Sustain Computer Science
District leaders: Build lasting computer science pathways
Computer science (CS) education is at a crossroads in Ohio. While 92% of jobs now require digital skills, only 61% of Ohio public high schools offer foundational computer science. Proposed legislation (SB 326) would require a CS course for graduation by 2027-28.
Sustaining Computer Science helps district teams prepare by developing a written implementation plan tailored to their context and resources.
Three stages take your team to a district-wide plan
Through six one-hour virtual sessions across the school year, district teams will work through a structured planning process:
1. Assess current CS offerings across grade levels and identify strengths.
Conduct a comprehensive review of existing computer science learning experiences—from standalone lessons to integrated activities—to determine what is working well. This includes analyzing student engagement, instructional alignment, teacher capacity, and the quality of learning artifacts to understand where current instruction is already meeting expectations.
2. Identify gaps between current programming and Ohio’s current and emerging expectations for CS education.
Compare existing curriculum, instructional practices, and student experiences with Ohio’s computer science standards, learning progressions, and policy expectations. This gap analysis should highlight missing content areas, underrepresented grade bands, opportunities for deeper computational thinking, and areas where access or equity can be strengthened.
3. Develop a strategic plan with timelines, resources, and educator supports.
Create a multi-year implementation plan that outlines key priorities, milestones, and required resources such as curriculum materials, technology tools, and professional learning. Include clear timelines and specific strategies to build teacher capacity, ensuring educators feel supported as the school expands and strengthens its computer science program.
Program details
Schedule
Six interactive, hour long virtual sessions guide your team through each phase of the process.
Between meetings, structured planning templates help you gather essential information—like curriculum pathways and student access—so every session builds momentum.
Eligibility
Designed for district leadership teams—including superintendents, curriculum directors, and technology coordinators—this program works best with teams of 2–4.
Participating districts will:
- designate a CS champion,
- secure superintendent approval, and
- commit to launching CS and/or AI courses within the next 1–2 years.
Deliverables
A customized CS implementation plan designed specifically for your district, including:
- Complete curriculum pathway from elementary through high school outlining where and how students will learn computer science over time.
- Staffing and professional learning plan that identifies who will teach CS, what support they need, and how the district will build long term instructional capacity.
- Phased rollout timeline that maps out when new CS and/or AI courses will launch and key milestones along the way.
- Resource and budget blueprint detailing technology, materials, partnerships, and financial needs to sustain the program.
- Clear student access goals to ensure equitable opportunities across schools, grade levels, and demographic groups.
Program offered at no cost to educators
OSLN is proud to recognize the following Educational Service Centers (ESCs): ESC of Central Ohio, East Central Ohio ESC, Montgomery County ESC, and North Point ESC their partnership on the Teach CS Grants.
