Computing on the Silicon Prairie
Brian Dorn, Derek Babb, Dawn M. Nizzi, Cory M. Epler · 2015
Access to high quality K-12 computer science education has garnered considerable public attention in the United States in the wake of Code.org's December 2013 Hour of Code. An increasing number of states are now counting CS coursework towards high school graduation requirements, and teacher certification for computing courses is being revisited across the country. In this work, we explore the current state of computer science education in Nebraska public schools using objective enrollment data from the 2013-2014 academic year. We find limited access to introductory programming courses, while basic computer/IT literacy coursework is commonplace. Lack of CS courses is particularly acute in small schools, which make up a majority of Nebraska's public schools. We also present data illustrating limited pursuit of IT teaching endorsement/certification in the state and highlight current issues for teacher training programs that lead to such certification in Nebraska.