The California Board of Education on Sept. 6 approved the state’s first computer science standards to help students reach their creative potential in a digitally connected society.

“As a forward-leaning state and home to Silicon Valley, California’s new standards will not only enable students to understand how their digital world works but will encourage critical thinking and discussion about the broader ethical and social implications and questions related to the growing capabilities of technology,” said California Board of Education member Trish Williams, who serves as the computer science liaison.

Developed by educators, the standards aim to help students move from passive technology users to creators and innovators who interact with computers. Beyond learning to write code, the standards push students to communicate as scientists and find creative solutions to difficult problems. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson said the standards will improve computer science education in California.

“These standards will give our students a deeper understanding of computer science that will better prepare our students for careers and college and help them succeed in a fiercely competitive global economy,” Torlakson said. “California’s economy, including a high-tech industry that leads the world, will also benefit because employers will be able to hire workers with a better understanding of computer science and technology, and the skills to use technology to solve problems.”

The standards emphasize equity by providing educators with examples of ways they can broaden participation in computer science to include diverse students. While 60 percent of California’s student population is black or Hispanic, only 25 percent of students who take high school computer science courses are from those demographic groups. In the technology workforce, the black and Hispanic population represents approximately 15 percent of employees.

Computer science as a foundational discipline that should be accessible to all students is relatively new to K-12 education. It is the study of how technology and computing systems are created and their impact on society. The standards cover six core computer science concepts (such as algorithms and programming) and seven core practices (such as creating computational artifacts and recognizing computational problems). By contrast, learning to type, word processing, computer repair and playing video games are not within the scope computer science as defined by the standards.

A strategic plan for improving computer science education in California is expected to come before the board for approval next March. For information, visit cde.ca.gov.