The Community Foundation of Utah is Ensuring all Youth Receive a Computer Science Education

Every K-12 student in the state of Utah will have access to a computer science education by 2022 thanks to a $4 million fund announced this week by The Community Foundation of Utah.

The foundation’s Silicon Slopes Computer Science Fund aims to fill a big need in Utah. Currently, only about half of the state’s schools have the funding and capability to teach computer science. In 2019, only 567 out of 42,000 AP exams taken in the state were for computer science.

The fund will ensure that students have the training and education necessary to be creators of technology, and more marketable to future employers.

“Technology is changing the future of work and it is essential that all students have access to computer science education to prepare for the careers of the future,” said former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

The Community Foundation of Utah will support the fund -- which is the result of a partnership that includes support from Utah Gov. Gary Herbert and the Utah State Board of Education.

Grants from the fund will be used to support teachers who are interested in teaching computer science in their classrooms, provide specialized programming, and support nonprofits or classrooms that have a track record of solid outcomes from their computer science education programs.