Allison Scott, Art Lopez and Susan Bonilla
May 12, 2022
2 Comments
California leads the world in technological innovation, and our economy benefits from a tech sector that generates more than $520 billion annually. Nearly 2 million Californians have already staked their claim in the state’s growing tech workforce with no end in sight. There are about 68,000 computing jobs currently available that earn above-average yearly salaries of $115,754.
Yet, when it comes to who gets these jobs, California’s youth — particularly the Black, Latino, Indigenous and low-income students that are historically underserved and have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic — lack access to the education and preparation needed to take on these roles.
Since his time as lieutenant governor, Gov. Gavin Newsom has stood with us — policymakers, computer science education advocates, and teachers — and has been committed to expanding access to quality computer science education. He has embraced the fact that technological fluency is core to the ways we live and work today.
Yet, California still makes shockingly low investments in computer science education. Nearly two-thirds of California high schools lack computer science courses, ranking 41st nationally. Our state is neglecting to prepare students to enter California’s tech industry, and neglecting to train and equip teachers with the resources or professional knowledge needed to support our students.
Even in schools that have computer science education, teachers too often lack computer science-focused training and professional development. This leaves teachers struggling to provide high-quality computer science education for our children — especially those that are in underserved and underrepresented communities and schools.
In 2019, the State Board of Education, the governor, and the Legislature created the Computer Science Strategic Implementation Plan, a road map to expand teaching and learning opportunities and address inequities in computer science education. This was major progress — but we continue failing to adequately fund computer science education.
This year, the governor and the Legislature can use the state budget to jumpstart the solution and finally invest in the teachers who are guiding California’s students. This is a unique chance to end the cycle of failed support for computer science education and our students’ futures — especially for Black, Latino, Indigenous, and low-income students.
This investment is possible in part because while students have struggled throughout the pandemic, the State of California’s revenue has not: the surplus just topped $68 billion. The funding is available like never before, and there is no better time to invest in our kids.
This is why we strongly encourage the governor and Legislature to adopt two key computer science education funding requests of $15 million for teacher preparation from Assemblymember Marc Berman and $101.6 million for teacher professional development from Assemblymember Luz Rivas. These funds will support targeted, equitable investment in computer science education:
It’s up to us to empower students with the skills and experiences to stake their claim on those 68,000 high-paying technology jobs. It’s up to us to fight computer science education inequities. This funding is a critical step to making sure teachers have the knowledge, tools and resources to help all students develop the essential skills they need to thrive in California’s modern economy.
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Allison Scott is the co-director of the Computer Science for California Coalition and the chief executive officer of the Kapor Foundation, which aims to make the technology ecosystem and entrepreneurship more diverse and inclusive.
Art Lopez is a computer science teacher at Sweetwater High, in San Diego and serves as the Grades 9-12 high school representative for the board of directors for the Computer Science Teachers Association.
Susan Bonilla is CEO of the CA Pharmacists Association and a member of ReadyNation, a business organization advocating for education improvements. She served in the California Assembly from 2010-2016 and authored the legislation for the Computer Science Strategic Implementation Plan.
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College ReadinessSchool FinanceCareer PreparationHigh-needs studentsState Education PolicyMath and ScienceTechnologyCommentaryDigital DivideRace and EquityComputer ScienceComputer Science Strategic Implementation PlanComments (2)
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