releases: https://hurd.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/new-program-teach-middle-school-teachers-computer-coding
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://hurd.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/new-program-teach-middle-school-teachers-computer-coding | New Program To Teach Middle School Teachers Computer Coding | 2016-12-14 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Republican | House | TX | Will Hurd | H001073 | hurd.house.gov | legacy | Since research shows that young people make up their minds on what career field they want to enter when they are in Middle School, U.S. Rep. Will Hurd and several local school districts are starting an innovative program to make sure 11 and 12 year olds are turned on to tech, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports. "Coding is the language of the 21st Century economy," said Hurd, who is a computer science graduate of Texas A&M and one of the leaders in Congress on tech issues. "If our kids can't speak it, they're going to be left behind." The problem, Hurd says, is that few middle school teachers know enough about coding to be able to get their kids fired up about it, and school districts can't afford to hire specialty instructors on that one field. So his solution--a special course, specifically for middle school teachers, to give them the basics of coding so they can get their kids excited about computers as a career. Hurd says kids won't get excited to become a part of a field they have never had any expereince in. "There are 42,000 computing jobs in Texas alone that went unfilled," Hurd said. "Texas only produced 2100 computer scientists." And the numbers are bleaker for Hispanic and African American kids getting into technology. He says this doesn't necessarily mean jobs in tech firms. He says companies from Target to Walmart are actively hiring tech professionals, at salaries significantly higher than the statewide average, to deal with everything from 'on time inventory' to fighting hacking. The program is being underwritten by Toyota, as well as tech giants Dell and Facebook. "We've got to do a better job preparing our students for the jobs that don't exist yet," Hurd said. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |