Obama calls for $4 billion to up kids' access to computer science classes


President Obama called for $4 billion Saturday to increase students' access to computer science classes, Wired reports. Under his outlined plan, another $100 million would go to school districts themselves to fund the programs.
Should Congress approve the Computer Science For All in the president's proposed 2017 budget, money would be distributed over three years to states that propose five-year plans to increase computer science access. Only 28 states currently allow students to count computer science courses toward their graduation requirements.
"Our economy is rapidly shifting, and educators and business leaders are increasingly recognizing that CS is a 'new basic' skill necessary for economic opportunity and social mobility," the White House said in a statement.
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Julie Kliegman is a freelance writer based in New York. Her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Vox, Mental Floss, Paste, the Tampa Bay Times and PolitiFact. Her cats can do somersaults.
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