Frisco ISD : Campuses Awarded Computer Science Female Diversity Award

Press release from Frisco Independent School District:

Mar 16, 2022

Congratulations to Liberty and Lone Star high schools that are recipients of the College Board’s AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award for expanding young women's access to AP Computer Science Principles.

This award honors schools for expanding young women’s access to AP computer science classes. To be eligible for the award, the campus had to achieve either 50% or higher female exam taker representation in one of or both AP computer science courses
or a percentage of female computer science exam takers that meets or exceeds that of the school’s female population.

The District began offering middle school computer science courses and AP Computer Science Principles in 2020 due to growing interest among students. The District is proud to provide students with robust computer science educational opportunities that
prepare them for high-paying, in-demand jobs of the future.

“We are honored to receive this award and thankful for the recognition of the hard work of our students, teachers and staff,” said Wes Cunningham, chief academic officer. “Whether revising curriculum offerings or encouraging our elementary
students to participate in Hour of Code, we are preparing our students for the futures they will create and we know much of that future is in code.”

Even the youngest learners in the District explore foundational computer science concepts. Elementary digital learning coaches and educators regularly collaborate on lessons and are committed to teaching foundational skills like problem-solving, perseverance,
creativity and logic. In celebration of coding, FISD elementary schools annually engage in an Hour of Code that includes lessons and activities for students of all ages and backgrounds to learn computer science skills.

The skills cultivated in elementary school are embedded in middle school and high school computer science curriculum, including the AP Computer Science Principles class that was recognized by this diversity award. 

Frisco ISD’s AP Computer Science Principles is an introductory college-level computing course that high school students can take starting their freshman year. The course can be used to satisfy the technology applications or world language credit. 

Through the class, students cultivate their understanding of computer science through working with data, collaborating to solve problems and developing computer solutions as they explore concepts like creativity, abstraction, data and information, algorithms,
programming, the internet and the global impact of computing. 

The District is proud of the opportunities provided to all students through computer science and notes the research that shows female students who take AP computer science are more likely to major in computer science in college.

Explore FISD Computer Science Course Offerings

Access the middle school and high school academic guides.

This press release was produced by Frisco Independent School District. The views expressed here are the author’s own.