INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) today shared a new report highlighting Indiana as a national leader in computer science education. Created by Code.Org, the Computer Science Teachers Association, and the Expanding Computing Education Pathways Alliance, the 2019 State of Computer Science Education praises Indiana for being one of only five states in the nation to implement all nine policies of Code.org’s Advocacy Coalition, and one of only three to significantly increase computer science education funding over the past year.
“Increasing opportunities for students to further their education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics is central to the Department’s mission, as well as that of Indiana’s educators, schools, and partners”, said State Superintendent Dr. Jennifer McCormick. “This new report praises the good work Indiana has accomplished and the well-rounded and robust instruction our students continue to receive. This work could not be done without the commitment of our students, school administrators, and classroom teachers. I wish to thank them for their dedication in preparing students for future success.”
The 2019 report calls out several examples of Indiana’s commitments to computer science education including, the development of a comprehensive plan, the changes in teacher certifications, the alignment of existing K–8 computer science standards to high school standards, and the allocated $3 million per year for computer science professional development derived from the 2019 passing of House Enrolled Act 1001. In addition, IDOE has funded the training of over 1,000 K-12 educators in computer science since 2018, while continuing to expand professional development opportunities.
Along with robust updates to policy and standards, the report also highlights Indiana’s accomplishments in the area of computer science from 2017-2018 to 2018-2019. Sixty-two percent of Indiana high schools taught at least one computer science course, up from 51 percent, with 21 percent of Indiana schools offering AP programs offered an audited AP computer science course, up from 17 percent. Furthermore, the number of female and minority students taking AP computer science exams continues to increase.
