FUNDING ANNOUNCED FOR COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION

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John Padget and Jacob Dekker today pledged financial support of $ 100,000 for <Monroe/> COMPUTE$, a $ 400,000 initiative to create a “computing platform” of courses and certificates in Monroe County. Grants are available immediately—but must be claimed before June 30, 2015—from the Kura Hulanda Foundation, a private foundation supported by Padget and Dekker.

Grants will be made directly to all Monroe County students who successfully earn credentials in computer science during the 2014-15 school year. “We expect at least 350 middle, high-school, and college students to qualify,” according to Padget, Vice-Chair of Florida’s State Board of Education, and former Monroe County Superintendent of Schools. “The schools and the college will benefit, with matching performance-based funding of over $ 300,000 from the State of Florida.”

“There are about 25,000 open computing jobs in Florida right now,” according to Padget.  “Experts expect 1,000,000 more jobs than graduates in America by 2020, and that’s just six years away.  Kids in middle and high school have to get into the computer science pipeline to be ready.”

According to www.Code.org only 1,521 students in Florida took AP Computer Science in 2013, and only 44% passed with a 3 or better.  And, only 125 Florida K-12 schools teach computer science!