SAN JOSE, CA – December 4-10, the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) will join several Santa Clara County school districts in hosting an hour of code. This week-long event pairs community partners with school sites to bring coding into the classroom. Schools throughout the county are partnering with software and technology companies including Google, Tableau, and Apple to host coding events for their students and families.
Bringing the hour of code to Santa Clara County is part of a larger initiative. “In Santa Clara County, we are fortunate to be at the epicenter of technological innovation, there are many potential opportunities for our students,” says Casey Agena, SCCOE Instructional Technology Coordinator.
Agena is part of a large advisory committee, appointed by the State Board of Education to develop computer science standards for the State of California. California is one of 11 states that have passed legislation to create K-12 curriculum standards for Computer Science Education by July 31, 2019. Committee members from across the state are crafting guidelines which prioritize equity and access for all populations, including rural and low-income populations.
“This is an exciting time; we are pilot testing systemic implementation with our districts, administrators, stakeholders, and community leaders to see what compulsory computer science education may look like across the K-12 spectrum, says Agena. “We are collaborating and sharing our best practices. When the 2020 school year begins, computer science standards will be in place across the state, we want all California schools to be ready.”
