As crucial as technology is in day-to-day life, only 51 percent of high schools offer computer science courses in the United States, though even that is a significant increase from 35 percent in 2018, according to the report, “2021 State of Computer Science Education: Accelerating Action Through Advocacy.”

A collaboration of Code.org Advocacy Coalition, Computer Science Teachers Association and the Expanding Computing Education Pathways Alliance, the fifth annual report gives updates on national and state computer education policy, access and participation.

While the uptick in offerings shows progress by education leaders, policymakers and advocates, the fact that nearly half of high schools do not offer a single computer science class is “inadequate,” the organizations wrote.

Disparities in who has access to the subject have also been revealed via new data.

California adopted K–12 computer science standards in 2018 and the State Board of Education adopted the Computer Science Strategic Implementation plan the following year. In 2020, California began allocating state funding for K-12 professional learning related to computer science.

In 2021, lawmakers appropriated $20 million for teacher training, including $5 million from Assembly Bill 128 and $15 million from AB 130. AB 128 funds are for professional learning for K-12 educators while AB 130 grants can be used to prepare teachers to obtain a supplementary authorization for computer science. With AB 130, grant applicants from rural schools and those serving English learners, foster youth or children eligible for free or reduced-price lunch are given priority.

“By prioritizing schools with high populations of underrepresented students and providing teachers with financial incentives, California is creating new opportunities for teachers and students,” the report states.

Statewide, 75 percent of California high schoolers attended a school with computer science instruction in 2021, with urban and suburban students having more access to foundational computer science coursework than those in towns or rural areas.

In 2020, Asian students had the most participation in advanced placement computer science courses by race/ethnicity at 43 percent, though they only make up 12 percent of the student population. White students had the next highest participation rate at 25 percent. Though Hispanic/Latino students make up 54 percent of the student population in California, just 24 percent participated in AP computer science.

Students who identify as Black/African American, Native American/Alaskan, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and as two or more races had the least participation in the advanced computer classes at 2 percent, 0.4 percent, 0.2 percent and 6 percent, respectively.

By gender, while female students make up 51 percent of student population, only 32 percent participated in the advanced placement coursework compared to 68 percent of male students.

Although many students returned to campuses in fall 2021, distance learning during pandemic-related school closures highlighted challenges of limited or non-existent internet access in certain regions that widened already existing opportunity gaps.

Student groups, including those who are economically disadvantaged, Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino were the most likely to experienced disruptions during distance learning because of broadband issues or lack of access to a device.

“It is more important than ever that computer science becomes a sustained part of the education system,” the report states. “In spring 2020, 18 percent of surveyed K–12 computer science teachers reported temporary suspension of computer science instruction, disproportionately affecting high-poverty schools, rural schools, and schools serving large populations of Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino/Latina/Latinx, and Native American students. Yet computer science has been shown to support the development of problem solving, creativity, mathematical abilities/skills, mathematics, metacognition, spatial skills, reasoning skills, and improvements in reading, writing, mathematics, and science test scores. Increasingly, computer science is recognized as a core literacy for students, alongside reading, writing, and mathematics.”

Policymakers can help ensure more equitable access to computer science courses by analyzing district and school data, trends and recommendations outlined in the report.

Code.org offered nine policy recommendations to help make computer science fundamental. They include:

• Creating a state plan for K-12 computer science
• Defining computer science and establishing rigorous K–12 computer science standards
• Allocating funding for computer science teacher professional learning
• Iimplementing clear certification pathways for computer science teachers
• Creating pre-service programs in computer science at higher education institutions
• Establishing computer science supervisor positions in education agencies
• Requiring that all high schools offer computer science
• Allowing a computer science credit to satisfy a core graduation requirement
• Allowing computer science to satisfy a higher education admission requirement.