AI is now a daily reality in our lives changing education and the workforce in profound ways, and this change is accelerating. Today we are sharing some big updates to expand our movement, center it on computer science, and lean into AI to ensure students can thrive in the Age of AI.
A Breakthrough Endorsement from America’s Business Leaders
250+ CEOs, from Fortune 500 giants to high-growth startups, signed an open letter urging every state to make computer science (CS) and AI education available for every student.
Research has shown just one high-school CS course unlocks an increase in lifetime wages by 8% and employment odds by 3%, with the biggest gains for young women and low-income students. In an AI-driven economy, taking CS and AI courses are the fastest way to shrink skill and wage gaps —and to keep the U.S. ahead in the global AI race. Yet only six percent of students are taking CS courses today.
Policy should help close this gap. 12 states have adopted CS graduation requirements with five more — OK, GA, IA, MS, NY — poised to make this change in the next 12 months.
We need to go further. Early adopters are already seeing dramatic gains: after South Carolina’s CS requirement, more young women took high-quality CS than in the entire state of Texas.
Code.org and CSforALL Are Combining Forces
To help us go further, two pillars of the CS ecosystem—Code.org and CSforALL—are collaborating to lead the next chapter of learning in the Age of AI. We've built a movement with enormous infrastructure: 100,000+ teachers trained, 100s of policy champions, 350+ policies passed, +500 partners, and millions of students reached. But students are using AI tools every day without grasping how they work or the appropriate use. Teachers say they need more support for AI. We need more coherence on what is important for students to learn – it isn’t just using AI. Students need to learn how AI works, how to create with AI and the computational thinking concepts that will accelerate their careers.
By focusing on Code.org and CSforALLs respective strengths around teacher preparation, district networks, student learning, community development, and policy advocacy we can:
Speak with one voice.
Leverage our existing infrastructure to ensure effective outcomes
Scale campaigns with our global community to drive the next decade of impact.
Washington is listening
Washington DC understands the urgency of the AI challenge before us. Last week’s White House Executive Order on AI directs federal agencies to:
Prioritize grants for CS + AI teacher training
Launch public–private partnerships to seed classroom resources
Create a national AI-education task force to track progress and gaps in K-12 CS and AI
The order is a green light for states and districts: funding is coming—let’s be ready.
How can you accelerate our efforts?
Add your voice – Sign the Unlock8 letter urging state leaders to ensure CS + AI is taught to every student.
Spread the word – Post the campaign graphics with the hashtag #Unlock8.
Nudge your legislators – Our one-click tool drafts a personalized email in under 60 seconds.
A single course can change a life. A single policy can change millions. Join us—let’s make CS + AI part of every student’s core education.
Cameron Wilson
President, Code.org
Katy Knight
Chair, CSforAll