Code.org's Approach to Diversity and Equity in CS
The fields of software, computing, and computer science are plagued by stark underrepresentation by gender, race, ethnicity, geography, and family income. While nearly 58% of U.S. high schools offer foundational computer science, disparities in access persist. Rural schools, urban schools, and schools with high percentages of economically disadvantaged students are less likely to offer computer science; and Black/African American students, Hispanic/Latino/Latina/Latinx students, and Native American/Alaskan students are less likely to attend a school that offers it.
This problem extends to university programs and to the software workplace, which suffer a similar lack of diversity. There are many issues to address to solve the entire problem of diversity in the tech workforce - from bias in hiring, retention, and promotion practices to capacity-building in university programs.
Our focus: computer science in grades K-12
More important than the tech workforce pipeline, computer science is now a foundational subject for all 21st-century careers, making access in K-12 to this knowledge an equity issue that must be addressed.
Past studies show that children who study computer science perform better in other subjects, excel at problem-solving, and are more likely to enroll in college. Among young women, those who try AP Computer Science in high school are more likely to major in computer science. Black and Hispanic/Latino students who try AP Computer Science in high school are 7-8 times more likely to major in computer science.
But access to computer science is unequal. A student’s opportunity should not be determined by the color of their skin, their family income, or the neighborhood they grow up in. But in the United States, the opposite is true when it comes to K-12 computer science. Data from the 2023 State of Computer Science report shows there are still big gaps in access and participation to computer science.