RIDE Receives $2.5 Million Grant to Improve Computer Science Education

RIDE Receives $2.5 Million Grant to Improve Computer Science Education

The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) has been awarded a $2.5 million Education Innovation and Research grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

The grant will expand services for over 1,000 students and includes a research partnership to guide future improvement to Computer Science for Rhode Island.

“If we want students to graduate ready for the jobs of tomorrow, we need to make their learning experiences more meaningful, rigorous, and hands-on. Through this grant, we will be able to enhance computer science programming and better understand what levers are most impactful in setting students up for success in this high-wage, high-growth industry,” said Angélica Infante-Green, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education.

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The Grant

The grant will support future improvements in computer science education, as well as the overall work-based learning strategies under Prepare Rhode Island (PrepareRI), the state’s comprehensive career readiness initiative. 

“Over the next decade, computer science careers are expected to grow by 16 percent. That means Rhode Island students will have more opportunities to compete for good-paying jobs. When students have work-based and advanced learning opportunities while they’re still in school, they are more likely to excel when they enter the workforce. We need to continue to align what students learn in the classroom with the skills they need to succeed in a 21st-century economy, and this grant will help us do just that,” said Governor Gina Raimondo.

The five-year project will create or enhance computer science pathways in up to 20 Rhode Island schools, where student experiences will culminate in an Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles course in grade 11.

Professional development will also be provided to teachers participating in this project.

In half of the schools, students will participate in an industry project in conjunction with computer science professionals. 

RIDE will then study the impact of work-based learning on student performance on the AP test.