With Minnesota ranking dead last for computer education, Rochester-area educators push forward for change

Apr. 1—ROCHESTER — Last Thursday afternoon at Mayo High School, Eric Dirks projected a line of HTML code onto a screen in his classroom as his students sat in front of their computers watching.

The students were learning how to create websites and were trying to work out the nuances of turning a series of letters and characters into the right commands and, subsequently, a workable product. Knowing his audience, he chose a lovable example to illustrate the process.

this is my website

This is a paragraph about a puppy. This puppy is a beagle. She is cute.

High school students in 2024 have been raised in an age saturated with technology — social media, streaming, GPS, and more. But, for many of the students, this may have been the first time they were able to see how things work behind the flashing images.

They're fortunate for that opportunity. Although they may not know it, the fact that they have access to a computer science class in high school makes them an exception in Minnesota rather than the rule. There is an effort underway to turn that reality around. And in some ways, Rochester is being used as a model for programs to come elsewhere.

"I do really think there should be at least an introductory (computer science) class in school," Dirks said. "I would say that should be required."

Minnesota is ranked 50th — last place — among U.S. states for availability of computer science education in grades K-12. In other words, the very last morsel of lutefisk to be scraped from the bottom of the proverbial barrel.

According to a report, only 28% of Minnesota high school students have access to foundational computer science courses. In Montana, the next state ranked higher than Minnesota, 34% of high school students have access to such a course. On the other end of the spectrum, 99% of Arizona high school students have access.

The state doesn't require schools to offer computer science classes. Nor is there a specific licensure for computer science teachers.

But amid the state's grim landscape, RPS has had advanced programs in computer science for some time. In 2020, the district announced it would

develop a P-TECH program,

which stands for Pathways in Technology Early College High School. Done in partnership with Mayo Clinic and IBM, the program allows students to pursue either a nursing or IT pathway at Rochester Community and Technical College while still enrolled in high school.

As RPS Superintendent Kent Pekel reminded the Minnesota Legislature during his testimony in February, Rochester was not only the first district in the state to host such a program, it was meant to be held up as a model to be replicated elsewhere.

"Our P-TECH program was launched in 2021 with full funding from the state of Minnesota to enable us to bring the model to our state," Pekel said. "It would be shortsighted to end this promising program before those students enter higher education and before we can evaluate the effectiveness of the P-TECH model here in Minnesota."

Even before P-TECH, the district had

another program called CTECH.

Like P-TECH, the program offered a number of pathways for students to get a taste of career and technical education — including computer science classes. However, unlike students having to be selected as part of a cohort to go through an entire program, students could opt to take individual courses at CTECH.

In other words, Rochester students could take computer classes at their individual high schools. They could take computer classes at CTECH, which operates out of a separate building from the high schools. And a select few can be chosen for a cohort of the P-TECH program.

Laced throughout the system is a fairly comprehensive array of options: Introductory classes and AP classes, a class for web design and a class for programming. The highest-level class the district offers is called "algorithms and data structures." For perspective, it's equivalent to a second-year university course.

"I think that the pathway that RPS offers is one of the best in the nation," said John Bartucz, a former RPS teacher who now works for the University of Minnesota. "It is unique in both the breadth and depth that's offered to students."

Bartucz was one of the people to help bring the P-TECH program to RPS. And he was recently president of the Minnesota Computer Science Teachers Association.

Rochester isn't the only Minnesota school district that's offering computer classes to students. Dover-Eyota has offered middle school classes in computer basics and coding, and high school classes in computer-aided design and drafting, coding, app design, computer applications, and graphic design.

Students in Byron

were named state winners

for Samsung's Design For Tomorrow challenge for designing a system that allows their peers to access food, personal items, and clothing using an app.

Even elementary students in Zumbrota-Mazeppa have been able

to start developing their technology skills

by learning how to "program" robots to do certain tasks.

Even with such low statewide success in specific computer science education, technology is still sprinkled into the system in other ways. Dover-Eyota Principal Sarah Carlson explained that the state standards for art, science, and language arts "all incorporate integrated technology and computer science concepts and skills."

But the state is trying to develop more structure to the otherwise broad, scattershot initiative, as outlined in a strategic plan the Minnesota Department of Education drafted last year.

"Although the important work and impacts of individual educators and organizations in expanding access to computer science education is notable, as a state there is a lack of larger structures and supports such as teacher licensure, funding for professional development, guidance from standards, and consistent data and reporting."

Some of that is beginning to change — at least in baby steps. In 2023, the Legislature approved $1 million for computer science education. The state also added a full-time computer science specialist to the roster of the Minnesota Department of Education.

With any luck, the effort will eventually result in not just better education, but a more ample workforce.

In his classroom at Mayo High School, Dirks has pictures of former students who have gone on to work at high-profile companies, including Google and the University of Minnesota. He's even had former students return to his classroom to share their experiences with his current students.

He also goes to other classes to talk to kids about the benefits of taking computer science.

Last year, he was recognized

for increasing the percentage of female students opting to take computer classes.

But Bartucz says that knowing the basics of computer science will benefit even those who don't go on to be programmers themselves.

"That's really where we have to focus," Bartucz said. "You don't have to be a coder. But you do have to know how to use computers."

And ultimately, it has more benefits than simply improving students' career prospects.

Two of the students working on projects in Dirks' classroom were sophomores Aubrie Refsland and Dana Kebede.

"I think it's great even for people who don't want to go into the engineering field or coding field," Kebede said, "because it shows you a different way of thinking."