COMPUTER SCIENCE in the CORE ??

Date: March 29, 2007
2 minute hearing for the 21-core requirements for High School Graduation

COMPUTER SCIENCE in the CORE ??

Advanced Placement Computer Science courses are currently accepted in North Carolina as a core math credit except in Wake County, where it falls often under Career & Technical Education (CTE) with the other programming courses.
Right now, Computer Science is not mentioned in the core, but here are some viable options:
1. AP CS as a math credit, the rest as CTE endorsements?
2. AP CS as an AP endorsement and the rest as CTE endorsements?
3. AP CS and the rest as CTE endorsements?

There’s a problem with all of these because:
· There is no specific certification for CS teachers in NC.
· The current teachers are either Math, CTE, or both.·
If any of the above solutions are met, then teachers will either be forced to teach something else, quit, or have to get a new license.

SO, Our (Computer Science Teachers of America – CSTA) questions respond to the news press on ncpublicschools.org.

The new core includes:
· 4 units of English
· 4 units of mathematics
· 3 units of science
· 3 units of social studies
· 2 units of a second language
· 1 unit of health/physical education
· an endorsement of at least four units in one of the following areas: Career-Technical, Arts education, Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC), Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate, second language or other.

Does other include computer science? Or is it included in the math requirements?

Other state graduation requirements will continue to be in place. These include:
· Passing the end-of-course tests (in Algebra I, English I, US History, Civics and Economics, and Biology)
· Completing a graduation project .
Local boards of education continue to have the authority to add to the state requirements. The new core will not affect students with disabilities who qualify for the occupational course of study. Most students already take the core classes, but this core raises the standard by requiring
· four mathematics courses
· a second language study for all
· a selected area of emphasis for their high school work with an eye to college work, career or both.

Can one of those four mathematics courses be computer science?

The core framework of courses will not be one-size-fits-all. Students will select specific courses within the 21 requirements and there will be opportunities for course substitutions in some cases where this is appropriate.

Can computer science be a substitution since it doesn’t fall anywhere else?