December 4-10, 2017 marked Computer Science Education Week. This page features Arkansas' seven computer science announcements made during that week.

Arkansas K-8 Computer Science Lead Teacher Training and Stipend Program - Monday, December 4, 2017

Commissioner's Memo: https://adecm.ade.arkansas.gov/ViewApprovedMemo.aspx?Id=3443

Press Release: https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Files/20210118173706_Press_Release_Hutchinson_Allocates_500000_for_Computer_Science_Training_Program.pdf 

Additional/Clarifying Information:

• Q: How does an interested educator sign up? - A: An interested educator begins the process by registering for and completing the summer training/professional development.
• Q: Where do I sign up for the required training/PD? - A: An interested educator will sign up through the Educational Service Cooperatives that will offer the training; however, do not contact them yet. As the memo states, "These sessions will be provided in multiple Educational Service Cooperatives during the Summer of 2018 and announced as they are scheduled."
• Q: Who can participate? - A: Any Arkansas licensed educator whose primary assignment is to an Arkansas public school that houses predominantly K-8 students and can meet the program requirements. 
• Q: How does an educator add the required 528 Computer Science Endorsement? - A: Please visit and read the ADE/ARCareerEd Fact Sheet, specifically the section regarding licensure, which begins on page 2. However, the direct answer is, Any teacher with a standard license will be able to add the 4-12 computer science endorsement to their license by taking and meeting the ADE approved cut score on the Praxis™ Computer Science (#5651) exam and submitting an Arkansas Educator Licensure Application. 
• Q: Why isn't there a stipend program for high-school computer science teachers? - A: There is! See Commissioner's Memo COM-17-054, and no, a teacher cannot participate in both stipend programs!

$1,000.00 Conference Sponsorships for the 2018 Computer Science Teachers Association Annual Conference in Omaha - Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Commissioner's Memo: https://adecm.ade.arkansas.gov/ViewApprovedMemo.aspx?Id=3447

Press Release: https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Files/20210118173418_Press_Release_16_Teachers_to_Receive_Sponsorships_to_Attend_Computer_Science_Conference_December_2017.pdf 

Additional/Clarifying Information: 

$6000.00 Coding Academy Scholarships Expand to Include Adults, Gov. Hutchinson, ARCodeKids Announce - Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Commissioner's Memo: ADE will not produce a Commissioner's Memo for this announcement

Press Release: https://governor.arkansas.gov/news-media/press-releases/coding-academy-scholarships-expand-to-include-adults-gov-hutchinson-arcode

Additional/Clarifying Information: Please contact Mary Condit, Director of the Arkansas Coding Academy, at mdunlap@uca.edu.

Harvard to Provide Computer Science Professional Development for Arkansas Teachers in Summer 2018 - Thursday, December 7, 2017

Commissioner's Memo: (TBA)

Press Release: https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Files/20210118172444_Harvard_to_Provide_Computer_Science_Professional_Development_for_Teachers.pdf 

Additional/Clarifying Information: Date selection is taking place and will be announced via ADE Commissioner’s Memo and posted as finalized at https://goo.gl/Lp9A87.  

K-8 Public School Libraries to Receive Computer Coding Devices and Coding Related Books - Friday, December 8, 2017

Commissioner's Memo: https://adecm.ade.arkansas.gov/ViewApprovedMemo.aspx?Id=3450 

Press Release: https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Files/20210118172355_Press_Release_About_900_School_Libraries_to_Receive_Computer_Coding_Devices_Books_December_2017.pdf 

Additional/Clarifying Information: A list of approved sessions provided by Arkansas computer science specialists with registration links will be posted at the following link as they are scheduled: https://goo.gl/Lp9A87. 

The Girls of Promise, AT&T, Womens Foundation of Arkansas, AETN, and ADE Public Service Announcment Student Contest winning video that was also shared this day can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/-Tg2YjRb69U

Governor's All-Region / All-State Coding Competition State Event Location Selection and School Prizes Announced - Saturday, December 9, 2017

Commissioner's Memo: ADE will not produce a Commissioner's Memo for this announcement

Press Release: https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Files/20210118171720_Coding_Competition_Date_Set_Stipends_for_Teachers_Announced.pdf 

Additional/Clarifying Information: 

•  The Competition Information page is found at https://goo.gl/eBjqvg
•  Registration for the competition currently open and close at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, January 1, 2018.
•  To find information on how to register (and other competition rules), please visit the rules page found at https://goo.gl/P2Nat6

Advanced Computer Science Professional Development Stipend Program - Sunday, December 10, 2017

Commissioner's Memo: ADE will produce a Commissioner's Memo for this announcement at a later date. 

Press Release: /public/userfiles/news/2017/Coding_Competition_Date_Set_Stipends_for_Teachers_Announced.pdf

Additional/Clarifying Information: On Sunday, December 10, 2017, ADE announced via social media that the ADE Computer Science Unit will be allocating $25,000.00 of the Computer Science Initiative budget to provide $100.00 per day stipends for Computer Science teachers to attend approved advanced training sessions. To receive the stipends the teacher must either hold a 528 Computer Science Endorsement, 5016 Computer Science Approval Code, or a 5014 Computer Science Approval Code on their Arkansas Educator’s License. The approved trainings will be posted at https://goo.gl/Lp9A87 as they are scheduled and confirmed; if approved, the listing will indicate that a particular training is approved for the $100.00 stipend.

For more information, please contact: