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Introduction: This study examines how a research-practice partnership (RPP) involving university researchers and local education agency leaders across California engaged in the ongoing work of collaboratively defining and operationalizing “equity” in computer science (CS) education implementation. Grounded in Freire’s concepts of praxis, words-as-praxis, and dialog, this qualitative research explores how sustained engagement with defining equity became a transformative practice rather than a preliminary planning activity. Methods: Over 4 years, the RPP iteratively developed three versions of an equity definition, responding to changing socio-political contexts. The RPP expanded from 5 to 17 leaders, ultimately scaling to influence a state-sponsored initiative encompassing 38 county offices of education. Data sources for the study include RPP meeting notes, interviews with RPP members, and analysis of evolving equity documents. Results: Findings reveal four key themes: (1) productive tensions between CS content focus and equity emphasis that forced deeper examination of assumptions; (2) the necessity of iterative equity definition as an ongoing process responsive to socio-historical contexts; (3) inclusion/exclusion dynamics within the partnership that shaped both representation and understanding; and (4) how collaborative equity definition built capacity for sustained systemic change. Significantly, resistance to equity conversations paradoxically validated the need for sustained dialog, revealing underlying assumptions about CS education’s “neutrality” that required examination. Discussion: The study demonstrates how collaborative equity definition serves dual functions: developing shared language for collective action while transforming participants’ professional identities and commitments. Participants became leaders of California’s statewide CS education equity initiatives, creating tools and approaches that continue to influence practice years later. This work contributes to research-practice partnership literature by showing how treating equity definition as ongoing praxis—rather than preliminary consensus-building— can create conditions for sustained educational transformation, with implications for STEM education partnerships seeking to center equity while navigating political resistance and changing contexts. 

Computer Science for California (CSforCA) is a coalition of educators, industry leaders, nonprofit organizations, and higher education institutions advocating for high-quality computer science education, with an emphasis on girls, low-income students, and students of color. Seasons of CS is CSforCA’s year-round professional learning experience that aims to provide educators across the state of California access to quality training in computer science (CS) education that is standards aligned and culturally responsive. In order to (1) expand access to high quality computer science education throughout the state and (2) ensure that access is equitable, scalable and sustainable in the long-term, we concentrate on building the capacity of not just classroom teachers, but also school leaders, and counselors. Seasons of CS builds upon existing professional learning models across the country to increase access and broaden participation in computing (Ottenbreit-Leftwich, 2022; Karlin et al., 2023; Yadav et al., 2021; Wachen et al., 2021; Goode et al., 2020) The CAPE Framework helps ground Seasons of CS’s comprehensive collective impact approach to systemic change through sharing data-driven practices that address equity-minded practices to broaden participation. For instance, in partnership with the Kapor Center, CSforCA has developed and implemented a data tool to identify and respond to local and statewide equity gaps in access to computer science education. It is through these data-driven practices that we can hold ourselves - and the state- accountable for increasing access to CS. Furthermore, an ongoing examination of local and statewide data helps our stakeholder groups determine whether our strategies are meeting their intended outcomes, instead of continuing, or worse, exacerbating existing inequities. Since increasing access to ongoing professional learning for teachers is a priority tactic to increasing access of CS education for students, we want to better understand the following: Does increased professional learning opportunities for teachers equip them to reduce barriers to increase access and engagement for students? Does increased professional learning opportunities for teachers equip them to reduce barriers to increased access and engagement for students of color in particular? In order to answer these questions, we developed a study that derives data from the CSforCA data tool, as well as interviews from 70 of the 700 participating educators six months after their summer professional learning experience. In these interviews, we asked participants about barriers to implementing the professional learning they participated in. Preliminary data demonstrates a nuanced understanding of the outcomes of this large-scale professional learning program and explores the degree to which professional learning increases access to computer science among Black, Brown, and Indigenous students. In addition, we provide analyses that demonstrate the limitations of data tools, which have grown in popularity, to demonstrate overall access to -and engagement in- CS education, uncovering where and how CS education is prospering. 

This paper describes a four-year research practice partnership (RPP) dedicated to building capacity to scale and sustain equitable computer science education across the state of California, USA. The acronym of the RPP–SCALE: Supporting Computing Access and Leadership Equity in California–is also the same acronym that describes the five elements of our healthy research practice partnership: Shared Leadership, Collaboration, Application to Practice, Learning is Ongoing, and Equity-Focused. In response to the lack of supports for school leaders to implement equity-centered computer science education, this partnership brings together 17 local education agencies (including public school districts and county offices of education) and educational researchers to understand how to increase leadership capacity that supports meaningful computing learning opportunities for individuals most underrepresented in the field (e.g., Black, Brown, Indigenous, low-income, and female students). Through mixed methods research methodologies, this paper surfaces details about best practices for creating and sustaining RPPs, as well as the positive impacts of the SCALE RPP’s activities on partners (e.g., the “CS Equity Guide” and associated professional development workshop for school leaders, Summer of CS initiative, etc.) that were created in response to the partnership’s shared goals and interests. 

This study explores how a research-practice partnership’s (RPP) continuous improvement methods influenced equity leadership practices in computer science education for school administrators. District leaders and researchers analyzed and documented their continuous improvement process to define “equity and the iterative process of developing this shared definition. Findings reveal this process operationalized equity on two levels: 1) An external examination of equity in education and how racism and biases exacerbate access to computer science education, and 2) An internal gaze on the lack of diversity among our RPP. Key to each of these findings is the collective focus on an ever-changing definition of equity that encouraged our RPP to see our agency as school leaders in disrupting inequality and enacting change. 

Focusing on computational thinking (CT) as the process to integrate computer science across subjects, and making as the activity to engage in this process, is a promising way to introduce students to computing. However, there is little guidance on what practices instructors should employ in maker activities to support CT skill/disposition development. This case study takes place in a makerspace program, using the cognitive apprenticeship conceptual framework as analytical framing to answer the question: Within makerspace activities what evidence exists regarding promising practices that support youth development of CT skills and dispositions? Findings inform our understanding of practices instructors can utilize in making activities to assist students in advancing their CT skills/dispositions: tinkering, embodiment, walkthroughs, drawing, and debugging. 

Computer science (CS) has the potential to positively impact the economic well-being of those who pursue it, and the lives of those who benefit from its innovations. Yet, large CS learning opportunity gaps exist for students from systemically excluded populations. Because of these disparities, the Computer Science for All (CS for All) movement has brought nationwide attention to inequity in CS education. Funding agencies and institutions are supporting the development of research-practice partnerships (RPPs) to address these disparities, recognizing that collaboration between researchers and educators yields accurate and relevant research results, while informing teaching practice. However, for initiatives to effectively make computing inclusive, partnership members need to begin with a shared and collaboratively generated definition of equity to which all are accountable. This paper takes a critical look at the development of a shared definition of equity and its application in a CS for All RPP composed of university researchers and administrators from local education agencies across a large west coast state. Details are shared about how the RPP came together across research and practice to define equity, as well as how that definition continued to evolve and inform the larger project’s work with school administrators/educators. Suggestions about how to apply key lessons from this equity exercise are offered to inform similar justice-oriented projects. 

While the Computer Science for All (CS for All) movement has led to valuable advancements in equity-oriented curricula and teacher professional development, critical questions remain about how to build the capacity of school and district leadership to implement equitable CS education. How can administrators be supported in decision-making practices so that their school policies facilitaterather than hinder CS for All efforts? Our statewide research-practice partnership (RPP)—representing fourteen different urban, rural, and suburban local education agencies (LEAs) across the state—sought to tackle this question by collaboratively developing, implementing, and iteratively improving upon a guide and workshop for administrators seeking to bring CS into their schools, as well as a multi-stakeholder PD for teachers, counselors, and principals. Both researcher and administrator panelists will share how we built an RPP, lessons learned in creating administrator resources, and details about effective multi-stakeholder PD. In line with SIGCSE’s 2021 call, this panel will inform audience members about how RPPs and a focus on leadership can expand computing education opportunities for more students in K-12 public schools. 

Computer science (CS) has the potential to positively impact the economic well-being of those who pursue it, and the lives of those who benefit from its innovations. Yet, large CS learning opportunity gaps exist for students from historically underrepresented populations. The Computer Science for All (CS for All) movement has brought nationwide attention to these inequities in CS education. More recently, financial support for research-practice partnerships (RPPs) has increased to address these disparities because such collaborations can yield more relevant research for immediate educational/practical application. However, for initiatives to effectively engage in equity-focused initiatives toward making computing inclusive, partnership members need to begin with a shared definition of equity to which all are accountable. This poster takes a critical look at the development of a collaboratively developed definition of equity and its application in a CS for All RPP of university researchers and administrators from local education agencies across the state of California. Details are shared about how the RPP collectively defined equity and how that definition evolved and informed the larger project’s work with school administrators/educators. 

As efforts to broaden participation in computing and provide equitable computer science education to all students increase across the country, within states, and within cities and districts, this research aims to investigate whether existing efforts have increased equity. This research analyzes three years of computer science access, enrollment, and success data across the state of California to: (a) examine whether racial, gender, and socioeconomic equity in CS access, enrollment and success has improved; (b) identify persistent barriers to racial, gender and socioeconomic equity, and (c) inform statewide strategies to ensure equity in computer science across California. Findings indicate despite several promising trends, including an increase in CS access and participation across California, racial, gender and SES gaps remain in access to CS courses, participation, and success. Additional statewide policies and practices are needed to ensure equity in CS across California.