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Schools expanded the availability of foundational computer science classes this year at a faster clip than at any other time in the past five years, but stubborn gaps in access to those courses persist, concludes Code.orgs annual report on the state of computer science education.

Overall, 57.5 percent of high schools offer foundational computer science courses, a 4.5 percentage point jump over last year, the largest since 2018. But only 5.8 percent of high school students are enrolled in those courses in the 35 states where data is available. That percentage is similar to the percentage a year ago.

There are also gaps in access with respect to race, gender, English learner and special education status, geography, and income, Code.org found. For instance, 89 percent of Asian students and 82 percent of white students can take foundational computer science courses, whereas 67 percent of Native American students have such access.

Closing those gaps is particularly important as tools powered by artificial intelligencewhich have already become a force in other industries such as health care and businessbecome even more ubiquitous, the report says.

Learning fundamental computer science concepts gives students a deeper insight into how AI systems work, which benefits those building technologies that utilize AI and those who need to make decisions about AI in their personal lives, the report says. Foundational computer science and AI literacy will result in more diverse, critical creators and consumers of AI.

Other equity gaps in access to foundational computer science courses highlighted in Code.orgs research include:

The report outlines how policymakers and educators can help close these gaps. One significant move is for states to make computer science a graduation requirement. Thats something eight states have done so far: Arkansas, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Additionally, while Maryland and Mississippi havent created a specific computer science requirement, taking computer science courses is the primary way to fulfill an existing graduation requirement.

Having a computer science graduation requirement seems to be making a difference in Arkansas when it comes to gender. The state adopted the requirement in 2021, for the graduating class of 2026. This year, 43 percent of females in the states 9th grade class were enrolled in a foundational computer science class, 12 percentage points higher than the national average for all females in high school.

We are excited to see an increase in the number of high school students completing multiple computer science courses before graduation, said Kelly Griffin, the director of computer science education at the Arkansas Department of Education, in a statement cited in the report. These students develop a strong foundation that can be utilized in current and future careers.

States can also require all schools to offer computer science classes, the report recommended. For instance, even though Georgias requirement that all high schools offer computer science education wont kick in until the 2024-25 school year, the state is already seeing signs of progress.

Seventy-one percent of high schools in Georgia now offer foundational computer science classes. Theres been increased representation in those courses from female students, Hispanic students, students in special education, and English learners, though equity gaps remain, the report said.

Bringing computer science courses to high school is a key first step in building a workforce where these skills are likely to have deep value, the report concluded.

When exposure and access are in place, students confidence to pursue opportunities beyond their computer science K12 education becomes a reality, because students have become computer science advocates, said Maria Camarena, a computer science teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District, in a statement featured in the report.

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Computer Science Courses Are on the RiseBut Girls Are Still Half as Likely to Take It - Education Week