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Hello CSTA Washington members and friends!
Welcome to 2026 and to new beginnings! We hope everyone had a peaceful and joyful holiday season. We have some important updates to share this month, and in the spirit of New Year’s resolutions, we encourage you to participate in your local CSTA chapter by attending an online event, hosting a meetup, or posting your thoughts in our online discussion forum.
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News and Updates: Updated CSTA WA Bylaws
CSTA Washington is in the process of updating the chapter bylaws, which were originally signed in 2014 and amended in 2019. This needs to be done for the following reasons:
- to incorporate our updated mission statement
- to align our old bylaws with the updated CSTA National bylaws template
- And to acknowledge that we are doing business as the unified CSTA Washington chapter
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There are more details on the changes to the bylaws in this blogpost on cstawa.org.
Members of CSTA Washington (those who have joined through csteachers.org AND have joined CSTA Washington) will be receiving an email with the ballot this week.
Members! Please be on the lookout for our email with the ballot, and PLEASE VOTE!
If you’re not a member, please join so your voice can be heard in this matter.
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OSPI Elementary CS Educator Survey
Reader Action Requested
Are you an elementary school educator? OSPI needs your insights.
OSPI invites Washington elementary educators and leaders to complete a 15-minute survey on computer science education. Responses will guide future programs, and participants can enter to win a $30 Amazon gift card.
Teachers: http://tinyurl.com/3wrf8rac
Principals: http://bit.ly/44w7G54
Superintendents: http://bit.ly/3SzGlHP
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Upcoming CSTA WA Events
Upcoming Webinar: State of CS Education at Your District
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Join CSTA Washington for a one-hour webinar introducing new dashboards and reports that show the current state of computer science education in Washington.
When: January 22, 2026 from 6:00-7:00 PM
Topics:
- Review of State of CS Education in Washington 2025.
- New tools for examining CS education at the state, ESD, district, and school levels.
- CS and AI education initiatives from OSPI, ESDs, CSforAll Washington, and CSTA Washington.
- Feel free to extend this invite to anyone interested in understanding CS education data!
Register to receive the Zoom link here:
https://www.cstawa.org/state-of-cs-education-at-your-district-jan-2026/
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NCCE 2026
CSTA Washington will be hosting a booth at the Northwest Council for Computer Education (NCCE) conference at the Seattle Convention center February 25-27, 2026. In addition, Lawrence Tanimoto will be presenting a session on “How to Grow CS Education at your District/School” on Wednesday, February 25, 4:00 pm–4:50 pm.
Please stop by and say hi if you attend!
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Save the date: Virtual Lunch and Learn, AI and Equity PD
This event will feature special presentations, “Engaging the Disengaged: Making CS Fun and Equitable!” and “Mind V. Machine, AI and Copyright Infringement” and more. Resources and tools to be shared!!
Date: Saturday March 21, 2026
Time: 12:00-2:00pm
Official sign up and zoom link to come!
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Save the date: STEP CS Networking event
Save the date!!! Our annual STEP CS/CSTA Washington is scheduled for April 27, 2026 6:30-8:30 pm on the University of Washington campus!
We’re currently looking for two things: a) people who are interested in helping to organize/run the event and b) someone/some organization who is interested in sponsoring the food for the event. Please email washington@csteachers.org if you’re able to help in either regard.
Otherwise, stay tuned for the event sign up!
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Membership Drive: CSTA WA Memberships and Friendships
Next Steps for Readers: Join or Renew Your CSTA Washington Membership
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Join our organization at: csteachers.org
- For a limited time, educators can join or renew for $10 (normally $50) using the discount code WASHINGTON10.
- Membership provides access to national and local CS education resources, virtual communities, professional development, free-to-attend local and national events, CS career center, benefits such as CS vendor discounts and the ability to participate in chapter leadership and voting.
- Educators are encouraged to confirm that CSTA Washington is selected as their primary chapter in their CSTA account.
- Free options are also available through CSTA registration or the CSTA Washington Friendship program.
Alternatively, Join CSTA Washington Friendship Program
- The CSTA Washington Friendship program is a FREE way to stay connected to CS education across Washington. Friends receive the CSTA WA newsletter, updates on events and opportunities, free or discounted access to professional development, and free Washington clock hours for CSTA WA–sponsored events. While different from paid CSTA membership, the Friendship program offers a no-cost option to stay informed and involved. Voluntary donations help support these services.
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Learn more and register: https://www.cstawa.org/csta-washington-friendship-registration/
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News and Updates: New Website Released
Check out our new CSTA Washington website: https://cstawa.org
CSTA Washington has launched a new website designed to do something our chapter page on csteachers.org could not: showcase the full breadth and depth of K–12 computer science (and AI) education happening across Washington State.
This new site gives us the flexibility to share timely news, highlight educators and programs, and explore data and insights that matter to our community - all in one place.
What you’ll find on the site:
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News – The latest Washington K–12 CS education updates, plus archived newsletters and stories
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Events – Upcoming workshops, conferences, and community gatherings sponsored by CSTA Washington
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Opportunities – Opportunities for both K-12 CS educators and students
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Analytics – Projects like Washington CS & CTE Education Analytics 2025 and related data explorations
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Profiles – Spotlights on K-12 Washington CS educators, organizations, services, and resources
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Insights – Thoughtful posts examining trends, challenges, and progress in Washington CS education
Our new website is participatory and community-driven and still evolving.
If you have an event, opportunity, profile idea, blog post, data insight, or even a suggestion for improvement, we want to hear from you. Email us at washington@csteachers.org and help shape what this platform becomes!
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Thank you for being part of our community and for inspiring the next generation of technology creators. We’re grateful to be rebuilding this community together and appreciate your ongoing commitment to computer science education across Washington. Your passion and dedication are what make CSTA Washington strong!
With gratitude,
The CSTA WA Team
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