No educator I’ve met has ever uttered the words, “I sure could use some more things to do.” 

An often-cited and much-outdated stat from some time ago suggested that teachers make some 1,500 decisions per day. That number has undoubtedly ballooned as teachers are increasingly responsible for tiered differentiation, countless communication channels and instructional technologies, and expansive requirements for documentation and compliance.

And yet, our students deserve more. More applied and engaging math instruction. More access to elementary science. More computer science and computational thinking. More design and entrepreneurship challenges through the lens of engineering. More enriching experiences in competition settings. More connections with adults who understand the context and backgrounds of our youth. 

More. More More. 

Nearly any time any one identifies another more, whether food, housing, clothing, healthcare, mental health, etc., etc., it is often the public school system that meets the demand. They are simultaneously responsible for creating a safe and healthy environment where all youth are engaged, supported, and challenged to meet their full potential. 

In 2021, the Oklahoma state legislature passed Senate Bill 252, requiring all high schools to offer at least one computer science class and all elementaries and middle schools to teach the Oklahoma Academic Standards for Computer Science, whether by stand-alone courses or integrated into other courses. Tulsa Regional STEM Alliance responded hopefully and cautiously to the new mandates, speaking at a legislative study on the matter later in 2021. As a result, Representative Rhonda Baker, then Chair of the House of Representatives Common Education Committee, requested TRSA produce a summary report of our recommendations resulting in the Computer Science Roadmap. 

Thus far, not one of the recommendations has been implemented.

Without investments in strategic vision, recruitment and training of CS educators, curriculum and assessments, technology, and the support structures that are fundamental to the maintenance, let alone the initiation, of a new discipline, the schools are again left again with the responsibility of doing more.

Tulsa Regional STEM Alliance will continue to advocate for a more productive policy landscape and meaningful investments into the computer science ecosystem, but we are left now with attempting to meet the needs with less.

Here are a few recommendations for how educators, school leaders, and communities can work together to make computer science more accessible today and in the future.

1. Attend Training with Us >>> We’d love to have you attend our upcoming workshops! Code.org PD (Nov. 15) is perfect for teachers of all levels, and we’ve partnered with Dr. Amber Beisly from the University of Oklahoma for a free hands-on workshop on Storybook Engineering (Dec. 6) that’s designed just for early education teachers. Learn more about both opportunities here. Sign up deadlines are fast approaching!
2. Connect with Partners >>> You don’t have to do it alone. Join STEM in Motion to be a part of conversations and community with other educators, in and out of school, working together to understand and overcome the challenges we face. Learn more about our December 5th meeting here.
3. Innovate with Us to Expand Access to STEM >>> This year, TRSA piloted a digital badges to document and celebrate those learning experiences that don’t end up on students’ transcripts. Now, both in- and out-of-school learning can be recognized, expanding access to competency-based learning opportunities that could eventually be used to meet requirements like those in SB 252. Learn more about our Momentum Convening on November 20th here. All are welcome but registration is required.
4. Invite Elected Officials to Help Work on this Challenge >>> With the election just around the corner, reach out to newly or re-elected representatives from your community. Share with them the challenges and opportunities that would create a more collaborative and likely path forward for increasing access to excellent CS learning opportunities. Access the Computer Science Roadmap to better understand your talking points and consider bringing a copy for them.

As always, we’re rooting for you, we’re thankful for you, and we hope we can be of service to you as you continue doing the good work to create more opportunities that inspire and prepare youth for a STEM-enabled future.