IDoCode Educator Program

teens looking at a computer screen Computer Science skills are in high demand. CS is a driving force behind many of the advances in business, science and math, and now even social sciences and art. Idaho allows students to take dual credit or AP computer science as core math or science credit – providing incentive for students to explore the field of Computer Science. To address this opportunity, Idaho needs teachers trained to teach computer science effectively for all students.

IDoCode - Secondary Education Program

Computer science skills are in high demand as it has become a driving force behind many of the advances in business, science and math, and now even social sciences and art. Thus in 2014, the State Board of Education and House Education Committee approved a rule change which allows students to take dual credit computer science or AP computer science as a math or science credit versus being counted as electives – providing incentive for students to explore the field of Computer Science.

Educational Programs

To supply this demand, Idaho requires teachers capable of teaching computer science effectively to all students. Thus the Boise State University Computer Science department developed a bachelor and two master programs designed for pre-service and in-service teachers with the training to successfully bring a number of computer science classes to their students. The BSU education programs prepares teachers to receive an Idaho Computer Science teacher endorsement. Teachers are able to begin teaching computer science courses prior to completion of the program.

The Computer Science Secondary Education Emphasis and CS Teacher Endorsement programs are designed for pre-service teachers. These programs combines content knowledge, theories of learning and human development, study of curriculum, and methodology to help students develop the knowledge, skills and dispositions essential for success in secondary school teaching.
- The CS Secondary Education emphasis is obtained by completing the required coursework outlined in the course catalog.
- Students may pursue the endorsement through the Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Foundational Studies (CIFS) department by completing the required education coursework and the following courses to receive the Computer Science Teaching Endorsement.

NOTE: Contact the Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Foundational Studies for more information.

Computer Science Teaching Endorsement

Course Number and Title Credits	Credits
MATH 189 Discrete Mathematics	4
CS 121 Computer Science I	4
CS 221 Computer Science II	3
CS 230 Ethical Issues in Computing	3
CS 321 Data Structures	3
CS 401 Introduction to Web Development or CS 402 Mobile Application Development	3
CS-HU 398 Current Topics in Computer Science	1
Total	21

The two masters programs are designed for in-service teachers who wish to pursue the Idaho CS teacher endorsement. New cohorts form each summer – the application deadline is the end of March.
- The Computer Science Teacher Endorsement Graduate Certificate program prepares in-service teachers to teach computer science in high schools.
- The new MA in Education, Curriculum and Instruction with CS pathway provides the teacher with additional instructional course work on top of the CS courses leading to a masters degree.

Teachers will be capable of teaching an introductory Computer Science course beginning with the fall semester after completing the first Computer Science course and if desired, an additional summer workshop specifically focused on the introductory course curriculum. Upfront planning by the district or principal is required to promote the fall course to their students during normal fall registration.

Additional CS courses in the program prepares the teacher to instruct additional CS classes and become a subject matter expert in their district. The complete sequence of courses is especially useful for districts who plan to offer a four-year sequence in their district, such as Career Technical Education programs.

News

A Code.org study indicates there will be 1,000,000 more CS jobs than students by 2020. View more facts and infographics about CS jobs.
Idaho’s Advanced Opportunities program, which sets aside up to $4,125 per Idaho student to use between seventh and 12th grades to pay for certain academic costs such as dual-credit classes that can run students and families hundreds of dollars.
Legislative Change: HB 648 approved. On March 23, 2018 Idaho Governor Butch Otter signed a bill into law requiring all high schools to offer at least one computer science course. The Idaho legislature unanimously passed this bill.

The Computer Science courses have been designed for students admitted to the Graduate Certificate – Computer Science Teacher Endorsement or the Masters of Arts in Education Curriculum & Instruction programs to prepare in-service teachers to teach computer science at the secondary level.

Steps for Endorsement

In addition to the CS coursework, students must apply to the Professional Standards Committee at Boise State University. Boise State University recommends endorsement for Computer Science to the State Department of Education based on the following:

Evidence of positive teaching evaluation in their current position by a principal and/or supervisor
- In the area of Computer Science
- An annual Principal evaluations could suffice as they should be Danielson FFT aligned per state legislative code
Transcript review of your degree coursework
Pass the Computer Science Praxis exam based on the Idaho standard
Four clinical experience observations (Danielson Framework) across a span of no less than four weeks
- Two from a BSU liaison, two from a mentor teacher and/or principal
- Email the education department representative to set up your BSU observations
- Sign up for 1-credit ED-CIFS 558 Supervised Clinical Field Experience during the semester the observations are done. The observations may be filmed so a Danielson certified observer, can conduct the observations
  - The candidate is to purchase and activate a Taskstream subscription and upload their materials
  - Refer to the NBPTS Rubric for CIFS MA/MS Artifacts for further information
  - Contact the Division for Teacher Education to arrange field observation via the ED-CIFS 558 course. The current contacts are Shelley Jund, Lori Pierce-French, and Jennifer Snow.

The above items must be completed for the teacher to receive Idaho State computer science endorsement.

When to Apply

Students are highly encouraged to apply for the CS endorsement before they graduate.

ED-CIFS recommends doing these in the last semester prior to graduation. The grad college will require a student to re-register in order to take ED-CIFS 558 after graduation.

We recommended you take the CS Praxis exam in the last semester of your CS course work to ensure you have sufficient CS background to pass the test.

News

Beginning in 2018, the STEM Action Center plans to open a $500 sponsorship grant that teachers who become certified will be able to apply. Once the teacher has successfully passed the Praxis and received the Idaho CS teacher endorsement, they will receive $500.

This is dependent upon continued funding of the STEM Action Center. Contact the STEM Action Center for details.

Significant work has taken place since 2014 at the national level and Idaho State to update the Computer Science Teaching Standards and Framework. Explore the Idaho Computer Science Teaching Standards, the National Computer Science Teaching Standards, and the National Computer Science Framework.

Idaho CS Teaching Standards

The Idaho Computer Science Teaching Standards were built on a progression of skills that can be accomplished using a variety of tools and in some cases limited access. Several existing Computer Science and related standards from CSTA (Computer Science Teachers Association), ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), Florida Department of Education, Idaho CTE Programming Standards, Teacher Preparation Standards for Initial Certification in Computer Science, and Idaho Core Standards were reviewed and considered. The resulting standards and white paper are listed below:

The Idaho Standards for Computer Science Teachers (Approved August 10, 2017).
The Idaho Content Standards for Computer Science.
The Idaho K-12 Content Computer Science Standards white paper provides the motivation and rationale for the standards and describes their development process.

National CS Teaching Standards

Computer science and the technologies it enables rests at the heart of our economy and the way we live our lives. To be well-educated citizens in a computing-intensive world and to be prepared for careers in the 21st century, our students must have a clear understanding of the principles and practices of computer science.

The National CSTA K–12 Computer Science Standards delineate a core set of learning objectives designed to provide the foundation for a complete computer science curriculum and its implementation at the K–12 level.

National CS Framework

The Association for Computing Machinery, Code.org, Computer Science Teachers Association, Cyber Innovation Center, and National Math and Science Initiative have collaborated with states, districts, and the computer science education community to develop conceptual guidelines for computer science education.

The K–12 Computer Science Framework comes at a time when our nation’s education systems are adapting to a 21st century vision of students who are not just computer users but also computationally literate creators who are proficient in the concepts and practices of computer science.

States, districts, and organizations can use the framework to inform the development of standards and curriculum, build capacity for teaching computer science, and implement computer science pathways.

The National Science Foundation in partnership with schools, universities, State Board or Education, legislatures, and industry and non profit organizations have worked to develop CS teaching standards, curriculum and professional development options required to bring computer science educational opportunities to grades K-12.

Computers enable innovation in nearly every field. Students have significant opportunities in their chosen field with the computational thinking and problem solving skills woven into the newly developed computer science curriculum. Details on the curriculum is detailed below.

Exploring Computer Science (ECS)

Exploring Computer Science (ECS), is a K-12/University national program committed to democratizing computer science knowledge by increasing learning opportunities at the high school level for all students, with a specific focus on access for traditionally underrepresented students. View the Exploring CS Curriculum abstract.

The ECS Curriculum is broken into the following 6 units with detailed day by day lesson plans, exercises, assessment and related resource material. There is enough material in the six units for two semesters. Districts may offer ECS as a one semester course. For a one semester course, we recommend the teacher focus the material from units 1, 2 and 4.

Refer to the ECS web site for additional information on each section

Unit 1: Human Computer Interaction (4 weeks)
Unit 2: Problem Solving (4 weeks)
Unit 3: Web Design (5 weeks)
Unit 4: Introduction to Programming (6 weeks)
Unit 5: Computing and Data Analysis (6 weeks)
Unit 6: Robotics (7 weeks)

You can download the latest curriculum on the ECS web site.

Computer Science Discoveries (CSD)

CS Discoveries is a free introductory course that empowers students to engage with Computer Science as a medium for creativity, communication, problem solving, and fun. The course may be taught as a semester or full-year course and is recommended for ages 11-16.

AP Computer Science Principles (CSP)

AP Computer Science Principles is a new course under development that seeks to broaden participation in computing and computer science. Development is being led by a team of computer science educators organized by the College Board and the National Science Foundation. Pilots are ongoing at the high school and college levels. For more details review the following:

Several courses have been developed and pilot tested that incorporate the College Board’s AP Computer Science Principles Curriculum Framework. A summary can be found at: CSP Courses. High School teachers in the IDoCode program are being prepared to use the Mobile CSP curriculum.

Topics include: Abstraction, Algorithms, Creativity, Data, Impact, Internet and Programming.

AP Computer Science A

The following is a overview of the AP Computer Science A course from the College Board. “AP Computer Science A is equivalent to a first-semester, college level course in computer science. The course introduces students to computer science with fundamental topics that include problem solving, design strategies and methodologies, organization of data (data structures), approaches to processing data (algorithms), analysis of potential solutions, and the ethical and social implications of computing. The course emphasizes both object-oriented and imperative problem solving and design using Java language. These techniques represent proven approaches for developing solutions that can scale up from small, simple problems to large, complex problems.”

More details can be found on the AP Computer Science A home page on the CollegeBoard site.

ECS, CSD, and AP CSP Information at a Glance

Topic	Exploring Computer Science Computer Science Discoveries	AP Computer Science Principles
Curriculum Available	ECS Curriculum download CS Discoveries Info	AP CSP Framework AP CS Principles
Curriculum Abstract	ECS Abstract	CSP Abstract
Target Student	Grades 9-12	Grades 10-12
Prerequisite	None	Algebra II
Teacher Qualification and Assignment Codes (ISEE):	Academic codes (xls) CTE codes	Academic codes (xls) CTE codes
Teacher training for "elective" credit	Recommend: CS 501 or code.org ECS or CSD workshop	Required: CS 501 and CS 503 or code.org CSP workshop
Teacher training for "core" credit	NA	Masters CS Educational Emphasis or CS Teacher Endorsement or Teacher endorsed to teach Math or Science in Idaho
Course Offering	District approval process required or course offered through IDLA	District approval process required or course offered through IDLA
Concurrent Enrollment course @ BSU	NA	CS 101
Concurrent Enrollment Teacher Qualification	NA	Instructor approved by BSU through application process

This section provides recommended Computer Science programs and instructional material a teacher may use for their Computer Science instruction or students may use to explore the field of computer science.

Many of the materials were used in prior workshops hosted by the Boise State Computer Science department faculty and staff during the summer for secondary students and teachers.

Check out the CS department web site for upcoming summer workshops.

NOTE

Please work with your IT department to ensure the applications are approved for your school’s environment and any external web sites are unblocked (e.g. App Inventor is a web based application which requires a user to create a gmail account to store their projects).

Prior Workshops

Computer Science Principles

The computer science principles workshops are designed to introduce the seven “big ideas” in the AP Computer Science Principles curriculum. The materials are intended for secondary students and teachers.

The Computer Science Principles via Music and Art uses EarSketch and Processing to introduce the seven “big ideas”.
The Mobile Computer Science Principles (MCSP) workshop uses mobile apps development on the App Inventor 2 platform to introduce the seven “big ideas”. These applications are developed to work on an Android device such as a phone or tablet.

Coding is Cool

Level 1 workshop introduces computer science and coding to high school students using App Inventor 2 mobile apps to develop functioning mobile applications for an Android device.

Level 2 workshop introduces computer science and coding to high school students using Hybrid Art with Processing and the Finch Robot.

GenCyber

The GenCyber workshop enables participants to understand security procedures, practices, and threats regardless of their knowledge level in IT/CS.

The workshop introduces knowledge of cyber security first principles, increases the curiosity of the participants about the field of cyber security, encourages participants to seek further education in cyber security and motivates participants to seek a career in cyber security.

For School Administration

The Computing by Design workshop assists professional school counselors, administrators, and teachers nationwide with information and resources to guide more — and more kinds of — students to explore computing education and careers.

Computer Science Courses

CS Exploration Courses

There are two main introductory computer science courses designed for middle and early high school students.

The Exploring Computer Science (ECS) curriculum consists of 6 units which provides an introduction to the world of computer science and problem solving suitable for all students. The curriculum package comes with daily instructional lesson plans for teachers, plus supplemental extension resources. Some schools offer a reduced one semester version using a subset of the units (we recommend units 1, 2, and 4), while others offer the full two semester program.

CS Discoveries is an introductory course from Code.org that empowers students to engage with Computer Science as a medium for creativity, communication, problem solving, and fun. This course is recommended for grades 6-10.

CS Principles

Several Computer Science Principles courses have been developed that incorporate the College Board’s AP Computer Science Principles Curriculum Framework. To further evaluate the options look explore the following: Available CS Courses.

The Boise State CS 501 course for secondary teachers utilizes much of the Mobile CSP material.

The Mobile CSP Professional Development program aims to prepare teachers to teach the College-Board endorsed Mobile CSP Advanced Placement course. The PD is designed to be accessible to teachers new to computer science as well as experienced CS teachers.
The Mobile CSP community has workshops available for secondary teachers to learn the course curriculum refer to their site for Professional Development for High School Teachers.

Code.org AP CSP 5-day workshops are offered during the summer to prepare teachers to instruct the AP Computer Science Principles course beginning the fall after the teacher completes the professional development training.

Idaho Digital Learning provides professional development opportunities to any and all educators in the State of Idaho.
If you have questions about the Code.org Idaho professional development training, contact Idaho Digital Learning at (208) 342-0207 or email idla@IdahoDigitalLearning.org.

Additional CS Educational Materials

Scratch

Scratch is a web based programming language and an online community where students program and share interactive media such as stories, games, and animation. As students create with Scratch, they learn to think creatively, work collaboratively, and reason systematically.

EarSketch

EarSketch is a free educational programming environment. Its core purpose is to teach coding in two widely used languages, Python and JavaScript, through music composing and remixing. This learning environment was developed first at Georgia Institute of Technology under Prof. Jason Freeman and Prof. Brian Magerko.

Reference Material

Music Demos

Music Representation

- Digital audio explanation
- Explanation of digitizing sound

App Inventor 2

The Mobile Computer Science Principles course is supported by the Mobile Computer Science Principles Project (Mobile CSP). The course is funded by the National Science Foundation to provide a broad and rigorous introduction to computer science based on App Inventor, a mobile programming language for Android devices. The course is based on the College Board’s emerging Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles curriculum framework for introductory computer science.

App Inventor is a great site for learning how to program mobile android apps. The site provides on-line book and video lessons that step you through the creation of successively more complex apps.

Curriculum Links

App Inventor 2 Information

App Inventor 2 Tutorials

Additional Material for Teaching

Processing

Processing is a great entry-level text based programming language, development environment, and online community. Processing was initially created in 2001 as a software sketchbook to teach computer programming fundamentals in a visual context.

Processing is a dialect of the “Java” programming language: the syntax is similar, but adds custom graphic and interactive features which allows a student to write interesting programs and see visual results right from the beginning.

Processing Intro

Intro to Processing slides
Extra examples [Google Drive with directories of examples]

Processing Information

A great feature about Processing is the ability to expand its capabilities via libraries. For example, one library provides extensions that interact with the Finch Robot designed for Computer Science education.

Finch Introduction

Getting Started

Additional Workshop Materials

Computer Science is more than programming tools or languages, it is also about new methodologies and developing 21st century skills. Thus consider utilizing some of the following material in your class. The”unplugged” materials do not require a computer.

Additional Computer Science Material (videos, lesson plans, teaching practices, …)

“Unplugged” Computer Science Material

Videos/Books

The Beauty and Joy of Computing – Ted Talk by Dan Garcia

Dan Garcia gave a thought-provoking talk on the importance of increasing computer literacy within our younger generations.

Your Life, Liberty, and Happiness after the Digital Explosion Blown to Bits – Book by Hal Abelson, Ken Ledeen and Harry Lewis

How the Digital Revolution is transforming your world more profoundly than you ever imagined.

Other sites

Blockly Games

Acknowledgements

These workshops were hosted by Boise State’s Department of Computer Science in partnership with the Boise State Concurrent Enrollment program.

The IDoCode project funded by National Science Foundation CS10K award #1339403

Boise State’s Department of Computer Science is a recipient of a Google CS4HS award.

Classes are planned to fit into a teachers’ schedule with classes available after 4:30 pm as well as being offered during the summer in the afternoon. Classes for the first cohort began Fall 2014, a new cohort is formed each summer.

Apply Online

The online application will walk you through the process. Your information is saved so you can begin the process now and complete it at a later time.

Apply at the Graduate Admissions web site

The programs are listed as:

“Computer Science GC” for the Graduate Certificate – Computer Science Teacher Endorsement.
MA in Education Curriculum and Instruction for the Masters with Computer Science emphasis program. The Masters of Arts in Education is lead by the Education College. Refer to their web site for additional application details.

A GRE exam is not required for either program.

For status of your application, log in to your MyBoiseState account and check your ToDo’s. NOTE: Processing of your application takes time, so please ensure you have all admissions materials delivered as part of your application.

If you have other questions regarding the application or admissions process, you may call the graduate admissions office at (208) 426-3903 or email at gradcoll@boisestate.edu.

Admissions Materials

Transcripts from other universities

The Graduate Admissions mailing address is: Boise State University, Graduate Admission and Degree Services, 1910 University Drive, Boise, ID 83725-1110.
Transcripts may be turned in by hand in their original sealed envelopes, or they may be faxed or mailed directly from the originating institution. The fax number is (208) 426-2789.
NOTE: Transcripts can take a while to arrive and process depending on the time of year and the institution. Thus be sure to plan ahead to ensure you have all admission materials submitted to BSU in time for the application deadline.

A Cover Letter (1-2 pages) detailing the applicants interest in the program and their goals.

Contact Amit Jain to discuss your interest in the Graduate Certificate program.

For More Information, Contact:

Graduate Certificate: Amit Jain, (208) 426-3821 or email ajain@boisestate.edu

Masters of Arts in Education: Julianne Wenner, (208) 426-1615 or email juliannewenner@boisestate.edu

FAQ

Prior Experience

If I have content knowledge, can I challenge a course?

Yes, credit can be granted for verifiable skills and learning gained through the experience. Details can be found at: Credit for Prior Learning

Fill out the Prior Learning form and work with your advisor to initiate the evaluation process.
After filling out the form, contact Dr Amit Jain to work out the details of your portfolio assessment.

I have a Masters, am I eligible for the Masters of Arts in Education program?

Yes, up to 1/3 of the Masters credits may apply from your prior relevant education or computer science coursework.

Contact Amit Jain to determine which of your prior Computer Sciences courses are transferable: Amit Jain, (208) 426-3821.
Contact Julianne Wenner to determine which of your prior educational courses are transferable: Julianne Wenner, (208) 426-1615.

NOTE: There is a seven year window which spans all coursework required for the masters from the first course to finishing your degree.

Program Operations

Will classes be offered in the afternoon and evenings?

Yes, classes will be scheduled 4:30 or later to accommodate a teachers’ schedule. Classes will also be offered during the summer.

The registration system says I have not met the prerequisite - how do I register?

The system believes the class if full.

In this case, contact the professor and request a permission number.

The system believes you have not fulfilled the prerequisites.

This may occur in the fall semester if you are also taking summer session courses. In this situation, contact the professor to request a permission number to register for the class.

Do I need a special ID card to access the computer labs?

Yes, you will need an ID card with a “proximity sensor”. Be sure to request a Student ID card with a proximity sensor.

If you received a magnetic strip only card, you can take the card to the info desk in the student union to be replaced with a proximity sensor card for free.

Can I receive both the Graduate Certificate and Master degree?

Students in the CS Educational Master program should also apply for the Graduate Certificate as they have earned both. Be sure to apply for the Graduate Certificate program before you apply for graduation in the masters program.

If you were admitted directly into the Masters program, you will need to apply for the Graduate Certificate: Computer Science Teacher Endorsement at the Graduate College web site – how to apply.

CS Teaching Endorsement

Does Idaho have a "Computer Science Teacher Endorsement"?

The Computer Science Teacher Endorsement was approved Fall 2015. This approval creates a “Graduate Certificate” for teachers who wish to obtain an SBOE/OSBE endorsement to teach Computer Science in Idaho High Schools.

The Boise State University endorsement requires the teacher to successfully complete the course requirements for the Graduate Certificate in Computer Science Teacher Endorsement. Refer to the Idaho CS Endorsement page for additional steps required by SBOE/OSBE to receive the Idaho Endorsement in addition to the Bachelors or Masters CS instructional coursework.

Do I need field observations for the Idaho Computer Science Teacher Endorsement?

After finishing the CS courses in the Graduate Certificate, apply to the Professional Standards Committee at Boise State University. The committee will endorse the teacher to the State Department of Education based on the following:

Evidence of positively evaluated teaching in current position
Transcript review
Passing the Idaho Computer Science Praxis exam
Four observations using the Danielson Framework across a span of no less than four weeks

High School Instruction

Do I need to complete the BSU Computer Science Teacher program before I can start teaching the course material in my school?

The BSU CS teacher programs prepares High School teachers to teach Computer Science courses in their School. We encourage teachers to begin teaching Computer Science in their school before they complete the program.

The Exploring Computer Science (ECS) and CS Discoveries (CSD) courses provides a great opportunity to introduce students to computer science concepts. While the AP Computer Science Principles (CSP) course expands the students knowledge and provides opportunities for concurrent enrollment and High School Math or Science credit for graduation. These courses are designed to be engaging to a wide range of high school students.

Once you have completed the “CS 501 AP Computer Science Principles” course, you are well on your way to teach the ECS or CSD courses. Teachers may choose to supplement their CS 501 course work with hands on experience with the ECS or CSD curriculum. Idaho Digital Learning has hosted summer workshops with the ECS and CSD curriculum.

By the time you have completed “CS 503 Teaching and Learning Computer Science I” you have the foundation to teach AP CSP.

Does the Idaho Professional Standards Commission (PSC) have a computer science teacher endorsement?

Yes, Idaho does have a endorsement and the Boise State programs fulfill the endorsement requirements.

The ISEE code manual shows dual credit CS classes will count for Math/Science credits, but it doesn’t require the new CS Endorsement at this time. The Endorsement has been approved, however the PSC will make it a requirement at some time in the future.

Currently, BSU has a Masters teacher program with CS Emphasis and a Graduate Certificate in Teacher Endorsement that are approved for the endorsement.

Are the Exploring Computer Science (ECS) and AP Computer Science Principals (CSP) courses a sequence for students?

The ECS course is targeted to attract a broad diverse audience to explore a student’s interest in Computer Science. There are no prerequisites for this course.

The AP CSP course is intended to be a more in-depth discovery of Computer Science. The ECS course material would be useful to a student taking AP CSP; however, a student will be able to pick up the material after completing Algebra II. Thus ECS is not a prerequisite for AP CSP.

NOTE: The AP CSP course is comparable to the high school version of the CS 101 class at Boise State.

Is the Computer Science Principles course AP accredited? Can students who take this course receive college credit?

The College Board has approved CSP as a AP curriculum beginning Fall 2016.

BSU offers concurrent enrollment for the AP CSP course as CS 101. Concurrent enrollment can be obtained for students successfully passing the course taught by a BSU qualified teacher.

What are the equipment requirements for ECS and AP CSP courses?

Each student should have access to a computing device (e.g., Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook or tablet) device with internet access. This provides a number of possibilities a school might consider:

Schedule existing computer lab(s) for this course.
A number of schools have access to a laptop cart which can be scheduled for use. This allows the course to be offered without allocating a dedicated room with devices.
Other schools are considering the alternative of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device).
For larger classes, consider a hybrid model in which a schools laptop cart is used and students may choose to utilize their own device to expand the computer capacity for the class.

The teacher should carefully consider the computing requirements:

Each platform will impose different requirements on the teacher, a homogeneous environment can simplify the teachers work.
A keyboard and mouse are very useful when writing and editing code, thus a tablet alone may make coding more difficult affecting student interest and progress.

The ECS curriculum unit 6 is about Robotics. This unit is optional, but may be an enjoyable unit to cap off the ECS course.

Some school districts have created technology grants – check with your district or the Idaho STEM Action Center regarding grant opportunities.
CTE certification provides additional opportunities for teachers to obtain money for classroom equipment.

What does the timeline for a new pilot CS course look like at the secondary level?

Each district has their own process, the few districts we have information on have a deadline for the initial pilot application around October 15th to pilot a new course in the Fall of the following year. Due to the differences in districts, it is best to have the Pilot course discussion with your Principal as soon as possible before October.

The curriculum committee will consider the proposal and provide their decision. In the Boise district, the decision is made before November 30th in preparation for upcoming student registration.

If the application is approved, additional information maybe submitted to the content area supervisor. This information may be similar to what the Boise districts requests by January 31st:

A detailed budget, including student fees
Course prerequisites
A course outline and assessment plan