Over the past few decades, computers have transformed both the world and the workforce in many profound ways. As a result, computer science and the technologies it enables now lie at the heart of our economy and the way we live our lives. To be well-educated citizens in a computing-intensive world and to be prepared for careers in the 21st century, our students must have a clear understanding of the principles and practices of computer science. No other subject will open as many doors in the 21st century as computer science, regardless of a student’s ultimate field of study or occupation.
As the report Running on Empty: The Failure to Teach Computer Science in the Digital Age (http://csta. acm.org/Communications/sub/Documents.html) makes clear, the current state of computer science education is unacceptable at a time when computing is driving job growth and new scientific discovery. Roughly two-thirds of the fifty states do not have computer science standards for secondary school education. Even when they exist, computer science standards at the K–8 level often confuse computer science and the use of applications. Despite its importance as an academic field, few states count computer science as a core academic subject for graduation. Rules for computer science teacher certification vary widely from state to state and are often entirely unrelated to the needs of teaching in this discipline. These are national failings and ones that we cannot afford in this digital age.
This document provides comprehensive standards for K–12 computer science education designed to strengthen computer science fluency and competency throughout primary and secondary schools. It is written in response to the pressing need to provide academic coherence between coursework and the rapid growth of computing and technology in the modern world, alongside the need for an educated public that can utilize and build that technology most effectively for the benefit of society.
These standards provide a three-level framework for computer science. The first two levels are aimed at grades K–6 and 6–9 respectively. We expect that the learning outcomes in Level 1 will be addressed in the context of other academic subjects. The learning outcomes in Level 2 may be addressed either through other subjects or in discrete computer science courses. Level 3 is divided into three separate courses: Computer Science in the Modern World, Computer Science Principles, and Topics in Computer Science. The standards provided in Computer Science in the Modern World reflect learning content that should be mastered by all students; Computer Science Principles and Topics in Computer Science are courses intended for students with special interest in computer science and other computing careers, whether they are college-bound or not.
These recommendations are not made in a vacuum. We understand the serious constraints under which school districts are operating and the uphill battle that computer science faces in the light of other educational priorities. Thus, we conclude this report with a series of recommendations that are intended to provide support for a long-term evolution of computer science in K–12 schools. Significant progress has been made since the ACM Model Curriculum for K–12 Computer Science Education was first published in 2003 and revised in 2006. Many follow-up efforts are still needed, however, to sustain the momentum these standards generate. Teacher training, curriculum innovation, teaching resources, and dissemination are but a few of these challenges.
These learning standards will serve as a catalyst for widespread adoption of computer science education for all K–12 students. We encourage you to read this document and then to take part in the effort to implement these standards in a way that benefits both you and the K–12 education community. Find information about ongoing activities to support computer science education in K–12 at the Computer Science Teachers Association’s Web site (csta.acm.org).