SPRINGFIELD – In honor of Computer Science (CS) Education Week, the Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT) is encouraging educators, families, and businesses to leverage resources to support exploration and demonstrate that computer science is foundational for problem solving and critical skill building.

This 2022 CS Education Week theme is “CS Heroes #CelebratingProgress” which highlights the stridesmade to advance computer science education over the last decade. Computer science is an important subject because it teaches problem-solving and analytical strategies, and is an essential skill in the modern job market, with many scholarships dedicated to this area of study.

“As the economies of our state and our country grow and change, computer science skills will be more vital than ever for students graduating into this new reality,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “That’s why it’s essential that we ensure all students- regardless of race, gender, school district, or economic background- have opportunities to hone these skills and explore computer science as a career. Computer science classes, beginning in elementary school, are the gateway to this new age of technological innovation, and I’m proud Illinois students across the state are offered the opportunity to pursue this path.”

“CS Education Week is an annual call to celebrate all the contributions to the field of computer science and to inspire K-12 students to learn more about this field,” said Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology Secretary & State CIO Jennifer Ricker. “Students are exploring technology at a young age and it’s vital that we draw attention to all the possibilities with computer science education for our youth.”

“We all know that in the 21st century, computer science is a foundational subject,” said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carmen I. Ayala. “I am proud of Illinois’ efforts to ensure all students participate in computer science courses and vital opportunities to develop the skills they need to gain access to careers driving today’s economy. The high-wage, high-skill jobs in every sector require some degree of technical proficiency and computer literacy. We hope that Computer Science Education Week will inspire students and educators to learn and teach these computer science competencies that hold the keys to a successful future.”

In conjunction with CS Education Week, the annual Hour of Code is being celebrated, which is a global movement introducing tens of millions of students worldwide to computer science, inspiring them to learn, break stereotypes, and leave them feeling empowered.

The Hour of Code began as a one-hour coding challenge to give students an introduction to computer science and has become a global learning and awareness event. Hundreds of one-hour activities in over 48 languages for kindergarten and up are available to expose students and adults to basic coding concepts. More information on how to participate can be found here.

The Learning Technology Center of Illinois also created a Computer Science Resource Database to highlight CS resources. The Illinois State Board of Education provides fact sheets and additional resources for “Computer Science and Computer Literacy – Public Act 101-0654” here.