New York’s public schools are failing to meet rising tech workforce demands, with only 52% of high schools offering basic Computer Science Education—well below national and regional averages.
Growing Tech Sector Outpaces School Computer Science Education
ALBANY, N.Y. — Despite a rapidly expanding technology industry, New York’s public education system is falling behind in preparing students with foundational computer science skills, according to a new report from the Center for an Urban Future. The study, titled Closing New York State’s Computing Education Gaps, warns that without urgent reforms, New York risks creating jobs that out-of-state workers will fill.
The report notes that just 52% of public high schools in New York offer foundational computer science courses, significantly trailing the national average of 60%. In contrast, states such as New Jersey (86%), Massachusetts (83%), and Arkansas and Maryland (100%) are far ahead in offering such education.
Urban-Rural Divide and Demographic Gaps
The report also highlights a stark divide between suburban, urban, and rural districts. While 79% of suburban schools offer computer science, just 45% of urban and rural districts provide similar opportunities. Major upstate cities are particularly underrepresented: no high schools in Syracuse offer foundational computer science courses, and access is similarly limited in Rochester (40%), Mount Vernon (33%), and Yonkers (25%).
Demographic disparities compound the issue. Only 57% of Black students and 67% of Hispanic students attend a school with computer science instruction, compared to 72% of white students and 85% of Asian students. Additionally, only 33% of students enrolled in these courses are female, underscoring a significant gender gap.
Although demand for tech workers is growing rapidly—tech jobs now make up more than 37% of all job postings in New York—the pipeline of local talent remains insufficient. Since 2010, job postings requiring tech skills have increased by 120%, and the state’s tech sector has grown by 32% in the last decade, nearly five times faster than the overall economy.
Statewide Reform Recommendations
In response to these findings, the report recommends a three-part strategy: requiring all K-12 schools to offer Computer Science Education, investing in pre-service training for teachers, and appointing a state-level director of computing education to lead and coordinate initiatives.
Tom O’Connell, founder of CSForNY, a nonprofit that advocates for computer science education, emphasized the urgency of government action. “We’ll end up seeing workers from other states filling the jobs we’ve created,” he said. “We need support from the governor and state education leaders to build a strong talent pipeline.”
The report urges policymakers to rethink the traditional view of Computer Science Education as being synonymous with coding. It argues that computational thinking—the ability to use tools strategically, evaluate results critically, and solve problems collaboratively—is increasingly essential not only for tech jobs but for meaningful civic and economic participation.
These skills, the report concludes, help prepare students to become “active creators, informed decision-makers, and engaged citizens,” rather than mere consumers of technology.