February 2024 I&A Update:

Computer Science Graduation Requirement?
Share your Input.

Should Massachusetts include computer science in high school graduation requirements? The Influence and Advocacy Committee invites you to participate in a webinar this month to share your thoughts on this issue.

There is a national movement to encourage states to create computer science graduation requirements. The Massachusetts legislature (Chapter 268, 7009-6601) is now considering additional policy levers, including a computer science graduation requirement, to broaden participation by students in computer science coursework. As Massachusetts considers additional policy levers for Computer Science, what can we learn from other states that have already put a graduation requirement in place?

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has commissioned SageFox Consulting Group and CSforMA to create a National Landscape Analysis Report. This report provides an overview of states with and without a graduation requirement and the initiatives they put into place to support their implementation.

We invite Massachusetts stakeholders to take part in an upcoming webinar on February 8th or February 27th to discuss the landscape analysis report, at which time SageFox and CSforMA will begin to gather input from educators, administrators, parents, students, and community members to inform recommendations for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. If you are interested in this important conversation, please register for one of the webinars as soon as possible as spaces are limited. There will be additional opportunities in the future to provide your input beyond the dates listed. Be on the lookout for future communications with those dates.

Webinar Dates and Registration (only register for one)

• Thursday, February 8, 3:00pm to 4:30pm
  REGISTER to receive the Zoom Link

• Tuesday, February 27, 3:00pm to 4:30pm
  REGISTER to receive the Zoom Link

Visit the MassCUE Influence & Advocacy Committee page to learn more about our Committee and how to get involved.