WASHINGTON, D.C. – February 13, 2018 – Code.org and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) today announced a new partnership to expand access to high-quality professional learning for educators interested in teaching computer science. The collaboration kicks off as ISTE begins the first refresh of the ISTE Standards for Computer Science Educators in seven years.

Over the last several years, 40 states have made policy changes to expand access to K-12 computer science education. This year alone, governors have proposed nearly $37.5 million to support computer science education. To respond to this growing demand, ISTE is partnering with Code.org to give current and first-time computer science educators access to Code.org’s high-quality professional learning and a discounted membership to ISTE’s dynamic community of computer science educators.  

“We are excited to be partnering with Code.org,” said ISTE CEO Richard Culatta. “Much more work needs to be done to give educators — all educators — the tools they need to bring computer science learning to our classrooms. We at ISTE believe that empowering students to excel as critical thinkers and problem-solvers through computer science will create learners who are prepared for their futures.”

Code.org, the leading provider of high-quality computer science curriculum and professional learning, has prepared more than 70,000 teachers, most of whom are new to computer science, to massively grow the community for computer science in the U.S. Educators participating in Code.org professional learning will receive a special ISTE membership that enables them to continue their learning.

“Interest in computer science in schools is increasing at a record pace,” said Code.org CEO Hadi Partovi. “We are incredibly pleased to establish a far-reaching partnership with ISTE to help expand access and diversity to this foundational 21st century subject to better prepare America’s students.”

Additionally, Code.org will participate in ISTE’s new effort to update the ISTE Standards for Computer Science Educators. The refresh is an opportunity for thought leaders in computer science and educators at all levels to help develop the next generation of computer science education standards. The new standards will establish a vision for the knowledge, skills and dispositions educators need to teach computer science to all students and will guide professional learning in computer science for all educators.  

ISTE has brought together a diverse group of individuals who represent many areas of education, from elementary to high school, including teacher preparation, research and evaluation, and expert voices in computing. Organizations represented on the Standards Technical Working Group and Stakeholder Advisory Council include CSforALL, the Computer Science Teachers Association, the National Math and Science Initiative and others. They are tasked with gathering and analyzing the feedback received between now and the end of July.

There are several ways for educators to provide feedback: participate in refresh events, submit a survey and contribute to the digital storytelling initiative. The release of the new ISTE Standards for Computer Science Educators is scheduled for fall 2018.

For more information about the Code.org and ISTE partnership, visit www.iste.org/learn/computer-science.

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About Code.org

Launched in 2013, Code.org® is a nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to computer science and increasing participation by women and underrepresented minorities. Our vision is that every student in every school should have the opportunity to learn computer science, just like biology, chemistry or algebra. Code.org organizes the annual Hour of Code campaign which has engaged 10% of all students in the world and provides the leading curriculum for K-12 computer science in the largest school districts in the United States. Code.org is supported by generous donors including Amazon, Facebook, Google, the Infosys Foundation and Microsoft.

About ISTE

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is a nonprofit organization that works with the global education community to accelerate the use of technology to solve tough problems and inspire innovation. Our worldwide network believes in the potential technology holds to transform teaching and learning.

ISTE sets a bold vision for education transformation through the ISTE Standards, a framework for students, educators, administrators, coaches and computer science educators to rethink education and create innovative learning environments. ISTE hosts the annual ISTE Conference & Expo, one of the world’s most influential edtech events. The organization’s professional learning offerings include online courses, professional networks, year-round academies, peer-reviewed journals and other publications. ISTE is also the leading publisher of books focused on technology in education. For more information or to become an ISTE member, visit iste.org. Subscribe to ISTE’s YouTube channel and connect with ISTE on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.