Computer science plays a major role in contributing to an innovative and competitive workforce.
So says Hartselle High School computer science teacher Bucky Garner, whose school district is looking to expand its computer science curriculum.
Computer science "is really, really involved in everything that we do," Garner said.
Starting next school term, the Information Technology and Computer Science Academy at Hartselle High will offer five computer science courses, including two that are in the Advanced Placement curriculum.
The push toward more computer science classes comes during a time when major U.S. business leaders and governors are asking Congress to federally fund such courses. Only 25 percent of U.S. schools teach computer science and computer programming, according to Code.org[1], a nonprofit group that advocates for expanding access to computer science, especially to women and students of color.
Morgan, Lawrence and Limestone schools, as well as Athens and Decatur city school systems, also will offer some kind of AP computer science class next school term. The majority of the school systems will offer AP Computer Science Principles for the first time. Previously, the course was a pilot.
AP CS Principles introduces students to the major concepts of computer science, rather than the program-heavy material offered in AP Computer Science A. The CS Principles class, based off a University of California, Berkeley, freshman computer science course, will emphasize computational- and critical-thinking skills.
Though it is not a required class, the computer science course can be substituted for a math credit in the core math curriculum.
"I think we're headed the right way with that," said Gina McCarley, who teaches several computer science courses at Lawrence County High School. "I really think we're going to see some big numbers for Alabama just because of the efforts made."
Several of the local school systems partnered with Jeff Gray, a University of Alabama computer science professor who received National Science Foundation grants. The grants allowed him to help craft and connect teachers in the area to the upcoming AP course.
Others were able to offer computer science courses through Project Lead the Way, which charges a $2,000 annual participation fee for computer science program resources or $5,000 for more than one of its programs, according to its website.
McCarley said she hopes to reach out to more females and minorities and believes the government should provide federal funds to boost education in the field.
"I think every student should try the computer sciences," McCarley said.
Though the AP CS Principles class will only be available to Lawrence County High students next year, others in the school system can take programming courses online.
In Athens, the city's school system introduced computer science courses to high school students in 2014 through a software development program in the Athens High career and technical education program, but next school year the AP course will be added.
"Computer science is interwoven into the career and technical education program, which is federally funded," said Gia Russell, assistant principal of Athens High and director of career and technical education program. "We see it's an upcoming workforce need."
Through the Limestone County Career Technical Center, Limestone County Schools' high school students can enroll in four programming-based classes, where they also can receive certification in software development and gaming design development.
Students have been able to take these classes for about two years, programming teacher Pamela Long said. Students can take an AP computer science course online.
"Any company out there … they have computers set up to be programmed to do something," Long said. Programming allows students to learn how to work in different job areas at different capacities, Long said.
Though a recent state workforce report said high-earning occupations in Alabama are generally not fast growing or in high demand, nine occupations are both high demand and high earning, including systems software developers and computer and information systems managers.
Jarod Tanksley, president of Tanksley Machine & Tool Inc. in Decatur, said programming is necessary for the aerospace and defense industry and that computer science skills are "vital."
In manufacturing, which is much of what Tanksley Machine & Tool does, Tanksley said he sees a lack of necessary skills to perform the job. He thinks students should learn the skills of programming early on.
"Manufacturing is how the world turns," Tanksley said. "There is a great big need for it in this area."
Half of the employees at 3-GIS Fiber Network Solutions, a local fiber network management company, have computer science degrees, CEO and President Tom Counts said.
The Decatur company, which develops software, looks for students with an understanding of fundamentals of the field.
"It takes a lot of diligence, it takes a lot of focus, and it takes a lot of attention to detail," Counts said.
Oftentimes he finds a lack of understanding of the software development life cycle, or the ability to plan and know the outcome of the software before even attempting to code.
"Software is a science," Counts said. "That's why it's called computer science."
Decatur City Schools used to offer a computer science class, but it was discontinued more than five years ago, said Krista Givens, math department head at Decatur High.
"People quit registering for it, so it couldn't make a class," Givens said.
But this summer, through Code.org[2] and A+ College Ready, Givens will receive training on how to teach the upcoming AP CS Principles, which will be offered to all high school students, though the course will be housed at Decatur High.
"We haven't had (a computer science class) in a while, so we're excited to get it back," Givens said.
In Morgan County Schools, all high school students can take computer science, but they have to travel to Brewer High. The system expects the number of computer science students to double with the addition of the AP class next year.
As far as getting more students into the field, it comes down to awareness of workforce demand, said Patrick Patterson, Morgan County Schools director of secondary curriculum.
"I think that as info is supplied to parents and students about our industrial needs … I think that dictates student interest," Patterson said.
Last year, there were an estimated 289,420 computer programmers in the U.S., with Alabama being the fourth-most concentrated area for the profession with an estimated 5,850 programmers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In 2014, the National Center for Education Statistics reported that more than 164,000 students graduated with a bachelor's degree in computer sciences and engineering.
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