Equity and Policy in CS Ed: Moving toward Social Justice
Earlier this month I attended the latest Expanding Computing Education Pathways (ECEP) gathering with pioneering educators, policy makers, and influencers from across the country to focus on computer science (CS) education policy.
As I immersed myself into discussions, I wanted to better understand the relationship(s) between the intent of state and local policies to expand access to computing and the actual efforts being implemented in each state to enforce those policies. Here are my takeaways.
The Meaning and Measurement of Equity
It's hard to measure equity. Perhaps the biggest challenge is the understanding of equity as it was conveyed in the context of the state being referred to or the population of students being served. In many cases, equity was discussed as efforts to ensure all students are provided the resources necessary for success regardless of gender, race or ethnicity. In some cases, equity was conveyed as access to quality education and the preparation required to be afforded the opportunity into higher levels of computing courses. Both of these are hard to argue against (at least for me they are), though they are slightly different. Still, I couldn't help but wonder, is the language we are using and are the conversations we are having really changing mindsets about who and how all students participate in CS education?
What if we were to talk about equity in terms of justice? If we think about it this way — being on the right side of justice — it's hard to ignore some important questions about our policies and efforts to apply those policies. Is it justice that students of color are still not afforded the access and quality preparation into computing education as their white counterparts? Is it justice that rural schools have fewer resources to offer high levels of CS courses? Is it justice that K-8 systems are afforded more funding to implement CS than at the secondary level or vice versa?
Some may consider this a play on words. My point is that these conversations require a deeper sense about the social justice implications of policies that continue to leave marginalized students behind at such a critical time in the CSforALL movement.
As next steps in continuing the conversation about equity in CS, I'll be challenging myself and colleagues to consider if we are really shifting mindsets and behaviors that will stop students from being left out of quality computing education and providing them with experiences of social justice in their daily lives in schools.
Equity in CS Education is Not Just Meant for Students
Of course, this is easier said than done. It's not lost on me the countless administrators who have shared their challenges in finding qualified teachers to teach CS in their schools. Recruiting teachers from other disciplines is problematic but it's what is happening now, even in the most impoverished schools. It's their only way to meet the demands of new policies to instill CS programs in many states, including in Georgia. But what if we thought about this differently?
Equity in CS education is not just meant for students. It has to be applied for teachers as well. Teachers also need equity in CS. Policy must impact the teaching profession itself.
What if policy could help educational leaders think of this as an opportunity to lift the teaching profession? What if policy included the notion that teaching CS can help teachers grow in their profession? No one has to tell me how complex and faltering our education system is, but let's not give up on giving teachers opportunities to advance in their profession and the freedom to investigate what works in classrooms. That’s something I believe teachers will be interested in discussing further and changing how we talk about teaching CS could help with recruitment.
The crux of the issue, however, is that too often, teachers are left out of the policy making process even though they are fully able to contribute and understand what is needed for successful adoption and implementation.
Equity for teachers – justice for teachers – includes their voices in making policy about education. We must advocate to make teachers part of leadership and policy making and build programs by teachers for teachers. The people who are going to provide solutions to the most pressing problems in CS education are the people who live those problems every day. Not the just the ones looking inside from the outside.
Also, pay teachers more. Period.
