Computer Science Education In Rural Georgia.

State Representative Todd Jones recently penned an op-ed for James Magazine Online about an initiative he and others have been working on to bring computer science education to more students in rural Georgia.

In the classrooms of Twiggs County, Georgia, an extraordinary transformation in education is underway, driven by a simple yet powerful belief: no child’s future should be limited by where they live. Thanks to Georgia Tech’s Rural Computer Science Initiative, students in areas across the entire state of Georgia are exploring coding, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity — often for the very first time.

As we brainstormed this idea, my colleague, Representative Matt Dubnik, and I knew that students around Georgia deserved this sort of access and opportunity, and it is gratifying to see how rapidly and effectively this initiative has developed and expanded. The initiative connects Georgia Tech faculty and students with the latest computer knowledge and technology to rural Georgia.

Since its 2022 launch, it has grown from serving 800 to more than 4,400 students in a year and now connects with more than 46 schools across 40 rural districts in Georgia. The program offers modules like coding, cybersecurity, AI, and robotics to students and co-teaching lessons to inspire and equip rural teachers with skills for independent teaching.

Now more than ever, students need to know how to operate in an AI world. Kudos to Reps. Jones and Dubnik for their leadership on this issue.