GREEN BAY — A pilot program to train teachers and bring computer science into all Wisconsin K-12 classrooms is getting a boost from a $150,000 grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.
Gov. Evers and WEDC Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes made the announcement this week in the Howard-Suamico School District where students as young as kindergarteners were learning computer science principles.
“Technology is the pathway to innovation in everything from healthcare and education to manufacturing and commerce,” said Gov. Evers. “It is the future of our state and our economy.”
The funds ensure students at all grade levels have the opportunity to explore computer science, expand their skills and grow academically, Evers said.
The Targeted Industry Projects grant supports the Computer Science Talent Ecosystem Youth (CSTEY) project led by Cooperative Education Service Agency 7 in partnership with Microsoft, Brown County schools, and others. The program provides teacher training and curriculum development. It also places industry volunteers into classrooms and creates internship opportunities for older students.
Computer science jobs have a median annual salary of more than $71,000 a year, which help create economic stability in the state, Hughes said.
The project is currently being tested in Brown County schools but if proven successful, administrators would like to see the program expand statewide, said Jeff Dickert, CESA 7 agency administrator.
“We have the talent in our schools to fill the jobs of today and tomorrow in the computer science world,” Dickert said. “The training we are providing to educators and the partnerships we are establishing with businesses will make students successful in the classroom and the workforce.”
Industry connections with programs like CSTEY are key to addressing a shortage of qualified high-tech workers now and in the future. CompTIA, a nonprofit association for the information technology industry, estimates that Wisconsin could have nearly 220,000 tech jobs by the end of this year.
CSTEY also is partnering with the NEW Digital Alliance on a separate program, the first cohort of a new Computer Science Licensure program for Wisconsin teachers.
Allowing students to explore multiple aspects of computer science while still in public school allows them to more carefully plan their college education and career choices, said Chad Behnke, who teaches several CS-related topics including computer science, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity at Howard-Suamico’s Bay Port High School.
Incorporating computer science principles into elementary school lessons can be intimidating for some teachers at first, said Becky Stapel, a technology integration specialist who works with kindergarten through fourth-grade students at the district’s Forest Glen Elementary. She stressed that computer science principles are already being explored in the core curriculum, but those principles just need to be identified and then expanded upon in subjects such as math, language arts, and science.
“The beauty of computer science is that the kids are so engaged in it and motivated by it that problems don’t intimidate them when they arise,” Stapel said. “They embrace the challenge and explore solutions.”
The grant announcement was made during CodeWISCO week, an annual week full of events designed to inspire students to try coding and other computer science activities. Learn more about CodeWISCO week at: www.codewisco.com.
