Computer Science Education Summit
The first Computer Science Education Summit was held as a virtual event on July 27, 2021. More than 200 participants attended, and opening remarks were provided by Gov. Tate Reeves; Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann; Dr. Carey Wright, the Mississippi state superintendent of education; and Hu Meena, C Spire chairman and chief executive officer. State Sen. Scott DeLano, Carla Lewis (C Spire), Amy Roberts (Code.org), and Dr. Shahram Rahimi (Mississippi State University Department of Computer Science and Engineering) spoke to the group about the need for computer science legislation to ensure all students across the state have access to this vital skill set that will impact every career field as well as the lives of all citizens. All sessions were recorded so if you were unable to attend or would like to review a session, please use the links below:
Opening session recording and slides
Breakout session 1 (planning by grade band):
District level recording and slides
Elementary School recording and slides
Middle School recording and slides
Breakout session 2 (CS education activities):
Virtual Reality Demonstration recording
CS Legislation
On March 21, 2021, Gov. Tate Reeves signed into law House Bill 633, The Mississippi Computer Science and Cyber Education Equality Act. This legislation requires all Mississippi school districts to offer computer science at all schools, kindergarten through 12th grade, by the 2024-2025 school year. It provides for a phased-in approach allowing districts to comply over a period of four years. You can view the entire bill here: https://legiscan.com/MS/text/HB633/2021
The Mississippi Department of Education and the Center for Cyber Education in the Research and Curriculum Unit at Mississippi State University recently conducted webinars for school districts to learn more about the legislation and options for implementation and teacher training. Below is a link to the recording and slides from those presentations: