This document provides an overview of computer science (CS) education in Texas. It discusses what CS is, why it is important, and the current state of CS education in the state. Key points include that CS leads to economic opportunity and is foundational for all students. However, few Texas high schools offer CS courses and there is a lack of certified CS teachers. The WeTeach_CS program aims to address this by training more teachers and increasing access to introductory CS courses like CS Discoveries and AP Computer Science Principles. The document outlines pathways for growing local CS programs and increasing participation of underrepresented groups.

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February 2, 2018 • Austin, TX ---
WeTeach_CS and
You Can Too!
Texas STEM Conference
Carol L. Fletcher, Ph.D.
Deputy Director
Center for STEM Education
The University of Texas at Austin
carol.fletcher@utexas.edu
@drfletcher88
@weteachcs

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 What is CS?
 Why CS?
 CS Education in Texas
 How to grow a K-12 CS program in TX?
AGENDA

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What is CS Education
& What it is Not

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“[CS is] not about
computers in the
same sense that
physics is not really
about particle
accelerators and
biology is not about
microscopes and
petri dishes…”
Abelson, 1986

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Why
CS Education?
○ Computer science leads to
economic opportunity
○ Computer science is
foundational for every child,
regardless of career
○ Computer science is fun and
engaging
○ Equitable access to computer
science is critical

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40%
All other STEM
jobs
60%
Computing
jobs
90%
All other
STEM
graduates
10%
Computing
graduates
The STEM problem is in CS
20%
female
8%
hispanic
or black
Sources: College Board, Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Science Foundation

9. 8Code.org

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Health Care
Space
Home
Transportation
Entertainment
Computing is revolutionizing EVERY field

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Percentage of graduates who
earned credit in high school
computer science classes
between 1990 and 2009
It was the only STEM subject
to experience a drop.
Nord et al., 2011
6%

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0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
40,000
45,000
50,000
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Fewer computer science graduates than
10 years ago (and half as many women):
Source:: Code.org - National Science Foundation, National Center for Education Statistics
FEMALE
MALE

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NCWIT.org
Percentage of computing occupations held by women
has been declining since 1991

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NCWIT.org
Percentage of Computing Occupations
Held by Women

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CS Education
in Texas

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Where Are the CS
Teachers?
Only 14individuals
completed a pre-service
teacher education
program to become
certified in Grades 8-12
Computer Science.

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No CS Teachers = No CS Students
Only 3% of Texas
high school
graduates in 2017
had completed a CS
course.

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Texas is considered a national leader in K-12 CS Education.
• TX counts AP Computer Science as a math credit for
graduation.
• TX requires high school CS teachers to be certified in
computer science.
• TX requires teachers to pass a CS content exam to be CS
certified.
• TX has state standards for computer science courses.
• TX is a leader in the number of Black, Hispanic, and female
AP CS enrollees.
• And…

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TX requires all HS to offer CS courses!

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74.3(b)(2)(I) Tech App Curriculum Requirement – every district must offer, and
74.3(b)(4) each student must have the opportunity to participate in the following:
Computer Science I
AP Computer Scienceor
At least two (2) of the following:
• Computer Science III
• Digital Art and Animation
• Digital Communications in the
21st Century
• Digital Design and Media
Production
• Digital Forensics
• Digital Video and Audio Design
• Discrete Mathematics for
Computer Science
• Fundamentals of Computer
Science
• Game Programming and Design
• Independent Study in
Evolving/Emerging Technologies
• Independent Study in Technology
Applications
• Mobile Application Development
• Robotics Programming and Design
• 3-D Modeling and Animation
• Web Communications
• Web Design
• Web Game Development
Computer Science II
Curriculum Requirement
Source: http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter074/ch074a.html

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SBOE Update: AP & IB CS = LOTE Requirement
Jan. 30th – Feb. 2nd - will vote whether to adopt on second reading:
A district shall allow a student who successfully completes
AP Computer Science A or IB Computer Science Higher Level
to satisfy both one advanced mathematics requirement
and one languages other than English requirement for
graduation.

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SBOE Update: AP & IB CS = LOTE Requirement
Jan. 30th – Feb. 2nd - will vote whether to adopt on second reading:
any two credits in computer programming languages,
including computer coding, to be selected from
Computer Science I, II, and III, AP Computer Science
Principles, AP Computer Science A, IB Computer
Science Standard Level, and IB Computer Science
Higher Level.

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HB 3593 - Cybersecurity
SBOE must create Cybersecurity course Pathway
• UT’s Center for STEM Education is convening Texas CS Task Force to make
recommendations to the TEA on the courses that should be included in the
new Cybersecurity pathway.
• Five courses moved to CTE.
• TEA will convene a committee to make recommendations to SBOE.
• It is expected/hoped they will receive weighted funding under CTE and
include computer science courses.
• Probably won’t be in effect until 2019-2020 school year.

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How to Grow Your
CS Program

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WeTeach_CS Program Overview

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WeTeach_CS Collaboratives
https://www.weteachcs.org/collaboratives/
WeTeach_CS Collaboratives
are comprised of 31 projects
across the state of Texas,
including institutions of higher
education, educational service
centers (ESCs), local education
agencies, and nonprofit
entities.

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19
110
50
100
150
200
250
2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16
Number of Texas Teachers Certified
in HS Computer Science
In-service certification pathway Pre-service certification pathway
School Years
NumberofTeachers

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19 22
11 90
50
100
150
200
250
2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16
Number of Texas Teachers Certified
in HS Computer Science
In-service certification pathway Pre-service certification pathway
School Years
NumberofTeachers

39. 38
19 22
40
11 9
31
0
50
100
150
200
250
2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16
Number of Texas Teachers Certified
in HS Computer Science
In-service certification pathway Pre-service certification pathway
School Years
NumberofTeachers

40. 39
19 22
40
70
11 9
31 23
0
50
100
150
200
250
2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16
Number of Texas Teachers Certified
in HS Computer Science
In-service certification pathway Pre-service certification pathway
School Years
NumberofTeachers

41. 40
19 22
40
70
210
11 9
31 23
130
50
100
150
200
250
2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16
Number of Texas Teachers Certified
in HS Computer Science
In-service certification pathway Pre-service certification pathway
Launched
School Years
NumberofTeachers

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406
Texas educators
have become CS certified
since Fall 2015

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Foundations of Computer
Science for Teachers
(Spring 2018)
Course was developed with funding from:
Basic Enrollment Select Enrollment: $199
Learn key computer science topics to better teach your
students and prepare for the Praxis & TExES Computer
Science certification test.
January 9 –
May 15,
2018
7.0 Weeks
Self-Paced
6 Hours
per Week
40.00
CPE Hours
Available

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Funded by
Certification Incentive
Program (CIP)
Through the support
of 100Kin10 and TEA, the
CIP provides the opportunity for
Texas educators to apply for a
$1,000 STIPEND awarded by the
TRC for successfully attaining
their certification goal.

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WeTeach_CS F2F Certification Prep
• Houston (January 22-23, 2018)
• San Angelo (February 12-13, 2018)
• Dallas (February 12-13, 2018)
• Tyler (February 27-28, 2018)
• Waco (March 12-13, 2018)
• Austin (April 19-20, 2018)
• Amarillo (May 16-17, 2018)
• Richardson (August 6-7, 2018)

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20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17
Percent of Texas High Schools that Offer a CS Course
WeTeach_CS Goal #2: Increase the number of HS offering CS courses

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WeTeach_CS Goal #3: Increase the number students enrolled in HS CS courses
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17
Number of High School Students Who Completed a CS Course
All Students Female Underrep EcoDis

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WeTeach_CS Goal #4: Broaden Participation in HS CS Courses
30%
40%
50%
60%
Percentage of Students Who Are
Economically Disadvantaged
All HS Students
HS Students Who Completed a CS Course
40%
50%
60%
70%
Percentage of Students Who Are of
an Underrepresented Ethnicity
All HS Students
HS Students Who Completed a CS Course

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WeTeach_CS Goal #4: Female Participation is Lagging
• Female enrollment has dropped
from 29% to 27%
• Improvement requires explicit
focus on recruitment and
retention
• Strategies for Effective and
Inclusive Computer Science
Teaching
• NCWIT.org FREE materials
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Percentage of Students
Who Are Female
All HS Students
HS Students Who Completed a CS Course

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Fundamentals of Computer Science
(Code.org CS Discoveries)
Grade 8
Computer Science Pathway Recommendation
Computer Science I
Grade 9
AP CS Principles
Grade 9
Computer Science II
Grade 10
AP CS A
Grade 10
Mobile App
Development
or
or
Game Design/
Development
Robotics
Programming
Cybersecurity Database or
Data Analytics

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CS Discoveries
for Grades 7-9
Computer Science Discoveries is an
introductory computer science course that
empowers students to create authentic
artifacts and engage with computer
science as a medium for creativity,
communication, problem solving, and fun.
https://code.org/educate/csd

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PEIMS Numbers

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The College Board AP CS Principles Framework
 A number of AP CS Principles curricula available
 No standard programming language
 No recommended order or sequencing
 Includes a research / writing task as well as
programming
 Project Based
 Encourages collaboration and creativity

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Computer Science:
The fastest growing
AP course this
decade
25% increase in
female participation
38% increase in
underrepresented
minorities
Exponential Growth of CS in First Year of
AP CS Principles (2016-17)

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PEIMS Numbers
Computer Science Principles
A3580300

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Teacher applications are now opened for
CS Discoveries and CS Principles
2018-2019 Code.org Professional Learning Community
https://code.org/educate/professional-learning-2018
• Summer Workshop Commitment – The required
5-day workshop will be held at UT Dallas from
July 30-August 3, 2018
• 2018-19 School Year Follow-up Workshop
Commitment – These 1-day regional workshops
will be held throughout Texas in the 2018-2019
school year.
• Application Deadline – March 31, 2018

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Fundamental of CS and CS Principles -
required certification
Technology Applications
or
Computer Science 8-12
Teacher Certification

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Upcoming Trainings and Opportunities
www.weteachcs.org/events-2017-18/

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• How to Teach High School CS (January 25-26) Austin
• Integrating Computation Thinking Into K-12 Core Academics
(February 12-13) Austin
• CS Principles Mini-Conference (March 1-2) Austin
• WeTeach_CS Facilitator Academy (March 26-30) Richardson
• Bootstrap (June 11-14) San Antonio
• Logo Summer Institute (June 11-14) Pflugerville
• WeTeach_CS Summit (June 18-20) Georgetown
• WeTeach_CS Deep Dives (June 21-22) Georgetown
• Bootstrap (July 11-13, 2018) Beaumont
• 3D Printer for CS and CTE Teachers (July 23-27, 2018) Corpus Christi
• WeTeach_Java (July 23-27) Austin
Register Now – weteachcs.org

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Strategies for Effective and
Inclusive CS Teaching
(Winter 2018)
Teachers will gain the insight, skills, and strategies to create
equitable computer science programs, inside and out of the
traditional classroom, as a stepping stone to achieving social
justice.
Select Enrollment: $149
February 12
– March 25,
2018
6.0 Weeks
Instructor-
Paced
4 Hours
per Week
24.00
CPE Hours
Available

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How to Teach Computer Science
for
High School
 E-book Curriculum
 Professional Development: Online and F2F
 Virtual Support
 Annual Subscription
 Course will be ready Spring 2018
For further details, contact:
John Owen
CS Professional Development Specialist
johnbowen@utexas.edu

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June 18-20, 2018 June 21-22, 2018
Sheraton Conference Center, Georgetown, TX
Summer of CS

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June 21-22, 2018
Sheraton Hotel & Conference Center, Georgetown, TX
 Cybersecurity
 How to Teach HS CS
 Hosting a Youth Code Jam
 Teaching Game Design
Deep Dives
registration opens in March at
WeTeachCS.org
 Integrating Computational
Thinking into Core Subjects
 Early Childhood CS
 CS Camps & Afterschool
Clubs
Sessions for K-12 Teachers Pick a topic for a Deeper Dive

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Stay in the Loop about
CS opportunities
 Check out WeTeach_CS Events
 More professional
development events added
weekly
 Java, Integrating CS, How to
Teach HS CS, Equity in CS,
LOGO, cybersecurity, and
more!
Subscribe to
WeTeach_CS Blog
WeTeachCS.org

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Come visit us!
BOOTH #
809

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Carol L. Fletcher, Ph.D.
Deputy Director
Center for STEM Education
The University of Texas at Austin
carol.fletcher@utexas.edu
@drfletcher88
@weteachcs
Thank you!
STEMcenter.utexas.edu
weteachcs.org