Tech boom outpaces New York schools’ computer science education: Report

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) — Although New York’s technology sector is growing, its public schools can’t keep up with the demand for basic computer skills, according to a new report. “Closing New York State’s Computing Education Gaps” from the Center for an Urban Future details how and where the state lags behind in preparing students for tech careers despite expensive investments in artificial intelligence and semiconductors.

“We’ll end up seeing workers from other states filling the jobs we’ve created” if the economy continues growing without better access to computer classes in schools, according to Tom O’Connell, founder of CSForNY, a group working to expand computer science education. He said that schools need support from the governor and state education leaders to build a strong talent pipeline.

The state’s tech sector has grown by 32% over the last decade, almost five times faster than the overall economy, per the report. Technology also fuels job growth in other industries like finance, healthcare, and education. In 2024, over 37% of all job postings in the state—almost 570,000 jobs—required technology skills, representing a 120% increase over 2010.

That demand will likely continue to grow because of the state’s recent investments in the industry, according to the report, even though New York ranks 37th for computer science education. Just 52% of public high schools offer foundational computer science courses, below the national average of 60%.

That’s well below the percentage of schools offering such classes in states like Massachusetts (83%), New Jersey (86%), Arkansas (100%), or Maryland (100%). And only 4.8% of public high schoolers are enrolled in a foundational computer science course in New York. That’s well below the 25% that experts say is necessary for universal exposure, meaning basically every student would take at least one computer science course before graduation.

Participation is even more limited for certain demographics across the state. Among Black students across the state, only 57% go to a school that offers computer science, compared to 67% of Hispanic students, 72% of white students, and 85% of Asian students. And they’re mostly boys, with girls representing just about 33% of computer science students.

The report also details a divide between the suburban schools, which are more likely to offer computer classes than their urban and rural counterparts. It was just 45% of those urban or rural districts offering computer science compared to 79% of suburban ones.

Upstate, fewer public schools have a computer science course, too. According to the report, no Syracuse public high schools offer a foundational computer science course. Although the state averages 52% of high schools offering such a course, the share is 40% in Rochester, 33% in Mount Vernon, and 25% in Yonkers.

Though computer training traditionally focuses on coding, the report argues that such training strengthens the broader, more essential skills of understanding how tools work, using them strategically, and critically evaluating their results. According to the report, computational thinking goes beyond coding, helping New Yorkers solve and analyze problems in creative and collaborative ways. These skills matter when looking for good jobs not just in tech, according to the report, helping people become “active creators, informed decision-makers, and engaged citizens” instead of passive consumers.

The report’s included recommendations to address New York being one of the few states that:

• Doesn’t require all K-12 schools to offer computer science
• Doesn’t require pre-service training in computer education for teachers
• Hasn’t appointed a state-level director of computing education