A new state law in North Carolina requires introductory computer science courses in all middle schools and high schools. 

University of Michigan School of Information assistant professor Barbara Ericson, an expert in the field of computer science education, says the new law is going to be tricky to implement. 

She spoke with WUNC North Carolina about the challenges superintendents and educators will have to grapple with. Namely, getting teachers quickly trained and ready to teach by 2026. 

Right now, school districts are proposing week-long courses for educators to prepare them for the classroom. Ericson says these courses won’t be enough to properly prepare them. 

“Would you think sending a teacher who knows no Spanish to a one-week Spanish training, would allow them to teach Spanish fluently? Nah, it's not going to happen,” she says. “A lot of states try to do very little training or certainly not enough training. The other alternative is basically getting teachers to minor in a subject, but that's difficult to do.” 

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Read “NC students must study computer science to graduate under new law” on WUNC North Carolina Public Radio

Learn more about UMSI assistant professor of information Barbara Ericson by visiting her UMSI faculty profile. 

— Noor Hindi, UMSI public relations specialist