Equity & Diversity Report Roundup

Computer Science

By Marva Hinton — October 25, 2016 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Lack of access to computers and computer science classes contribute to the continuing racial and gender gaps in K-12 computer science education, according to a nationwide survey conducted by the Gallup organization for Google.

Gallup conducted phone interviews with more than 1,600 students in grades 7-12 and their parents in December of 2015 and January 2016. The polling group also interviewed some 1,000 teachers of grades 1-12 and more 11,000 administrators. The results show that:

• Black students are less likely than white students to have computer science classes at school (47 percent versus 58 percent, respectively).

• Black and Hispanic students are less likely than white students to use a computer at home.

• Girls are less likely than boys to be told by parents or teachers that they would be good at computer science.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the October 26, 2016 edition of Education Week as Computer Science

Events

Reading & Literacy K-12 Essentials Forum Supporting Struggling Readers in Middle and High School
Join this free virtual event to learn more about policy, data, research, and experiences around supporting older students who struggle to read.
School & District Management Webinar Squeeze More Learning Time Out of the School Day
Learn how to increase learning time for your students by identifying and minimizing classroom disruptions.
Recruitment & Retention Webinar EdRecruiter 2026 Survey Results: How School Districts are Finding and Keeping Talent
Discover the latest K-12 hiring trends from EdWeek’s nationwide survey of job seekers and district HR professionals.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Equity & Diversity Trump Admin. Effort to End 1960s School Desegregation Cases Faces a Hurdle
The case offers an early test of the government’s attempt to quickly end long-running cases.
2 min read
A school bus is seen behind a fence with barbed wire outside Ferriday High School in Ferriday, La., May 22, 2025.
A school bus is seen behind a fence with barbed wire outside Ferriday High School in Ferriday, La., May 22, 2025. Dozens of 1960s school desegregation cases remain in place across Louisiana and the South. The Trump administration has said it intends to end these cases.
Gerald Herbert/AP
Equity & Diversity Opinion 'Am I Doing Enough?': Chicago Teachers Share Their Heartache Over ICE Raids
Teachers in Latino areas describe the trauma and economic disruption federal raids are causing.
8 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Equity & Diversity Remains, Stories of Native American Students Are Being Reclaimed From a Cemetery
Records offer a glimpse into their experiences at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania.
7 min read
This photo provided by the Carlisle Indian School Digital Resource Center shows the 1892 student body of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School assembled on the school grounds in Carlisle, Pa.
This photo provided by the Carlisle Indian School Digital Resource Center shows the 1892 student body of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School assembled on the school grounds in Carlisle, Pa.
John N. Choate/AP
Equity & Diversity Opinion Schools Cannot Afford to Ignore Race and Identity
People often don't notice discrimination if it doesn't affect them directly.
13 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week