How A New Free Online Computer Science Course Could Bring College Prep To Everyone

The CrunchGov Essential is a scannable roundup of technology’s influence on the day’s big issues. Below a feature post, we present the most thoughtful, outrageous, and inspiring stories told through the web’s best content. Sign up for the morning newsletter here. All the equality cheerleading in the world won’t make Silicon Valley more colorful if only a select class of elite students have access to Computer Science. According to the College Board, only 11% of schools offer Advanced Placement Computer Science, serving a very select group of 30,000 students annually. Now, some diversity may be heading the Valley’s way thanks to Former New York Schools Chancellor and Amplify CEO, Joel Klein, who is giving away a free Massively Open Online Course in Advanced Placement Computer Science. “There’s very few really good computer science teachers in America”, Klein tells me, at the The Atlantic’s Aspen Ideas Festival. “There are lots of kids who are prepared and could do well in these programs.” Starting this Fall, Amplify will provide an interactive online course to students around the country. More than 3,000 schools will offer students 2 semesters worth of credit hours. While details are scant on the curriculum, it will hopefully open up a path to a more colorful technology sector. Hispanics and blacks make up 30 and 13% of the American population, respectively, but they only account for 6.7 and 5% of Computer Science degrees, according to a report by the Anita Borg Institute For Women In Technology. The bold move already has qualified accolades from Education leaders who are tired of seeing the rich-poor gap eat away opportunity in their districts. “You don’t have to worry that your school does not offer this, you can get this online and that’s very important for people who live in circumstances of poverty,” says Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent John Deasy. Aside from the very poor, there’s countless smaller specialized schools that may not have the resources for such an advanced course, “Those kids should not be denied that opportunity.” Deasy, who just spearheaded a $30 million plan to roll out iPads district-wide, is a fan of ambitious tech experiments. When I asked him what Klein had to prove in order to make it successful, he said “I don’t need to be convinced it is a solution, it is already an opportunity for our students.” The Department of Education’s technology lead, who

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