Thursday, January 24, Cedar Rapids, IA – Applications are open for Iowa teachers to learn how to teach computer science through NewBoCo’s Code.org Professional Learning Program.
This will be NewBoCo’s third year offering these professional development programs in Iowa. The 2019-2020 school year is especially noteworthy because Senate File 274 established the goal that, “… by July 1, 2019, each accredited high school offer at least one high-quality computer science course, each accredited middle school offer instruction in exploratory computer science, and each accredited elementary school offer instruction in the basics of computer science.”
“I am excited to offer these programs for a third year in Iowa,” NewBoCo Director of K-12 Education & Code.org Iowa Program Manager, Samantha Dahlby. “NewBoCo is helping schools meet the state goal of K-12 computer science with our Code.org professional learning options. Hundreds of K-12 educators have already taken advantage of these opportunities, and a growing number of districts have partnered with us to find the right fit for their needs.”
So far, more than 230 elementary, middle, and high school educators have participated in one of NewBoCo’s Code.org programs, bringing computer science courses to more than 6000 students throughout the state.
NewBoCo, a Cedar Rapids-based nonprofit, plans to offer three locations for CS Discoveries (grades 6-10) and two locations for CS Principles (grades 9-12) this year. There will be locations in Eastern and Western/Central Iowa, and each location can have up to 32 teachers per cohort.
For K-5 educators, NewBoCo holds 1-day workshops featuring Code.org’s CS Fundamentals curriculum, which can be held anytime during the year and scheduled throughout the state.
Applications close in May or when spots are filled. To apply, click here. If you have questions, contact Dahlby or register for her virtual info session for teachers and administrators on January 30.
Cost & Funding
- The cost for one teacher to be trained is $110 for CS Fundamentals, $2,400 for CS Discoveries, and $2,000 for CS Principles.
- All three of NewBoCo’s Code.org curriculum training opportunities have been selected as 2019-2020 STEM Scale-Up programs to help cover funding for participants. Educators must apply for the STEM Scale-Up award by March 4 as well as for NewBoCo’s Code.org programs (CS Discoveries and CS Principles).
- There are no applications for CS Fundamentals (grades K-5). These are 1-day workshops for K-5 educators on Code.org’s CS Fundamentals curriculum can be held anytime during the year and scheduled throughout the state.
- Schools that have received funding from the Computer Science Professional Development Incentive Fund from the state can direct those funds to pay for this program.
- There are limited scholarships available from GoDaddy for educators teaching at high-need schools. More information is available in the application.
- For schools applying for Computer Science is Elementary, our professional development programs can provide the relevant curriculum and training for the recipients’ implementation plan. The Computer Science is Elementary application opens January 22.
Teacher Expectations
Teachers who apply and are accepted to the program commit to:
- Attending the five-day, in-person summer workshop in Iowa
- Attending four one-day, in-person workshops in Iowa (normally on Saturdays)
- Teaching the course during the 2019-2020 school year
- Supporting the recruitment and enrollment of a diverse group of students in the course, representative of the school’s overall student population
About NewBoCo
The New Bohemian Innovation Collaborative (NewBoCo) is a 501(c)(3) organization located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. NewBoCo’s programming supports entrepreneurship, innovation, and tech education to help Iowans become more resilient and thrive in a changing economy.
About Code.org Iowa Partnership
Through a partnership with Code.org, a national nonprofit, NewBoCo offers professional development workshops to train current teachers how to teach computer science.
Media Contact: Jessalyn Holdcraft, NewBoCo Director of Marketing
jessalyn@newbo.co