For Immediate Release: September 15, 2016
Contact: Renee Rybak Lang, renee.lang@nasbe.org, 703-740-4841

Maryland, Arkansas Seen as Leaders in Ensuring Access to Qualified Computer Science Teachers

Alexandria, Va. – Successful implementation of computer science standards may hinge on one thing: teacher capacity. Without enough qualified teachers and the resources to support them, states will be hard pressed to make computer science a part of every student’s education—something that industry leaders say is critical to career readiness. According to a new NASBE report, Maryland and Arkansas stand out as leaders among the 26 states that are creating pathways specifically for preparing computer science teachers.

State boards of education are important to this process. “Of the 32 state boards with authority to set teacher certifications standards, all but one also has primary authority to set computer science standards,” writes Eve Tilley-Coulson in “Preparing Computer Science Teachers in Maryland and Arkansas.” State boards without direct authority for standards and certification can urge integration of computer science into class instruction and address access to computer science courses.

Maryland’s state board, which does have authority over standards and teacher licensure, is taking a careful approach to computer science standards adoption, doing it “the right way, not the rushed way.” The state is setting certification requirements for teaching computer science, offering its schools stipends for educating preservice teachers, and creating dedicated computer science teaching positions, all while involving teachers in the standards adoption process and collaborating with local districts to ensure instructional supports and provide engaging instructional materials.

Arkansas, which has already adopted computer science standards, is focused on improving access to high-quality computer science instruction and directly funds teacher professional development. By the start of the 2019–20 school year, the Arkansas State Department of Education projects that 95 percent of its school districts will have at least one teacher certified to teach computer science.

“By focusing on licensure tracks in computer science, offering aspiring teachers computer science courses and professional development based on basic computer science concepts, and presenting monetary incentives for teachers to engage in this professional development, states like Maryland and Arkansas are addressing a critical access gap in computer science education,” writes NASBE’s Tilley-Coulson.

Read “Preparing Computer Science Teachers in Maryland and Arkansas.”

The National Association of State Boards of Education represents America’s state and territorial boards of education. Our principal objectives are to strengthen state leadership in education policymaking, advocate equality of access to educational opportunity, promote excellence in the education of all students, and ensure responsible lay governance of education. Learn more at www.nasbe.org.

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