By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The State Board of Education on Tuesday will consider whether to allow computer science to count as a core math or science credit toward high school graduation.
"People certainly recognize the importance of computers in our lives," said Mark Tallman with the Kansas Association of School Boards. "Some sense of computers, I think people would argue, would be helpful. Maybe computer science, in some ways as taught, is a lot of application, but may not provide, kind of the foundational math or science skills that you might want, to be ready for general college classes."
Currently in Kansas, high school students must take three units of science and three units of math. The recommendation would allow local boards to substitute one unit of computer science for either one unit of science or math.
"What do students need to be successful?" Tallman asked. "I think everyone agrees, we want kids to be successful, sometimes the debate is what you need. You may think you're only interested in computers. You might get that as a background, but what if you change your mind? Will you have the other skills necessary?"
Kansas is one of only two states that counts computer science as an elective, but not as a core graduation credit. Under the proposal, districts could allow a computer science course to be counted for a math or science credit in situations where the student has covered the three topics of physical, biological and earth and space science, or the two topics of algebraic and geometry concepts.
"Students respond better in school if they see the relevance," Tallman said. "Sometimes, rather theoretical courses may not have that. There's also a movement to say, what can we do to make sure that what we're having kids take is something where they see value and application to their future and they're likely to learn better and learn more if they believe that."
Last month, the State Board received the recommendation for computer science from a group that examined policy in other states, met with math and science consultants and received public comment.