Moving Beyond Computer Literacy: Why Schools Should Teach Computer Science

Computer Science (CS) — not computer literacy — underlies most innovation today, from biotechnology to geoscience to national security. Computer science teaches students design, logical reasoning, and problem solving — all valuable well beyond the computer science classroom. This resource provides information about the value of computer science curriculum for students, educators, local and national economies as well as global society. It offers steps schools can take to successfully incorporate computer science education.

This report was published in 2020. While the foundational principles remain relevant, the statistics may not reflect current 2026 data. Click here for our latest By The Numbers card.