Michigan recently passed a bill that will require computer science courses in Michigan high schools beginning in the 2027-28 school year. 

In an opinion piece for Bridge Michigan, University of Michigan School of Information professor Mark Guzdial and UMSI assistant professor Barbara Ericson say the new bill is a “step in the right direction” but will be difficult to equitably implement. 

“To ensure students have high-quality learning CS experiences we need educators who are proficient and ready to inspire the next generation of computer scientists. Michigan lacks enough qualified teachers to deliver high quality in-person CS instruction,” they write. 

In the piece, Guzdial and Ericson argue the  deficiency in qualified teachers will lead to inequitable outcomes for Black and brown students. 

“Offering only online access to CS courses will likely exacerbate educational inequities, with advantaged students generally faring better and disadvantaged students often struggling,” they write. “Therefore, while online courses and short-term teacher workshops provide access, they ignore quality instruction and are not a long-term solution for the Michigan students.” 

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Read “Michigan needs quality teachers for universal high school computer science” on Bridge Michigan. 

Learn more about Mark Guzdial and Barbara Ericson by visiting their UMSI faculty profiles. 

— Noor Hindi, UMSI public relations specialist