Computer Science Just four short years ago, computer science courses were being offered in only two high schools in Duval County Public Schools. It was critical that students would have the opportunity to take computer science courses in all high schools so that doors would be open for all students. In 2016, we began a partnership with Code.org in the region to bring computer science education to elementary school students. The work began in Clay County, and regional capacity was built so that instruction in computer science fundamentals was available across the region. In 2017, with just two high schools offering computer science, we set a goal to bring this offering to all high schools in the region. Just three years later, all high schools in our region are offering at least one computer science course. The following year, the STEM2 Hub was an earlier adopter of Computer Science Discoveries, a middle school course, now being taught formally or informally across middle schools in the region. Robotics and STEM courses are being implemented in the school day in middle schools, as well. Courses range from Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles to courses such as web design, 3D game design, cybersecurity, and more. New courses are currently being developed, such as Computer Science for AI and Mathematics for AI, and Introduction to Machine Learning. As demand for coding and computer science grows, access must be provided in a systematic way that assures access for all students. The state of Florida added two courses to the course catalog for computer science in elementary schools. Now, both Introduction to Computer Science I and II has been made available. There are approximately 1.2 million elementary school students in the state of Florida. There are 214,000 students, or 17% of elementary school students, presently enrolled in this course. Over 78,000 of those students attend school in Northeast Florida. Over half of those enrolled are students who are identified as part of a group who are underrepresented in the technology workforce.
We continue to build capacity for high quality computer science instruction to be delivered in our classrooms. The STEM2 Hub staff participated in the development and implementation of the Department of Education's Computer Science Bootcamps. These boot camps were designed to equip teachers to pass the State Computer Science Certification test. Over 1,000 Florida teachers have taken the week - long program, with hundreds from our region.
STEM2 HUB ANNUAL REPORT ◊ 10
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