Computer science drives job growth and innovation throughout our economy and society. Computing occupations are the number 1 source of all new wages in the U.S. and make up over half of all projected new jobs in STEM fields (In Oregon, there are over 4,700 open computer science (CS) positions). However, there is still a shortage of schools offering CS learning opportunities: only 37% of Oregon high schools teach any computer science courses (8% lower than the national average of 45%). As partners in educating and equipping youth for their future, we can all be part of the solution to  improve access for all students, including groups who have traditionally been underrepresented.

The Microsoft Philanthropies TEALS (Technology Education and Literacy in Schools) Program connects high school classroom teachers with tech-industry volunteers to create sustainable CS programs. Volunteers support teachers as they learn to teach CS independently over time. There are currently 19 high schools in Oregon partnering with TEALS to send over 60 volunteers into the classroom (either in-person or virtually) this school year. These volunteers co-teach and coach educators to help support existing educators as they build their own capacity to become Computer Science educators. To learn more about bringing the TEALS Program to your school or about becoming a TEALS volunteer, visit their website.

Are you itching to know what we found out and what are the answers to those tough questions: Who doesn't have access? How can we all provide an equitable, inclusive environment for youth and families? We have done our best to hear from all of you around the state, from small and large programs, from communities of color, rural communities and youth themself. While there is always more information to collect, thank you to everyone who has participated in this process! We couldn't have done this without hundreds of programs taking our survey, dozens of communities opening their doors to host a focus group, and the hundreds of hours spent analyzing and synthesizing the data. 

In the end, we hope to adequately share the voice of youth, families, and programs in Oregon that clearly say there is more that could be done to meet the needs and provide support through expanded learning opportunities in communities across Oregon. 

We will be spending this month finishing the final report and interactive map of data to unveil on January 15th at our annual Day at the Capitol. We hope you can join us there to share firsthand the policy recommendations and data from your community with your state legislators. If you are interested in learning more about the final report or your community, you can reach out to Juan Soto and   make sure to share the  Interim Report  in preparation!

Join OregonASK and Julie Rogers Bascom, a Service Learning Specialist from the National Youth Leadership Council (NYLC), for a webinar on  Tuesday, December 10th, 2019 . Participants will learn about the service learning framework, be introduced to the IPARD (Investigation, Planning, Action, Reflection, and Demonstration) process, and learn about future opportunities their program could implement. The webinar will kick off at  10:00 am PST and will cover some of the basics of service learning, how service learning supports youth voice and provide examples of what service learning can look like!

OregonASK will be offering professional development credit through the Oregon Center for Career Development at Portland State University, 1 hour of Set 1 Credit in Learning Environments and Curriculum (LEC) that program providers will be able to submit to the Oregon Registry after they've attended the webinar. To register for the webinar click here.