Maximizing BPC Through Maryland's Annual State Summits

Computer Science (CS) education advocates have worked within states to change K-12 education policies in order to broaden participation in computing (BPC) and grow CS as a content discipline within K-12 classrooms. Statewide summits, which convene a variety of stakeholders across levels of education, are pivotal events that build momentum for change. Maryland has utilized annual summits to leverage statewide advocacy in order to continue CS K-12 education growth. Summit evaluations provided valuable data to strategically plan additional events and advocacy activities. Data from the past four annual summits are analyzed and discussed. State advocacy outcomes include: 1) increased statewide CS education awareness, 2) the establishment of the Maryland Center for Computing Education, 3) seven million dollars of state funds dedicated to K-12 CS education professional development and pre-service teacher preparation program reform, and 4) the enactment of Securing the Future: Computer Science for All law. This law requires all Maryland public high schools to offer CS, make efforts at the middle and elementary levels to include CS, and broaden participation in computing in K-12 classrooms. Valuable insights are provided for other states to consider as they build BPC advocacy efforts through statewide summits in their own states.