Governor Ivey Creates Computer Science Education Advisory Council

MONTGOMERY – Governor Kay Ivey on Wednesday announced the creation of the Governor’s Advisory Council for Computer Science Education. The council consists of educators, business and industry representatives and others that work in or advocate for computer science education.
This advisory council will make recommendations to the Governor for the expansion of computer science education. While the council will prioritize computer science opportunities and courses for students, it will also focus on the professional development of teachers, ensuring Alabama educators will be better trained to teach for the modern economy.
“We have a lot of great work happening around our state, but we need to create a unified vision that will provide better access to, and equal opportunity for, all of our students to succeed in a technology-driven economy,” Governor Ivey said. “I will use this advisory group to help create new policies aimed at better preparing our students and teachers for the future.”
The Governor’s announcement comes just two days after President Trump announced that $200 million would be available in a competitive grant program to expand STEM opportunities, with a focus on women, minorities and students in rural communities. Additionally, tech companies, including Amazon, Facebook, Google and Microsoft, pledged over $300 million collectively for computer science programs nationally on Tuesday.
“Alabama is already paving the way for expanding access to STEM education. I am excited to have advocates on my council that are making an impact across our state and most recently, in the Black Belt,” Governor Ivey said. “We look forward to creating proposals that will not only train our students, but will also well-position us for any grants that might become available.”
The council, officially formed earlier this month, is part of Governor Ivey’s “Strong Start, Strong Finish” Education Initiative.
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