Study finds California students risk being left behind in the country’s tech future
CodeWizardsHQ, a provider of coding classes for kids and teens, has carried out a comprehensive study and identified the most and least progressive states when it comes to access and enrollment to computer science courses. Given the significance of computer science in the modern world, not having access to courses such as coding can put children at a significant disadvantage to their peers when it comes to opportunities when they are older. The study revealed that there are significant disparities based on the location and profiles of students.
The company analyzed data from Advocacy Coalition to determine a ranking from 1 to 50 (with 1 being the highest ranking) of each state’s I.T. progressiveness. The data revealed that California has a rural access rate of 31 percent and a minority access rate of 68 percent, with 41 percent of high schools offering computer science. This places California in 32nd position overall in America.
Ranking factors included: rural accessibility, race accessibility, minority student accessibility, female enrollment, economically disadvantaged student enrollment, and the number of high schools offering computer sciences to students. Overall, the United States has a national rural access rate of 49 percent for computer science studies and a minority student access rate of 72 percent.
Across the country, a total of 58 percent of high schools offer computer science as a subject, with a female enrollment rate of 31 percent. Additionally, there is a 52 percent rate of economically disadvantaged students enrolled in computer science overall.
Topping the rankings as No. 1 most progressive state for computer science study opportunities is South Carolina. The Palmetto State stood out on a number of factors. These include a high rural access rate of 92 percent, and a minority student access rate of 98 percent.
“It is widely acknowledged that learning computer science should be a fundamental part of a child’s education, as it is increasingly valued in the workforce. Coding, for example, teaches you skills such as critical thinking, creativity and problem solving. Not having a fundamental understanding of these core subjects risks leaving many young people behind, and so it is important all children have equal opportunities in this field” said Jey Iyempandi, CodeWizardsHQ Founder.