New Zealand, Kai’s Education Joins the National Computer Science for ALL Announcement in the Sixth Year of CS Education Commitments
Together with CSforALL and 136 organizations, Kai’s Education Announces their Commitment to Drive Action in the Computer Science Education Space.
Memphis, TN, Thursday, October 20, 2022–As the CSforALL community advances equitable and sustainable K-12 computer science education, it also explores the ideas, policies, and events that will propel the movement forward–an exploration of game changers in CS, the theme of the 2022 CSforALL Summit. Today, the Summit announces 180 CSforALL commitments from 136 organizations made by our member community–marking growth in commitment-makers over 2021–and celebrates the forward momentum of K-12 computer science education systems in the United States.
CEO Bruce Jackson understands the importance of computer science in education and increasing diversity in STEM fields worldwide.
‘Bruce pushes the boundaries with his passion for providing young people with opportunities and training to help build their STEM skills for their futures.’ Says Ronel Schodt, Kai’s Education Sales and Marketing Director.
The sixth annual Summit highlights CSforALL members and non-members expanding upon 2021’s major themes, including increasing equity and access among underrepresented groups, building capacity, raising awareness, and cultivating robust ecosystems of support in local communities. This year’s featured speakers are Múkami Kinoti Kimotho, Founder and CEO of Chief Girl Crusader, Royelles; and Tonyaa Weathersbee, Bureau Chief of Chalkbeat Tennessee.
Kai’s Education’s 2022 CS for All commitment is to engage with more districts, especially around Texas, on a pilot program for the new KaiBot in Kainundrum. We want to engage and inspire 200 teachers and educators and 2000 students by the Fall of 2024.
#CSforALL commitments are new, specific, and measurable actions aimed at advancing the goal of rigorous and inclusive computer science education for all U.S. youth and designed to grow support and momentum for a sustainable K-12 computer science education system in and out of school. Notably, 106 organizations are prior CSforALL commitment-makers, and 25 have made annual commitments since 2017. Overall, the CSforALL community made an incredible 1,121 commitments between 2017 and 2022.
The commitments detailed below include initiatives in all 50 states and internationally.
Highlights of today’s announcement include:
● An extraordinary total of nearly seven million beneficiaries of these 180 commitments worldwide, including students, families, educators, and school districts.
● 84 commitments from 65 organizations, including CSAccess, the Mark Cuban Foundation AI Bootcamps program, and GameSalad, focus on increasing equitable access for computer science learners and educators–an increase of 15 percent in this commitment category from 2021.
● 70 commitments from 56 organizations, including Games for Change, NCWIT, and Robin Hood Learning + Technology Fund to build capacity for computer science educational opportunities in and out of school settings.
● 19 college and university programs, including the UCLA Computer Science Equity Project and Virginia Tech; 13 school districts, including Dallas Independent School District and the Los Angeles Unified School District; and five individual schools, including Cactus High School and Rainier Prep, will focus on underrepresented minority groups, women and girls, students with disabilities, and students in rural communities to bolster opportunities for all computer science learners.
● 11 industry and corporate partners, including Microsoft TEALS, SAS, and Tata Consultancy Services, will work with schools and districts to develop computer science programs and professional development, impacting millions of students nationwide and globally.
● Amazon Future Engineer commits to providing free childhood-to-career computer science curriculum, real-world exploration experiences, career connections, and scholarships for underserved and underrepresented communities globally, serving 3,200,000 over the next year.
● Los Angeles Unified School District commits to providing Pre-K-5 students with 20 hours of computer science instruction each year. Middle-grade students will complete at least one rigorous and relevant computer science course and high school students will have access to a computer science pathway in LAUSD. These efforts will impact 600,000 students by fall of 2025.
● CSisElementary announces the CS100 Award, offering new recognition for elementary schools nationwide that commit to teaching computer science to 100 percent of their K-5 students. Schools with approved applications will receive a CS100 Award badge and website certificate, be featured on a CS100 website, posted to a new CSK5 LinkedIn Community, and be promoted with our partners as success models for how K-5 CSforAll can be achieved.
With CSforALL Memphis partner CodeCrew, the 2022 CSforALL Summit will convene hundreds of individuals and 70+ speakers from around the country to foster conversations on strategies for equity, removing barriers to access, and building meaningful engagement for all students.
Notable speakers include:
● Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson
● Mayor Jim Strickland, City of Memphis
● Mayor Harris, Shelby County, Memphis
● Múkami Kinoti Kimotho, Founder and CEO, Chief Girl Crusader, Royelles
● Tonyaa Weathersbee, Bureau Chief, Chalkbeat Tennessee
● Dr. Kamau Bobb, Director of STEM Education, Google
● Meka Egwuekwe, Executive Director, CodeCrew
● CEO of Code Nation
● Kalisha Davis, CS Equity Curriculum Project Director, Kapor Center
● Chase Lochmiller, Co-Founder & CEO, Crusoe Energy Systems Inc.
● Yamilée Toussaint Beach, Founder and CEO, STEM From Dance
● Dr. Nehemiah Mabry, CEO & Founder, STEMedia
● Jason McKenna, Director, Global Educational Strategy, VEX Robotics
CSforALL is the national hub of the computer science for all movement with a mission to make high-quality computer science an integral part of K-12 education in the United States. We connect providers, schools and districts, funders, and researchers working toward the goal of providing quality CS education to every child in the United States and engage with diverse stakeholders leading computer science initiatives across the nation to support and facilitate the implementation of rigorous, inclusive, and sustainable computer science.
For more information: www.csforall.org Twitter: @CSforALL
The 2022 CSforALL Commitments Showcase will be held October 19–21 in Memphis, TN. For more speaker and agenda information, please visit: https://www.summit.csforall.org/
For media inquiries, please contact Nadia Tronick at nadia@csforall.org or 303.815.9433 or Ronel Schodt at ronel@kaisclan.ai or +64 21 746 871
