Columbus Dispatch: Op-Ed: Ohio can not be 'Silicon Heartland' if students are left behind
August 3, 2022
Over the past 50 years, we’ve taught students about vital technical skills through shop classes, daily life lessons through home economics, and fiscal responsibility tools through personal finance courses.
But for the next generation, computer science education is every bit as crucial as learning to balance a budget, make a meal, or prepare for a job interview.
That’s why OhioX and AT&T joined a groundbreaking coalition, led by the national nonprofit Code.org, with over 500 of the nation’s top business, education and nonprofit leaders to call on America’s governors and education leaders to “update the K-12 curriculum in each state, for every student in every school to have the opportunity to learn computer science.”
Simply put, every student in every school should have the opportunity to learn computer science.
Our students, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, risk falling behind in an increasingly complex digital economy without computer science education. Despite the indispensable nature of the subject and the fact that there are nearly 700,000 open computing jobs in the United States, only 5% of high school students study computer science every year.
Code.org reports that during pandemic closures, America funded devices for 90% of students to learn from home. For example, as part of AT&T’s Connected Learning initiative, the company collaborated with the non-profit Human-I-T to provide the Boys and Girls Club of Washington County, Ohio, with 75 refurbished computers.
With schools reopened, those devices could give students opportunities to work on school-based computer science curriculum after classroom hours.
Our organizations are helping drive change on this topic alongside major tech companies like Apple, Meta, Alphabet, and Amazon, CEOs of companies across different industries such as Starbucks, Nike, and Target, and respected national education groups such as Khan Academy, the American Federation of Teachers, and the National Education Association.
While this is a national movement, Ohio is in a unique position to lead. Our state is in the early days of building the Silicon Heartland and with that comes an excitement for Ohio’s future that we haven’t seen in decades.
But without a talented workforce our promise cannot be realized. The Silicon Heartland’s success starts with people and we must give our students a chance to learn the basics of what a 21st century economy requires.
Our business leaders and policymakers are rushing to meet this massive moment. There’s now a State Committee on Computer Science in Ohio that’s charged with making new curriculum recommendations that would solidify us as a leader in computer science education.
In response to the Code.org letter, Gov. Mike DeWine and America's 49 other governors recently signed the Compact To Expand K-12 Computer Science Education.
We need all hands on deck to ensure that Ohio’s students have the chance to be leaders. We invite CEOs across Ohio to sign onto our letter and join us in this effort. It will take a village.
Computer science education is a vital part of the foundation in our state’s future success. We must start with our students — because if we give them the knowledge they need, we know that they will succeed.
Chris Berry is the president and CEO of OhioX, a statewide technology and innovation nonprofit. Molly Kocour Boyle is the president of AT&T Ohio.
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