or Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, decide what courses to offer and set graduation requirements.  Employers and organizations promoting computer science are NOT asking the state to “mandate” or “require” computer science.
• Those of us calling for making computer science a core course simply want all students to gain exposure to this discipline and to provide a pathway to take more rigorous and advanced courses for those students who want to pursue the subject to study it in college or to use their knowledge in the job market.
• Standards, or “curriculum frameworks” as we refer to these in Massachusetts, are necessary to ensure that all students have access to the same content and expectations for study in this discipline.  Therefore, having statewide computer science standards is an essential step toward providing equitable access to this course of study for all students.  As long as computer science is an elective offered voluntarily by school districts and based on inconsistent standards, it will remain unavailable for many students and fail to meet consistently high expectations or cover uniform content.
• This is a time-sensitive issue because the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is currently in the process of updating its STE standards.  The recently issued Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) do not adequately cover computer science (and present other deficiencies as well) so the state must revise our STE standards on its own.  Revisions underway of the STE standards present an opportunity for Massachusetts to join the other 9 states that recognize the need for students to understand computational thinking and technology as a tool.  Model standards exist and can be easily modified or adapted for Massachusetts.
• State education policy recommends that districts require all students to take at least 3 lab science courses and pass an MCAS test in one.  Current choices are biology, chemistry, physics and engineering.  Making computer science a core course would allow students to choose this discipline to satisfy one of their locally-determined science course requirements.  This would entail having an exit exam (MCAS currently but potentially another assessment the state might adopt).  There would be NO requirement that students select this option – it would be a choice, however, that only some students currently have.

The existence of standards doesn’t guarantee that all schools will offer computer science or that instruction will be of even quality statewide.  Teacher training, equipment and other resources are what makes this subject come alive for kids.  But, statewide standards are the foundation for achieving the goal of providing every child the opportunity to learn about computational thinking, problem solving and technology in a way that exposes them to and prepares them for the opportunities available in this profession and the technological challenges they will face in life.

For more information, see MBAE testimony on S.193, an Act to create and maintain jobs in the Commonwealth.