Computer Science

State Guidance

Information and guidelines for implementing and improving CS programs, including content standards and legislation.

Computer Science Strategic Implementation Plan (CSSIP)

• Adopted by the State Board of Education (SBE) on May 8, 2019
• Developed to support local plan development and refinement of CS education
• Developed from the recommendations of the CSSIP Panel (DOCX)
• Submitted to the Legislature via the California Computer Science Strategic Implementation Plan Report (DOCX)

California Computer Science Content Standards

• Adopted by the SBE on September 6, 2018
• Defines the core concepts and practices that are vertically aligned, coherent across grades, and in grade spans kindergarten through grade two, three through five, six through eight, and nine through twelve

Administrators & Policymakers

Information and sites to support administrators and policymakers in increasing access to CS education.

2023 State of CS Education
Annual report on K–12 CS in the United States provides an update on national and state-level CS education policy, including policy trends, maps, state summaries, and implementation data.

Alliance for California Computing Education for Students and Schools (ACCESS) CSforCA Equity Guide
Guide designed for administrators interested in implementing equity-minded CS in their schools, districts, or counties.

CDE Artificial Intelligence (AI) Resource Kit (PDF)
CDE Learning With AI, Learning About AI
Information regarding the role of AI in K–12 education.

Kapor Center
Equitable CS Curriculum Initiative features a Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Computer Science (CRCS) framework for K–12 CS education and aligned resources, including lesson plans and planning guides.

Seasons of CS
California’s year round, statewide professional learning program designed to build capacity of educators, administrators, counselors, and paraprofessionals to implement the California CS standards.

Instruction

Information and sites with informative and classroom-based resources to support CS education. Recommendations were provided by the Computer Science Strategic Implementation Plan (CSSIP) Panel.

Alliance for California Computing Education for Students and Schools (ACCESS) CSforCA Equity Guide
Guide designed for administrators interested in implementing equity-minded CS in their schools, districts, or counties.

AccessCSforAll
Research–practitioner partnership that develops and provides resources and professional learning for CS teachers to increase the successful participation of students with disabilities in K–12 computing.

Bootstrap
Research-based curricular modules for grades five through twelve. Materials reinforce core concepts from mainstream subjects like Mathematics, Physics, and Data Science, enabling non-CS teachers to adopt introductory materials while delivering rigorous and engaging computing content.

California Educators Together
Community of practice designed to provide educators, administrators, specialists, and state program leads a common space to communicate, share strategies, and access classroom-ready learning materials for all content areas, including CS.

California K–12 CS Standards – Standards Advisory Committee
This site, envisioned by the California CS standards advisory committee, allows users to search California CS content standards with various filters, including interdisciplinary connections found in classroom examples.

CDE Distance Learning
Guidance and resources for teachers and families in K–12 schools regarding high quality distance learning.

Code.org Studio
Combined set of tools and guided lessons to get students in kindergarten through high school interested in the underlying concepts behind coding, with an interface for teachers to monitor where their students are in the lesson progression.

Code.org 3rd Party Professional Development and Curricula
Repository of CS curricula and professional learning providers curated by Code.org and the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) that a school or school district can access to provide an in-school offering for their students.

Computing at School (CAS)
Crowd-sourced repository of free member-created lesson plans, teacher-focused subject knowledge enhancers, assemblies, parent workshops, and more. Forums by grade span are also available to connect with CS educators internationally.

CSforALL Curriculum Directory
Searchable directory of CS curriculum aligned to national K–12 CS framework

CS Teaching Tips
Repository of tips to help CS teachers anticipate students' difficulties and build upon students strengths.

CS Unplugged
Collection of free learning activities that teach CS without computers through engaging games and puzzles that use cards, string, crayons, and physical activity. Links to other resources related to teaching CS and CS outreach.

EngageCSEdu
Repository of assignments, tutorials, labs, assessments, lecture notes, exercises, and projects. Materials focus on introductory-level college or upper-level high school CS and on engaging a diverse population of students.

Nifty Assignments
Repository of CS assignments gathered at the annual Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education meeting. Descriptions of assignments are provided along with related materials that focus on introductory-level CS.

ProjectGUTS
Project GUTS’ award-winning curriculum makes science come alive through exciting explorations using computing models and simulations to learn about our world.

Scratch and Scratch Jr.
Block-based programming environment and online community that students can use to code their own interactive stories, animations, and games. Targets learners age eight and older (Scratch) and ages five to seven (Scratch Jr.). Educator communities, in-person gatherings, guides, and tutorials are provided. List of block-based programming environments is provided on the Scratch Wiki.

Seasons of CS
California’s year round, statewide professional learning program designed to build capacity of educators, administrators, counselors, and paraprofessionals to implement the California CS standards.

Students & Families

Information and sites for students and families that support CS education. Recommendations were provided by the Computer Science Strategic Implementation Plan (CSSIP) Panel.

CDE Distance Learning
Guidance and resources for teachers and families in K–12 schools regarding high quality distance learning.

CS Unplugged
Collection of free learning activities that teach CS without computers through engaging games and puzzles that use cards, string, crayons, and physical activity.

Family Code Night
Family engagement event where parents and their children do their first hour coding together. Event kits are provided to support organizations in hosting Family Code Night.

Scratch and Scratch Jr.
Block-based programming environment and online community that students can use to code their own interactive stories, animations, and games. Targets learners age eight and older (Scratch) and ages five to seven (Scratch Jr.). Educator communities, in-person gatherings, guides, and tutorials are provided. List of block-based programming environments is provided on the Scratch Wiki.

Organizations & Partnerships

Organizations at the state and national level that inform CS education. Recommendations were provided by the Computer Science Strategic Implementation Plan (CSSIP) Panel.

Alliance for California Computing Education for Students and Schools (ACCESS)
Statewide network for computer scientists, K–12 teachers, professors from community colleges through universities, educational policy advocates, and related industry professionals. Advocates for high-quality K–12 CS education in California and ensuring it is accessible to all students. Focuses on three major themes around CS education: equity and access, quality CS curriculum, and teacher capacity.

Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA)
Membership organization that supports and promotes the teaching of CS at the K–12 grade levels.

CS for All Teachers
Virtual community of practice, welcoming all teachers from PreK through high school who are interested in teaching CS. Teachers can get answers to their questions, share their experiences in small groups, participate in online events, search for resources, and learn new instructional strategies from their colleagues.

CSforALL Consortium
Hub for the national CS for ALL movement. Connects providers, schools, funders, and researchers focused on the goal of providing quality CS education to every child in the United States.

CSforCA
Coalition of educators, industry leaders, nonprofit organizations, and higher education institutions advocating for high-quality computer science education, with an emphasis on girls, low-income students, and students of color.

Curricular & Improvement Support Committee (CISC): CS & Digital Learning Subcommittee
Network of leaders from county offices of education, the CDE, and other partners with the mission to influence and advocate for equitable, future-ready education systems that support optimal learning and career pathway options for all students through CS and digital learning.

Institute for Advancing Computing Education (IACE)
Organization designed to enable and disseminate exemplary evidence-driven research, with a focus on identifying culturally relevant promising practices and transforming student learning in K–12 CS education,

Kapor Center
Equitable CS curriculum initiative features a culturally responsive sustaining framework for CS education.