Computer Science
ESDs led statewide efforts to advance sustainable CS education using data-based decisions to support districts, schools, educators, and students. They raised awareness, provided professional learning opportunities, facilitated strategic planning for CS implementation, and acted as a technical resource for districts.
While funding for this work statewide has diminished, individual regions may still be offering support and learning opportunities. Contact your regional ESD to learn more.
What Computer Science Leaders Did:
CS leaders offered computer science implementation support for:
Schools & Districts
- Provided strategic planning assistance, including SCRIPT
- Offered computer science materials loan programs
- Reviewing CS curriculum and materials with technical assistance
- Delivered general CS consulting
Educators
- Facilitated book studies
- Coordinated professional learning communities, including the WINforCS Network
- Delivered professional development for educators and administrators (online and in person), including Computer Science and STEM conferences and presentations
- Provided instructional coaching
Students & Families
- Coordinated family/community events such as Family Code Night
Our Goals
Equitable Integration
Supported leaders who could help promote equitable integration of computer science (CS) and computational thinking (CT) concepts and activities, especially for underserved populations.
Information Sharing & Professional Learning
Kept educators apprised of the big picture of CS education in Washington and provided access to high-quality learning opportunities and resources.
Curriculum Enhancement
Helped educators understand how and why to use integrated CS/CT activities to enhance all curriculum areas, taught 21st-century skills, and exposed students to essential concepts.
Upcoming Statewide Computer Science Classes
Click on a listing below to learn more and register:
Computer Science Resource Library
This resource is an extensive collection of programs and information. Use these resources as a springboard to delve deeper into each topic and curate a diverse information collection.
Why CS Matters
The video titled “Computer Science Matters” is a short clip emphasizing the importance of computer science for everyone. It features influential figures such as Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Makinde Adeagbo, Karlie Kloss, Kevin Systrom, Paola Meija Minaya, Drew Houston, and President Barack Obama. Code.org hosts the video. The video encourages viewers to start learning at Code.org. It’s an excellent resource for anyone interested in computer science.
Sample Resources
Computer Science for Everyone
This organization promotes CS education and offers comprehensive resources on the importance of CS for all students.
Code Studio
Year band(s): 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10
Code Studio is a fun, creative platform for learning basic coding and computer science! Using a blended learning model, students learn with a mix of online activities (on the computer) and “unplugged” classroom activities that use no computer.
Code Studio contains many online courses and other resources to support the development of computer programming skills in students of all ages. Select the most appropriate activity based on the student’s age and ability and progress through increasing difficulty. As well as online courses, Code Studio contains other resources, including instructional videos, activity background, related unplugged activities, tutorials, and teacher lesson plans.
Hour of Code
Learning computer science is more than learning to code in a computer language; it’s about learning how computers and software change everything.
Coding and programming are used in digital animation in movies like Inside Out, Shaun the Sheep, Star Wars, or Hunger Games, recording music with GarageBand on your computer, mobile banking, etc.
Students are challenged to spend an hour learning the basics of coding and can do so by participating in the Hour of Code.
CSTA (Computer Science Teachers Association)
Connect, Grow, & Share with CS Teachers
The Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) is a professional association whose mission is to “empower, engage and advocate for K-12 CS teachers worldwide.” It supports and encourages education in computer science and related areas.
- K-12 computer science teachers lead it and put teacher needs at the forefront.
- Share the latest best practices in K-12 computer science education.
- Creates local communities across the US + Canada that make sure every computer science teacher has a home.
- Builds the world’s largest teacher-led computer science professional development event each year!
- Provides access to exclusive discounts on courses and tools that will take your teaching practice to the next level. Education.
Computational Thinking
Computational thinking: A digital age skill for everyone
In a rapidly changing world, today’s students will need new skills to solve tomorrow’s problems. Computational thinking allows them to recognize when and how technology can boost their critical-thinking, creative, and problem-solving skills to find innovative solutions to real-world problems. ISTE, CSTA, and NSF collaborated on this video, part of a suite of free CT resources at https://iste.org/computational-thinking.
Computational Thinking for a Computational World
The relationship between programming/ coding, computer science, and computational thinking makes sense for computers to help people solve problems.
This paper argues that computational thinking is central to computer science and widely applicable throughout education and the workforce. It is a skillset for solving complex problems, a way to learn topics in any discipline and a necessity for fully participating in a computational world.
Definition of Computer Science, Computational Thinking and Coding
Computational thinking encompasses skills and processes that enable students to navigate complex problems.
Though often used to develop code, computational thinking can be more broadly applied. This process is a map from curiosity to understanding , making it easier to tackle large and small problems in both “plugged” and “unplugged” scenarios. Computational thinking results in an algorithm, ensuring the process can be replicated. In other words, it is about the problem-solving process as much as it is about solving it.
Moreover, computational thinking builds metacognitive skills that teach students how to think, which is especially important as education moves from content acquisition to higher-order thinking skills.
Computational Thinking for an Inclusive World: A Resource for Educators to Learn and Lead
Technology is becoming more integral across professional fields and within our daily lives, especially since the onset of the pandemic. As such, opportunities to learn computational thinking are essential to all students—not only the ones who will eventually study computer science or enter the information technology industry. However, significant inequalities continue to exist in access to equipment and learning opportunities needed to build computational thinking skills for students who experience marginalization.
Standards and Competencies
Computational Thinking Competencies
The ISTE Computational Thinking Competencies guide educators in integrating computational thinking across disciplines with all students. The goal is to help learners harness the power of computing to innovate and solve problems.
Discover how this work complements the existing CSTA K-12 CS Standards for Students and the K-12 Computer Science Framework.
K-12 CS Standards for Students
The K-12 Computer Science Standards, Revised 2017, delineate a core set of learning objectives designed to provide the foundation for a complete computer science curriculum and its implementation at the K-12 level.
K-12 CS Standards Progression
All CSTA K-12 Standards are aligned to a set of concepts from the K-12 CS Framework. We designed the Standards to be coherent and vertically aligned. View a chart detailing the progressions across grades K-12.
K-12 Computer Science Framework
The K–12 Computer Science Framework vision is for students to be computationally literate creators proficient in computer science concepts and practices. States, districts, and organizations can use the framework to inform standards and curriculum development, build capacity for teaching computer science, and implement computer science pathways.
The framework is designed to guide computer science from a subject for the fortunate few to an opportunity for all.
Learning Standards
The Washington State Computer Science K–12 Learning Standards are designed to enhance teacher understanding and improve student learning to better equip students for college, career, and life. As directed by the legislature, these are the national CSTA CS Standards.
Guidance on Teaching Computer Science in K–12 Public Schools
To assist in the implementation of WA State SB5088 requirement, OSPI assembled subject matter experts from higher education, Career and Technical Education, K–12, business, and other knowledgeable state representatives to create a definition of computer science specifically for the K–12 environment. The definition was then piloted in several schools. The refined definition presented in this document is grounded in state and national standards and clarifies the question, “What does computer science look like in my classroom?”
Washington State Computer Science Strategic Plan
The Computer Science State Strategic Plan is a community-developed living document. It will be updated based on feedback provided by various stakeholders. Successful implementation of this plan and equitable outcomes for students will require buy-in from cross-sector partners, including students, families, educators, businesses, philanthropy, agencies, and community-based organizations.
Computer Science Resource Bank
The Colorado Department of Education’s online Computer Science Resource Bank is updated through collaboration with educators and industry experts. This online resource bank provides teachers with various ideas, including sample curricula, materials, and information about student scholarships.
This FREE resource features a search function that allows you to filter by resource type, topic area, and grade level. Additional resources include computer science organizations, associations, and partners.
Code.org
Code.org® is a non-profit dedicated to expanding access to computer science and increasing…
View Code.org Resources >
Blockly Games
View Blockify Resources >
Lightbot
Teaches students ages four and up, programming and coding logic….
View Lightbot Resources >
Scratch
Your students can use Scratch to code their own interactive stories, animations, and games. In…
View Scratch Resources >
Tynker
Tynker is a creative computing platform where millions of kids have learned to program and build…
View Tynker Resources >
CodeHS
Some free resources, and a two-tiered pay structure. Teacher support with online tutors. Curriculum…
View CodeHS Resources >
Coder Dojo
Learning resources, lessons, and online modules for Java, PHP, HTML, Python, Scratch, Swift, and more…
View Coder Dojo Resources >
Girls Who Code
Girls Who Code was founded with a single mission: to close the gender gap in technology…
View Girls Who Code Resources >
Mobile CSP
Mobile CSP is an openly licensed, NSF-funded AP CSP curriculum supporting evidenced-based…
View Mobile CSP Resources >
Partners
Success Stories
Read about the successes that our educators have had learning and implementing CS strategies in their classrooms.
Supporting Strategic CS Education Planning Across Washington
In January 2025, Computer Science (CS) Leads from all nine Educational Service Districts (ESDs) partnered to deliver five virtual, two-hour workshops for school districts awarded planning-phase funds through the 2024–2025 OSPI CS Education Grant. District teams from...
Sunnyside Strengthens K–5 Computer Science Through PD
On March 12, 2025, Sunnyside School District’s Instructional Technology Coach Cassie Schilperoort led an engaging K–5 Computer Science (CS) professional development day for educators from all five of the district’s elementary schools with support from ESD 105’s...
Integrating Computer Science Into Science: Climate Change Solutions Through Coding
Empowering Educators Through Coding and Climate Action! In today’s rapidly evolving digital world, understanding how computers and coding shape our society is increasingly important. This project aims to challenge stereotypes that primary and secondary students may...
Computer Science Regional Contacts
For more information, please visit your regional website listed below or click on the Request Information button to submit a form.