That is one of the key findings of a new Gallup report that found that lack of access to computer science classes was particularly pronounced among low-income students and students of color.
“Many students do not have access to computer science learning opportunities at school, with lower-income students and Black students having the least access,” states the report, titled “Searching for Computer Science: Access and Barriers in U.S. K-12 Education.”
Specialists say the lack of computer science classes in America’s schools has repercussions in areas that range from job market participation to national security. It also lessens the likelihood that students will study computer science in college.
“Basically, we have unequal opportunities for students of color to be well-prepared for the increasing number of jobs that require computer science backgrounds,” said Julie Flapan, executive director of the Alliance for California Computing Education for Students and Schools, or ACCESS, a UCLA-based initiative meant to bring about greater equity in computer science.
“They also won’t have adequate preparation should they choose to pursue computer science in college,” Flapan said.
The Gallup report found that Black and Hispanic students were less likely than White students to be able to take computer science classes at school.
