Obama wants $4B to help students learn computer science

“In the new economy, computer science isn’t an optional skill – it’s a basic skill, right along with the three “R’s”, President Obama said”. It is unclear whether Congress will approve the budget, but the administration looks on the recent, successful bipartisan passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act as a positive sign.

The proposal also includes pledges from leading tech giants like Facebook, Microsoft and Apple to step up efforts to encourage computer science education.

Over in Oakland-Calif., for example, the Kapor Center for Social Impact, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, the Oakland Unified School District, Congressperson Barbara Lee, and tech companies Uber and Twilio, announced a series of commitment in coordination with the recent announcement from the White House.

The President’s Computer Science for All Initiative seeks to provide $4 billion in funding for states and an additional $100 million directly to school districts in a push to provide access to computer science training in K-12 public schools.

Obama said only about one-fourth of K-12 schools offer computer science instruction, but that most parents want their children to develop analytical and coding skills. By increasing funding for computer science across the board, the president is hoping to increase access to CS education for these and other underrepresented demographics.

“While the House is focused on a bold agenda for 2017, the speaker appreciates the opportunity to see if we can find any areas of common ground in the year ahead”, said Doug Andres, a spokesman for Ryan.

There is also the tough task of training thousands of teachers around the country.

If passed, the initiative would also invest $135 million to support and train computer science teachers through the National Science Foundation and the Corporation for National and Community Service.

A new program called “Computer Science For All”, announced today by President Obama, proposes more than $4 billion in funding for schools to boost computer science education across the United States.

“The great news is, momentum is building”, said Megan Smith, the president’s chief technology officer.

Support for computer science education has been growing steadily among state and local leaders, the White House representatives noted.

“It’s a core skill that all our students need a chance to master”, she said.