Advancing equity in K–12 computer science education policy

The challenge

Within the past decade, K–12 computer science (CS) education policy has been advanced through various intermediary organizations (IOs), state legislatures, governors and national organizations leading to requirements in 41 states for CS teacher certification, 23 states for CS instruction in every high school, 22 states to adopt a state plan for CS education and 36 states to create a CS education supervisors (CSEdSS) position within their state education agencies (SEAs) as of 2021. 

Despite the tremendous work around expanding K–12 CS education policy, equity issues persist in terms of access and opportunity to learn CS. There is the need to understand structural barriers to diversity in computing with a view to the entire ecosystem from pre–K through workforce. SEAs sit at the nexus of the K–12 CS education ecosystem and are instrumental in ensuring that equitable access to K–12 CS learning pathways are enacted through teacher training, resource development, teacher certification pathways, community outreach and administrator support. 

Thus, there is a critical need to closely examine the CSEdSS position housed at SEAs — a position with many drivers, mediators and outputs that have yet to be understood. Much research is needed to understand who these CSEdSSs are and what their needs are as a community as they are tasked with meeting the demands of enacted CS education policy in their state.

The approach

Computer Science Education State Supervisors: Toward Support for All is funded by the National Science Foundation and spearheaded by Clinical Assistant Professor Janice Mak. The project will examine how the policy of creating a state CSEdSS position at SEAs is enacted, exploring how CSEdSS operationalize and enact their roles to ensure diverse, inclusive, equitable and accessible CS educational pathways within their states.

The project will produce three deliverables: 1) a landscape study of K–12 CSEdSS; 2) a comparative case study of CSEdSS in four states to illuminate the mediators, drivers and outputs of CSEdSS; and 3) a toolkit and set of resources to support the CSEdSS community of practice with a view to equity. Mak will develop and implement university-level content, curate a set of resources for the national community of CSEdSS and disseminate the findings to the broader CS education community and organizations that  lead advocacy efforts for CS education policy. This research aims to critically examine the intersection of policy, practice and research while working in partnership with non-profit organizations, SEAs, and policymakers to illuminate and dismantle structures that perpetuate inequity. It will highlight how CSEdSS work to broaden and sustain equitable participation in computing and identify helpful tools that cut across all states, thereby helping all CSEdSS cope with challenging aspects of the position.

Findings and impact