The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) Office of Computer Science is pleased to announce the continuation of its cross initiative program supporting both the Arkansas Computer Science (#ARKidsCanCode) and Arkansas Reading Initiatives (#RISEArkansas). In 2017, under this program approximately 900 K-8 public school libraries received a Micro:Bit coding device and coding related books. For 2018, 400 coding devices will be provided to teachers and computer science related books will be distributed to public school libraries around the state. 

Public school libraries that serve students in any combination of grades K-5 will receive a copy of “If I Were A Wizard” by Paul C. Hamilton. Up to, 400 Adafruit Circuit Playground devices will be provided to teachers who participate in trainings related to the device.

To be eligible to receive the devices, Arkansas public school educators must attend an ADE Office of Computer Science approved training on the Adafruit Circuit Playground that will be at every Educational Service Cooperative (ESC) in Arkansas. A list of approved sessions, provided by the Arkansas Computer Science Specialists, with registration links will be posted at https://goo.gl/Lp9A87 in the coming weeks. There will be no fees charged for educators to attend these trainings. There will be limited spots available at each ESC and registration is on a first come first serve basis.

Computer Science Education Week

December 3-9, 2018, is Computer Science Education Week. Arkansas will release a new computer science-related announcement each day; this is announcement five of seven. For a full listing of announcements as they are made, please visit the newly-redesigned ADE Computer Science webpages at https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Offices/ar-comp-sci-initiative/.