Google on September 1st pledged $20 million to fund computer science education in the US school system and other nonprofit organizations.
With support from various national and local organizations, Google estimated that computer science education would now be made available to 11 million students.
“We will focus our efforts on supporting national and local organizations that are reaching underserved students in major urban centers and rural communities, and supporting governments and educators in implementing CS education plans nationwide,” said Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google LLC and Alphabet Inc. said im Notice.
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics projects IT jobs will grow by 19% by 2026.
“Technology is going to play such a big role in the future. That’s the fundamental reason we do it,” Pichai said.
Among the beneficiaries is the Oakland-based Hidden Genius Project, which emerged as the winner Google’s 2015 Impact Challengeand the Expanding Computing Education Pathways (ECEP) Alliance, a National Network coordinated by the Texas Advanced Computing Center at the University of Texas at Austin.
In New York, Google will be involved in the further development of programs in CUNY’s Computer Integrated Teacher Education Project. CITE received both public and private funding and integrated computer and digital skills into classrooms and curricula by training teachers.
The pledge aligned with a broader trend in New York and the nation in which officials and community leaders are addressing the gap between disadvantaged communities and computer literacy.
Students with the lowest access are Native American, Black, and Latino from lower-income backgrounds.
Also women earn only 18% bachelor’s degrees in computer science in the USA.
Cooperation between private technology sponsors and education agencies has made great strides in the equity of computer science education in recent years.
Google and Cisco Systems Inc. Partnership with CUNY City College Expand certifications and courses in undergraduate programs in Nov. 2021.
Students were offered courses for the Cisco Academy certification, which included introductory networking, wireless fundamentals, cybersecurity and more, as well as Google’s IT Support Professional certification.
The New York City Department of Education has also funded the Computer Science for All or CS4All, K-12 Initiative since 2015.
CS4All simplifies the integration of computer science curriculum into the classroom and makes it easier for teachers to engage students in computer skills through events and programming projects.
“Computer Science for All will ensure that all students in NYC public schools learn computer science, with an emphasis on students who identify as girls, Black and Hispanic students,” according to the CS4All website. “Our work will better prepare students to use computer science during their K-12 experience and after graduation.”
Over 1,600 teachers at 712 schools have participated in the program, and more than 5,200 students have taken an AP computer science exam. in new york, 20% of test takers are Hispanic, 16% Black, and 42% women, compared to 28% nationally.
Google’s pledge, along with government involvement, has increased opportunities for students in elementary, high school and college, but gaps in computer science knowledge and skills in some communities draw attention to the prevalence of disproportionate computer education.
Initiatives to fill these gaps indicate hopes for community organization and collaboration to solidify the future careers of New York students. Time will tell if they are sufficient to underpin the next generation’s computer science knowledge and eventual success.