The Current Landscape of CS Education: Progress and Persistent Gaps

The 2021 IDRA infographic painted a picture of uneven access to CS, noting that only 51% of U.S. high schools taught the subject, with low-income and rural students least likely to benefit. Fast-forward to 2024, and there’s been notable improvement: approximately 60% of public high schools now offer foundational CS courses. Enrollment has ticked up too, with about 6.4% of high school students taking CS classes annually, compared to the 5% cited in the infographic. This growth reflects increased state investments—over $88 million allocated in 2024 budgets—and policy shifts, with 32 states now requiring high schools to offer at least one CS course.

However, disparities remain a critical issue, especially for families like yours if your child attends an under-resourced school. Rural and low-income areas still lag, with small schools (common in rural communities) showing lower CS availability. Affluent suburban districts are more likely to provide CS, exacerbating an “AI divide” where wealthier kids gain early exposure to tech skills. For struggling students, this gap means missing out on a subject that could reignite their interest in learning. Parental demand is strong: surveys from recent years echo the infographic’s 90% figure, with 69-91% of parents viewing CS as important or very important for their child’s future. If your child is disengaged, knowing that most parents see CS as a priority might motivate you to advocate for it in your school.

Gender and racial inequities persist as well. The infographic highlighted low enrollment in Advanced Placement (AP) CS among girls of color—4% for Latinas, 2% for Black girls, and less than 1% for Native American and Alaska Native girls. By 2024, female participation in AP CS exams has risen by over 12 percentage points since 2010, but girls still make up only about a third of foundational CS enrollees. Latine students are particularly underrepresented, comprising 20% of CS participants but 29% of overall enrollment. For struggling students from these groups, CS can be an equalizer, offering hands-on projects that build skills without relying on prior academic success.