STEMworks™, a program of Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB,) is hosting a number of Code.org workshops in the coming months. Code.org is a national nonprofit that supports Computer Science (CS) education. Since 2018, STEMworks has trained 1,902 Hawaii CS teachers as Code.org’s regional partner.
In October, Code.org, the Computer Science Teachers Association, and the Expanding Computing Education Pathways Alliance released the 2024 State of Computer Science Education. This annual report offers a deep dive into the state of computer science education across the nation, providing a detailed analysis of policy developments, implementation, and student access at both national and state levels, with a focus on ensuring equitable access for all students.
Hawaii has seen significant success in boosting enrolment in both middle and elementary school computer science thanks to strong state policy and effective implementation. In 2021, Act 158 required all schools to phase in computer science offerings. As a result, middle school participation more than doubled between the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years, with notable increase in diversity, particularly among female and Native Hawaiian students.
The report shows that 72% of Hawaii public high schools offered CS courses in 2024, which is greater than the national average of 60%. While Hawaii has access numbers above the national average, it is below the national average of 6.4% for participation with 3.6% of Hawaii student participation in high school computer science. This increased from 3% in 2022-2023.
Nationally, young men are twice as likely to take foundational computer science as young women and underrepresented groups, including Native Hawaiian students. In Hawaii in 2024 29% of student participation in High School CS were female, a gain from 26% in 2023.
Hawaii has enacted seven of the ten recommended policies outlined by the Code.org Advocacy Coalition, designed to build and sustain a comprehensive system of teaching and learning computer science. States that implement seven or more of these policies have seen a significant increase in the percentage of high schools offering computer science courses.
The ten policies are:
CLARITY
1. Create a State Plan for K–12 Computer Science
2. Define Computer Science and Establish K–12 Computer Science Standards
CAPACITY
3. Allocate Funding for Rigorous Computer Science Teacher Professional Learning
4. Implement Clear Certification Pathways for Computer Science Teachers
5. Create Programs to Encourage all Preservice Teachers to Gain Exposure to Computer Science*
LEADERSHIP
6. Establish Dedicated Computer Science Positions in State and Local Education Agencies
SUSTAINABILITY
7. Require All Schools to Offer Computer Science
8. Allow Computer Science to Count Towards a Core Graduation Requirement
9. Allow Computer Science to Satisfy an Admission Requirement at Higher Education Institutions*
10. Require That All Students Take Computer Science to Earn a High School Diploma*
* Policies 5, 9 and 10 yet to be enacted in Hawaii
The Hawaii Board of Education is considering amending graduation requirements for all high school students, which would include adding a requirement in computer science. This is currently a requirement in 11 states.
The data points in the report showcase the strides made across the country, while also highlighting opportunities to further expand access to computer science education. By ensuring every student can develop these critical digital skills, we are empowering the next generation to succeed in an increasingly tech-driven world.
Computer Science can help prepare students, no matter what the future holds and MEDB is committed to providing this opportunity to all students in Hawaii. STEMwork’s upcoming workshops and activities include:
- Jan 31st at the Kaʻū-Keaʻau-Pāhoa Complex Area Computer Science Summit at Keaʻau High School. There will be three sessions, each for different grade levels. Open to all teachers in the Kaʻū-Keaʻau-Pāhoa Complex Area on Hawaii Island.
- Feb 13th at the HIDOE Computer Science PD Summit at the Prince Hotel on Oahu (time TBD). Open to all HIDOE teachers, registration required: https://bit.ly/2025hicspdsummit.
- March 24 & 25 at the Hawaii STEM Conference at the Hawaii Convention Center on Oahu. We’ll be running at least one code.org session (time and date TBD). Open to all Hawaii teachers, registration required: hawaiistemconference.org.
There will be further curriculum PD programs through the year with dates still being determined:
For Hawaii STEM educators interested in learning more about STEMworks or Code.org, visit code.org and follow STEMworks on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/STEMworksHI/ , or Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/stemworks/ .
STEMworks is a program of Maui Economic Development Board, a nonprofit organization whose programming includes business assistance, workforce development, community outreach, and economic research.