Central Broward News

Parkway Middle School issued the following announcement on Nov. 23

Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) computer science initiative will serve as a national model for broadening participation in computer science in schools. Over the next four years, BCPS will participate in three Computer Science for All grants, which were recently awarded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The three grants focus on increasing participation in Computer Science education among underserved groups, including minority students and students with disabilities.

The grants include:

• Collaborative Research: A research-practice partnership focused on creating equitable computer science opportunities for elementary students – Will integrate computer science through problem-based learning units that will eventually be made available nationwide on Code.org, one of the largest providers of K-12 computer science content. The grant was awarded to BCPS in partnership with Outlier Research & Evaluation at UChicago STEM Education at the University of Chicago and with the University of Florida.
• Universal Design for Computer Science Learning: Partnership for Inclusive Elementary Computer Science Education – focuses on increasing participation in computer science among elementary students with disabilities. This grant was awarded to the University of Florida, with BCPS selected as one of four partnering school districts.
• Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Community of Practice to Prepare and Support Teachers to Teach Rigorous Computer Science Courses in Culturally Diverse School Districts – this grant will leverage HBCU to facilitate a series of professional development trainings for high school computer science teachers. The grant was awarded to the Quality Education for Minorities Network, in partnership with L.L. Burge and Associates, LLC., and Florida Memorial University. BCPS was selected as one of three participating school districts.

BCPS offers computer science courses, curriculum and activities at every elementary, middle and high school. Computer science prepares students to innovate and create the new technologies that drive local and national economies – and provide them the ability to make a difference in a global society. To learn more about the District’s computer science initiative, visit browardschools.com/browardcodes.

For more information, contact Dr. Lisa Milenkovic, Supervisor, Applied Learning: STEM + Computer Science, at 754-321-2623 or lisa.milenkovic@browardschools.com.

Original source can be found here.