No other subject will open as many doors in the 21st Century, regardless of a student’s ultimate field of study or occupation, as computer science. At a time when computing is driving job growth and new scientific discovery, it is unacceptable that roughly two-thirds of the entire country has few computer science standards for secondary school education, K–8 computer science standards are deeply confused, few states count computer science as a core academic subject for graduation, and computer science teacher certification is deeply flawed. These are national failings and ones that we can ill afford in this digital age.

Parents must ask difficult questions about how computer science is being introduced to their children in K–12 education and demand that schools move beyond the current basic technology literacy curriculum. Policy makers at all levels need to review how computer science is treated within existing policy frameworks and schools, and ensure that engaging computer science courses based on fundamental principles of the discipline are part of the core curriculum. Now is the time to revitalize K–12 computer science education and ensure universal access to computer science courses by making it one of the core academic subjects students require to succeed in the 21st Century.