Only 3% of students enrolled in high school are enrolled in computer science (CS) courses. California is falling behind in computer science education and there are shocking statistics to prove it. Despite the increasing importance of computer science education, data shows that almost 2/3 of California high schools lack any computer science courses, preventing 61% of high school students from taking the courses needed to succeed in college, career, and life. See more data at Computer Science for California (csforca.org).

Vidya is committed to preparing our high schoolers for life, and with that comes an ongoing engagement with our colleagues on local, state, national, and global levels. Given that we do not know over seventy percent of the careers of tomorrow, we will give our learners the skills and tools they need to maneuver and be successful in the ever changing global economy. What we do know, is that computer science plays a pivotal role, as does our life-preparatory curriculum.

Computer science is not just about being able to use computers. It is about innovation, collaboration, computational thinking, and problem solving. It is about becoming disrupters and active creators instead of being passive consumers. We are ready to take bold action to ensure that our students have access to a rigorous computer science education to prepare them for their future. As a part of our action plan, I have joined the CS School Leaders Project, which is a partnership between UC Berkeley’s Educators for Equity and Excellence, the Kapor Center, and Google, in order to bring about change in the world of CS education through equity and excellence.

It is time to reframe and transform the paradigms in education, as our experiences this past year have taught us. We must redefine and redesign teaching and education based on student needs for the 21st century.

Equity is not just about whether classes are available, but also about how those classes are taught, how students are recruited, and how the classroom culture supports diverse learners and promotes retention.

K-12 Computer Science Framework

Armine Movsisyan, Ed.D., ASC.
School Director
March 3, 2021