The new year brought the much anticipated announcement of Governor Gavin Newsom’s 2020 budget proposal, and for K-12 education, good news came with it! 

Governor Newsom’s proposal builds on his commitment to continue funding computer science education after his initial investment last year, where he announced:

1. funding training and resources for classroom educators,
2. funding a California Computer Science Coordinator, and
3. funding broadband infrastructure in our schools.  

Checkout our breakdown on what Governor Newsom’s most recent budget proposal means for computer science in our state and the work we, at CSforCA, are championing everyday!

By the numbers...

The Newsom Administration makes their fight for K-12 computer science education clear. The budget funds the implementation of California’s first set of Computer Science Content Standards for K-12 schools, ensuring that all of California’s young minds have the opportunity to master the computer science skills necessary to lead successful careers in all fields--whether our students go into tech, agriculture, arts, finances, or healthcare, nearly every industry relies on the foundational skills of computer science.

With 50,000 new tech jobs created in California last year, and computing jobs paying twice the median annual wage compared to others, it’s clear that improvements in computer science education cannot wait. 

Check out the key line items addressing computer science education in the 2020 proposal below:

• California’s Teachers to Earn a Supplemental Computer Science Credential, ensuring that California’s teachers are best prepared to instruct our children in the subject of computer science.  
  • $15 million to support the preparation it takes for 10,000 K‑12 teachers to earn a supplementary authorization on their credential to teach computer science.

• Statewide Support for Professional Learning
  • $2.5 million to identify, compile, and share computer science resources for professional development, curriculum, and best practices.

• Support of the UC Computer Science Subject Matter Project, which symbolically sets computer science education on the same level as other core disciplines, institutionalizing learning and support for teachers of computer science. 
  • $1.3 million increase in funding to develop the new UC Subject Matter Project, with the allocation of $340,000 for one cohort of approximately 1,200 educators to participate in the new project.

What does this mean for computer science education and our work at CSforCA?

The Governor’s budget reflects many of our 2020 policy goals: 

• CSforCA is exploring the introduction of a new computer science credential pathway, and Governor Newsom’s $15 million to prepare teachers to earn a specialized computer science credential will help this policy turn to practice. 
• CSforCA is working to improve professional development and ongoing support for teachers, counselors, and administrators. Governor Newsom’s $2.5 million will help California make this commitment. 
• Governor Newsom’s direct support of the UC Computer Science Subject Matter Project demonstrated immense support for CSforCA’s work to structurally bake computer science curriculum into California’s K-12 system. 

What’s next for CSforCA and computer science in California?

Moving forward, CSforCA would like to see greater investment by schools of education to develop a teacher pipeline. It is important that we work to solve the teacher capacity issue, which directly correlates to the success of our students and the opportunities they recieve. 

It is important to remember that ensuring equitable computer science education is a marathon, not a sprint. This budget proposal shows that Governor Newsom understands the importance of building a solid infrastructure to offer equitable, sustainable, and scalable high-quality computer science education across California, but our work is not done.If you’d like to learn more click here to see Governor Newsom’s full 2020 Budget Proposal.