A student works on a computer at a K-12 school in Provo, Utah. A new report said Alabama has a higher than national average access to foundational computer science courses. (George Frey/Getty Images)
The Alabama State Department of Education said in a statement Tuesday that it had adopted 10 policies recommended by a nonprofit group backed by big tech companies that advocates for computer science education.
The announcement came after the Alabama State Board of Education voted on Aug. 8 to make computer science a high school graduation requirement, starting with the class of 2032.
“Equipping our students with computer science skills truly prepares them for the future. Whether they’re from a small town or a big city, every child in Alabama deserves the chance to unlock opportunities in today’s ever-changing technological landscape,” State Superintendent Eric Mackey said in the statement. “This is about opening doors for all our students to succeed.”
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In a 2023 report from the Code.org Advocacy Coalition — a group that includes Meta, Amazon and Microsoft — and the Expanding Computing Education Pathways Alliance and the Computer Science Teachers Association, Alabama had achieved nine of the 10 policies, lacking only the graduation requirement. The policies aim to improve access to computer science courses.
Hannah Weissman, Senior Director of Policy at Code.org, in response to emailed questions, wrote that the Coalition advocates for and develops networks across states.
“The policies are grounded in five guiding principles—Equity and Diversity, Clarity, Capacity, Leadership, and Sustainability—and aim to address barriers and promote comprehensive K-12 computer science education,” she wrote. “The process incorporated input from diverse stakeholders, including education agencies, teachers, industry leaders, legislators, and national experts, ensuring the policies expand access, improve participation, and address disparities.”
The ALSDE’s news release and the report said that the Legislature had invested $37 million over nine years in computer science. That, it said, was more than any other neighboring state except Florida.
94% of high schools in Alabama offer foundational computer science courses, while the report gave the national average as 60%.
“Mackey said by making computer science a graduation requirement, we are ensuring that all students, regardless of background, have the opportunity to engage in this essential subject and are prepared for the challenges and opportunities of a technology-driven world,” the release said.
The 2024 State of Computer Education report said Alabama was the 11th state to computer science to its list of graduation requirements, according to the report. Louisiana and Indiana also did so this year.
“Alabama’s robust legislative language and accountability in all high school policies contributed to almost every school’s ability to offer computer science courses,” the main report said. “Every year, Alabama publishes a dashboard that shows the landscape of computer science education across the state.”
But the state report said that young women, students with individualized education plans and English language learners were underrepresented. Weissman wrote that they expected to see improved participation among underrepresented groups as the state implements the graduation requirement.
“It’s also worth noting that while Alabama has progress to make, the gaps among underrepresented groups are relatively smaller than in other states, thanks to the state’s significant advancements in computer science education policy,” she wrote.
The report includes “sliders” for the 10 policies, with states being ranked red, yellow or green on the policies.
On the state report, Alabama was marked yellow on “preservice,” which the main report defined as exposing aspiring teachers studying education at colleges and universities to computer science
The state had been marked green on the 2023 report for preservice.
Weissman wrote that the change in Alabama’s score came from a change in the Coalition’s approach to pre-service teacher preparation with their goal of making computer science a core component of teacher education.
“Previously, the policy counted if teacher candidates had the option to receive computer science exposure,” she wrote. “Now, for Alabama to achieve a green rating, the state needs to adopt a policy that ensures all pre-service teachers receive mandatory training in computer science as part of their preparation.”
Alabama was marked green on the other nine policies, including planning, staffing and establishing standards for the course of study.
The report also said that Alabama’s 2020 Middle School Computer Programming Initiative and alternative learning opportunities contributed to the state’s success.
“Preparing our students for tomorrow means giving them the tools to thrive in a world driven by innovation. Computer science isn’t just an elective anymore – it’s a necessity,” wrote Gov. Kay Ivey in the ALSDE news release. “We’re committed to ensuring every Alabama student, no matter where they’re from, has the skills to compete and succeed in the global economy.”
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