Weekly Address: Giving Every Student an Opportunity to Learn Through Computer Science For All
Source: White House
In this week’s address, the President discussed his plan to give all students across the country the chance to learn computer science (CS) in school. The President noted that our economy is rapidly shifting, and that educators and business leaders are increasingly recognizing that CS is a “new basic” skill necessary for economic opportunity. The President referenced his Computer Science for All Initiative, which provides $4 billion in funding for states and $100 million directly for districts in his upcoming budget; and invests more than $135 million beginning this year by the National Science Foundation and the Corporation for National and Community Service to support and train CS teachers. The President called on even more Governors, Mayors, education leaders, CEOs, philanthropists, creative media and technology professionals, and others to get involved in the efforts.
Read more: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/weekly-address
In the new economy, computer science isn’t an optional skill – it’s a basic skill, right along with the three “Rs.” Nine out of ten parents want it taught at their children’s schools. Yet right now, only about a quarter of our K through 12 schools offer computer science. Twenty-two states don’t even allow it to count toward a diploma.
So I’ve got a plan to help make sure all our kids get an opportunity to learn computer science, especially girls and minorities. It’s called Computer Science For All. And it means just what it says – giving every student in America an early start at learning the skills they’ll need to get ahead in the new economy.
First, I’m asking Congress to provide funding over the next three years so that our elementary, middle, and high schools can provide opportunities to learn computer science for all students.
Second, starting this year, we’re leveraging existing resources at the National Science Foundation and the Corporation for National and Community Service to train more great teachers for these courses.
And third, I’ll be pulling together governors, mayors, business leaders, and tech entrepreneurs to join the growing bipartisan movement around this cause. Americans of all kinds – from the Spanish teacher in Queens who added programming to her classes to the young woman in New Orleans who worked with her Police Chief to learn code and share more data with the community – are getting involved to help young people learn these skills. And just today, states like Delaware and Hawaii, companies like Google and SalesForce, and organizations like Code.org have made commitments to help more of our kids learn these skills.
That’s what this is all about – each of us doing our part to make sure all our young people can compete in a high-tech, global economy. They’re the ones who will make sure America keeps growing, keeps innovating, and keeps leading the world in the years ahead. And they’re the reason I’ve never been more confident about our future.
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train their H1B replacements? 
And thanks for posting! 
Back in 1984, they were starting to set up some computer classes in some Philadelphia high schools (I was subbing then and had to actually install the computer lab with Apple IIes at one because the math teachers at the school didn't want to do it and the business teacher whose classroom would host the machines - originally the "typing room" because it had plugs at each desk for electric typewriters, didn't know how or what to do).
It's going to be hard to implement without some major school infrastructure upgrades, given that so many urban schools are substandard (some here located in buildings that are 90+ years old that have presented difficulties retrofitting and/or maintaining the environments to support it, with leaky roofs, peeling paint, and lack of security from theft - and it was like that 30+ years ago when I was getting it set up). Almost all but a handful, have no air-conditioning.
Let's hope for a comprehensive plan to address the facilities along with the curriculum so that this effort can have a better chance at success. On the plus side, at least many of the infants today are starting to be exposed to cell phones and tablets early in life, so they actually start handling the tech by 8 months out of the womb... The critical piece is to re-diect this exposure to something other than "entertainment" as they grow up with it.
