High-quality education in robotics, programming, coding and other key technologies is available to students across the country
Governor Janet Mills today announced the launch of a new Maine Department of Education (DOE) initiative that will provide every Maine public school with a free mobile computer science lab. Funded by the Governor’s Education Emergency Fund, the effort will give all Maine students access to high-quality learning experiences that provide real-world training in robotics, programming, augmented and virtual reality, coding and hardware.
In July, Governor Mills joined governors from across the country in signing a bipartisan national compact on computer science education. As part of the agreement, unveiled at the National Governors Association summer meeting in Portland, all 50 governors pledged to work to expand K-12 computer science education opportunities in their states.
“Our economy is increasingly dependent on workers with computer science education. This initiative will ensure that students across our state are prepared to succeed in the workplaces of the future,” said Governor Janet Mills. “My administration will continue to ensure that all Maine students have the opportunity to acquire digital literacy skills.”
“Maine is leading the nation in providing equipment to our schools across the state to ensure that every student has a meaningful computing education with real-world applications,” said Pender Makin, commissioner of the Maine Department of Education. “These mobile computer science labs will provide every student at Maine, at all grade levels and subject areas, with learning experiences that will set them up for future success.”
“This opportunity from the Mills administration and the Maine Department of Education is a game-changer for Maine students. For the first time, all Maine children will have equal access to high-quality computer science curriculum and tools in their schools. I’m incredibly happy to see equity at the center of this new initiatives, and I can’t wait to see what happens next,” said CSTA Maine Chapter President and 8th grade computer science teacher Sean Wasson.
Schools will soon be able to order one of three mobile lab options: Robotics and Programming, Augmented and Virtual Reality, and Coding and Hardware. Each lab contains $5,000 worth of computing equipment and is designed to engage any content area and skill level. In addition, the initiative will provide professional learning opportunities for teachers tailored to each subject area of computer science.
The Maine Department of Education is reaching out to Maine superintendents with detailed information on how to provide mobile labs for schools in their district. More information about each program area can be found on the Maine Department of Education website.
