These funds will provide a Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Computer Science-A course for students who have completed the Computer Science & Software Engineering (CSSE) program and want to prepare for the AP Computer Science A course.  Here is a link to learn specifically about Project Lead the Way and curriculum available: https://www.pltw.org/pltw-computer-science.

PLTW will open a world of opportunity for students at Mastery Shoemaker, inspiring them to consider the endless possibilities in careers that use computing. According to Project Lead The Way, the projected number of job openings in 2018 for STEM fields will reach 2.8 million. Of these, approximately 1.4 million jobs will be for computer specialists. Like many other STEM fields, the current demand and supply are mismatched, as computer science career openings outpace students' skills and interest.

The PLTW program comprises introductory, foundation, and specialty courses. Schools that choose to implement Computer Science will bring on two year-long foundation courses: Computer Science and Software Engineering (CSSE) and Computer Science Applications (CSA). Schools can then choose from an introductory course and a variety of specialty courses to complete a minimum of three (3) years of content for the program. Specialty courses include Simulation and Modeling, Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity.

The specific course sequence has 120 10^th grade students beginning with CSSE. After completing the CSSE course, those interested are able to enroll in CSA.  It is our plan to offer CSA in a minimum of two sections, roughly 50-60 students.  Upon completion of these courses, plus any specialty courses taken, students will then be prepared to take the AP Computer Science A course.

This course will teach our students the necessary skills to be a computationally aware and capable workforce.  Prior to college most students have minimal, if any, experience with computer programming. By implementing this curriculum we can ignite and strengthen student interest through engaging problem-based learning. By providing our students with a solid foundation in Computer Science Applications, we can increase the low numbers of minorities and women not only entering the STEM field but also the number graduating with these degrees. 

We’re proud of the fact that, at present, we have 121 tenth grade students enrolled in the Computer Science & Software Engineering course at Shoemaker’s campus.  Of these students, 83% are currently achieving the mastery rate or above.

It is our goal to have two cohorts of the Computer Science A course in fall 2016.  Students will take an end of year summative examination that will assess their understanding of the CS principles covered in this course.  There is a nine question written portion and a collaborative project that make up this end of course assessment.  Specific standards will not be released by PLTW until May 2016. We would anticipate 88% of students in this course to demonstrate mastery of this content.

The program in it's entirety will cost $10,000, however, we have a donor willing to match $5,000 of fundraised dollars! So, any gift you make, doubles! The costs of the program is as follows:

Program Fee:                                     $2,000 annually

Core Training:                                    $2,000 initially

15 Tablet Rental Fee ($400/ea)          $6,000 

Back Up Plan