Growing the High School CS Teacher Workforce: Predictors of Success in Achieving CS Certification (Abstract Only)

With the goal of better understanding how to increase the computer science (CS) teacher workforce, this study examined the factors that predict eventual success in achieving teacher certification in CS. Participants (N = 500) were teachers who were certified in other subject areas and who expressed an interest in becoming certified to teach computer science in Texas. Results showed that teachers were more likely to become certified in CS if they already held a certification in another STEM field or if they had some prior knowledge in CS. The extent to which teachers participated in an online professional development course predicted certification success after controlling for prior CS knowledge and other factors whereas the number of hours spent in face-to-face CS professional development did not. These findings have important implications for policy makers and professional development providers who make investments of time and money to grow CS teacher capacity and increase student access to computer science education at the high school level.