Communications of the ACM
Obama Announces Computer-Science-For-All Initiative
The White House has announced a slate of initiatives to advance education in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields.
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The White House on Tuesday announced a slate of initiatives to advance education in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, including a $200-million investment from Oracle to provide computer science education to 125,000 U.S. students.
"In the new economy, computer science isn't optional--it's a basic skill, along with the three Rs," President Barack Obama said at the sixth annual White House science fair. He called on schools and businesses to encourage students "to actively engage and pursue science and push the boundaries of what's possible." Obama also cited "structural biases" within STEM fields as obstacles to be surmounted, and said ensuring all students have access to hands-on STEM education should be prioritized.
As part of the White House's STEM campaign, the U.S. Education Department is issuing guidance to states, districts, and individual schools to help obtain federal grant money to improve instruction in computer science. More than 500 schools have pledged to extend access to computer science education, partly thanks to support from Code.org.
The US2020 nonprofit also is supporting a new online program to match STEM workers to mentoring and volunteering opportunities.
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