Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed House Bill 1813 into law today. The law establishes K–12 education standards for computer science courses, in addition to providing scholarship funds for teachers to get trained in computer science education and establishing related standards for teachers.
The bill was passed by both the state House and Senate on May 28. It prioritizes reaching students who are often underrepresented in computer science education. Of the 1,048 students who took the AP computer science test last year, only 260 were female, 23 were African American and 25 were Hispanic.
Code.org CEO Hadi Partovi was a major proponent of the bill. “As every industry is being turned upside down by technology,” Partovi said in a press release, “it’s critical for every Washington student to have the chance to learn how to build technology, not just use it.”
