Should Computer Science be Required for High School Graduation?

Technologically enhanced learning is making its way in education as more than just a cool or trendy way of teaching and learning.  It is quickly becoming an essential part of education as it provides the Digital Native generation with the educational information they need in forms that they are familiar with using.  Simultaneously, it is allowing students to fine tune their technology skill set .  What about making their technological skill set the focus in an educational setting?  

According to Code.org there will be one million more cumpter science jobs availabe than computer science students by the year 2020.  The stats page from Code.org also shares that, “computer science can only count toward high school math or science graduation requirements in 27 states”.  With stats like these, I think it is very important to assess the importance of exposure to computer science programs as a part of state educational standards and requirements for high school graduation.  The typical subject areas in college preparatory schools (such as math, ELA, science, etc.) are studied every year, the comprehension of these subjects is evaluated, all in preparation for our future as college students and eventually leading us to our careers.  Why wouldn’t we do the same for students that might be interested in computer science as a major or career?  At the very least, all students should be exposed to computer science in an educational setting and ultimately it should be incorporated into the requirements for high school graduation.

I feel that the rapid increase of careers in computer science is due to a lack of accessibility and the underutilization of technology by educators and students.  By looking at this huge increase in jobs in computer science that is supposed to take place over the next five years, I think computer science should be considered an important subject area to make available as a high school graduation requirement.