Fayette County High and Whitewater High have been honored by the College Board for their efforts to increase female representation in AP computer science courses.
Studying computer science can open doors for students, giving them the tools to excel, and setting them up for high-paying careers, but girls have been left behind for far too long. That’s why College Board honors schools for expanding young women’s access to AP computer science classes and for the important steps they’re taking to reach gender parity.
Schools receiving the AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award have achieved 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.
Fayette County High, under teacher Dennis Kramlich, won the College Board AP Computer Science A Female Diversity Award. FCHS is one of 209 schools that received the award in AP Computer Science A.
Whitewater High, under teacher Angel Ligon, won the College Board AP Computer Science Principles Female Diversity Award. Whitewater is one of 832 schools that received the award in AP Computer Science Principles.
The winners represent a broad range of high schools from across the country and around the world. They include private, public, and charter schools, large and small student bodies, rural and urban populations, and specialized high schools, along with generalized programs.
Providing female students with access to computer science courses is critical to ensuring gender parity in the industry’s high-paying jobs and to drive innovation, creativity, and representation. The median annual wage for computer and information technology occupations was $97,430 in May 2021. However, women represent just 24% of the five million people in computing occupations.
According to a Google study, 54% of female computer science majors took AP CSA in high school. College Board research finds that students are nearly twice as likely to enroll in AP CSA after taking AP CSP.
Posted 2/1/2023
