The 2023 State of Computer Science report, conducted by a consortium of organizations, including Code.org, ranks Arkansas first in the nation for the percentage of schools in the state offering foundational computer science classes.
Nationally, an average of about 57% of public high schools offer some type of computer science course, the study said. It found that in 2023, Arkansas average more than 4,000 open computing jobs each month with an average salary of about $80,000.
Arkansas requires all students to take one credit of a computer science or a computer science-related career and technical education course to graduate, beginning with the ninth grade class of 2022-23.
The state has been funding computer science education annually since 2016, the study said. Total funding reached $28 million after the 2023 legislative session.
The 2023 report recommends that Arkansas “ensure there are robust CTE standards for integrated CTE-computer science courses.”
“Arkansas should regularly update its state plan to ensure this document continues to be an effective guide for computer science education,” the report said.
This year, Arkansas lawmakers approved a bill that changed a computer science course requirement for graduation to a requirement that expanded that course work to CTE curriculum inclusive of some type of computer training component.
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