This August, district and classroom coaches, TOSAs, and teachers leaders attended the two-day California statewide Classroom Coaching for Equity in Computer Science Academy at UCLA, hosted by CSforCA and the CS Equity Project. The academy included 27 teachers, coaches, and TOSAs from 15 counties across California, seven county office of education champions, and four national Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) equity fellows. The academy, made possible through a partnership with Seasons of CS (via the Educator Workforce Investment Grant), the National Science Foundation, and the Computer Science Teachers Association, focused on enhancing classroom coaching with an emphasis on equity and culturally responsive and sustaining teaching practices.

CSTA Equity Fellow facilitators, who set the stage with inclusive identity activities and the CSTA Computer Science Teachers Standards, engaged the participants in a coaching experience using the CSTA Coaching Toolkit, exploring strategies to support equitable computer science education through inclusive coaching practices. The workshops created a community of practice where participants were able to network, collaborate across regions, and design an action plan for implementation. The county office champions also play a critical role in this work, serving as regional contacts and accountability partners, providing regular check-ins and ongoing learning opportunities to support the coaches, TOSAs, and teacher leaders. 

Here is what some of the teachers had to say about the Coaching Academy where they learned the tools and knowledge to foster inclusive learning environments and improve equity in computer science classrooms: