Vancouver Public Schools received a $28,900 grant to bring introductory computer science and coding classes to middle school students during the 2016-2017 school year. Vancouver was among seven districts and three educational service districts to receive a share of the $2 million grant money. It was the only recipient in Southwest Washington.
The grant is paid for by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The process of reviewing grant applications was led by OSPI and Washington STEM, a statewide nonprofit advancing excellence, equity, and innovation in science, technology, engineering and math education.
The grant pays to train teachers in computer science, provide and upgrade technology needed to learn computer science and expand access to students from groups underrepresented in STEM subjects. Those groups include students of color, girls and students in rural schools.
“This grant is aimed at piloting curriculum for middle school students for introductory computer science and coding courses,” said Wendi Russell, the district’s director of Career and Technical Education. “We hope to expand to other middle schools as well as increase offerings at other middle schools later.”
Last school year, Vancouver offered one introduction to computer science course at one middle school, Vancouver iTech Preparatory.
Thanks to the grant, in the fall Vancouver will add that introductory course plus the follow-up course at three additional middle schools: Alki, Gaiser and Thomas Jefferson.
The district will use the grant money to train teachers in computer science and pilot the TechSmartKids and CS101 coding courses in those three schools.
Teachers attended an intensive, five-day training last week in Bellevue. The participating teachers have a STEM background, but “they do need assistance with learning specific coding,” Russell said.
Although high school computer science students learn the Java language, Russell said the district’s middle school students will learn Python, a computer language geared for their age group.
To be prepared to teach the first semester of the course, teachers will also participate in webinars during the summer and will attend a second five-day training in August. In the fall, the same teachers will attend another training to learn how to teach the second semester of the course.
Previously, all but one of the district’s middle schools offered a three-unit engineering program called Gateway to Technology. District officials compared programs and decided that TechSmartKids from Bellevue was a better fit for students, Russell said.
Matching funds
Grant recipients are required to work with private organizations and individuals to receive matching money. Vancouver will receive its matching funds from TechSmartKids.
The matching money will double the state investment in computer science education from $2 million to $4 million. Additionally, Washington STEM is raising private matching funds through their Computer Science Catalyst fund in case a district can’t come up with a complete match, said Jesse Gilliam Washington STEM spokesman.
The grant will help address one of the state’s basic education learning goals: that all students be able to think analytically, logically and creatively and to integrate technology literacy and fluency, said Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn.
Exposing students to computer science can lead to great career possibilities, said Andy Shouse of Washington STEM.
“This funding is one strong step towards expanding access to computer science education throughout the state,” Shouse said.
Susan Parrish: 360-735-4515; twitter.com/col_schools; susan.parrish@columbian.com; facebook.com/schoolsclarkcounty
