Eighteen school districts across the state of North Carolina will receive a total of $800,000 in grant funding to help students develop computer science skills through coding and app development.
The funding is part of the Coding and Mobile App Development Grant program, launched in 2017, which supports partnerships with local businesses to help schools develop computer science, coding, and mobile app development programs for middle and high school students.
The grants – which range in size from $13,000 to $80,000 – are used by districts and schools to obtain equipment, purchase digital materials, and cover costs associated with teacher professional development to build capacity in coding, computer science, and mobile application development initiatives.
“We’re thrilled we were able to fund all 18 applications for the Coding and Mobile App Development Grant this year,” State Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt said. “The workforce here in North Carolina is changing rapidly, and we must respond with initiatives like this to ensure that students know about these high-wage, in-demand roles and are equipped to take advantage of them. The growth of technology-related jobs across the state and nation, especially those involving artificial intelligence, underscores the need to drive alignment between our K-12 education system and the needs of our businesses and industries.”
This year, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction was focused on awarding grants that will help school districts establish strategies needed to implement and integrate North Carolina’s new K-12 Computer Science Standards by prioritizing professional development for teachers and introducing students to computer science in novel ways.
Additionally, the department awarded the grants with the understanding that ninth graders entering high school in the 2024–2025 school year and beyond are now required to complete a computer science course before graduation.
