FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TEANECK HIGH SCHOOL EARNS COLLEGE BOARD AP® COMPUTER SCIENCE FEMALE DIVERSITY AWARD

Recognized for Closing the Gender Gap in AP Computer Science Principles

TEANECK, New Jersey, February 2, 2021 — Teaneck High School has earned the College Board AP® Computer Science Female Diversity Award for achieving high female representation in AP (Advanced Placement) Computer Science Principles. Schools honored with the AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award have expanded girls’ access in AP Computer Science courses.

Out of the 20,000 institutions that offer AP courses, 1,119 achieved either 50% or higher female representation in one of the two AP computer science courses or a percentage of the female computer science examinees meeting or exceeding that of the school’s female population during the 2019-2020 school year. This represents an increase of nearly 37% from the 818 schools recognized last year. In 2020, Teaneck High School was one of 831 recognized in the category of AP Computer Science Principles.

“In alignment with our new District Strategic Plan, we applied for, and were awarded, a $98,000 Advance Computer Science Competitive Grant from the State of New Jersey in 2019. Recognizing the diversity of our students, a critical goal for this grant was to increase the number of female and underrepresented students participating in our AP Computer Science courses. I was thrilled to see that the demand to take these courses in 2019-2020 was very high – with 50% who participated being female. To receive this acknowledgement from the College Board clearly demonstrates our students’ perseverance and dedication in their study of AP Computer Science,” said Rolando Monserrat, Teaneck Public Schools’ Supervisor of Science, Engineering & Technology.

“We are very proud of our students – not only for their participation in these courses, but for achieving excellent scores on their AP exams,” said Pedro Valdes, Teaneck High School Principal. “I would like to thank Mr. Monserrat and Mr. Sean Riley, Computer Science teacher, for their vision and hard work. Providing female students with access to computer science courses is critical to ensuring gender parity in the industry’s high-paying jobs. Doing so while they are in high school gives all of our under-represented students the opportunity to discover a passion for science as they are considering a path for college and career.”

According to College Board:

The first year of AP Computer Science Principles in 2016-17 attracted more students than any other AP course debut, and participation is on the rise. In 2020, more than 116,000 students took the AP CSP Exam— more than double the number of exam takers in the course’s first year, and a 21% increase over the previous year. In 2020, 39,570 women took the AP CSP exam, nearly three times the number who tested in 2017.

The median annual wage for computer and information technology occupations was $88,240 in May 2019. However, a code.org analysis of 2017 Bureau of Labor Statistics data finds women represent just 24% of the 5 million people in computing occupations.

New College Board research about AP CSP has found that female students who take AP CSP in high school are more than 5 times as likely to major in computer science in college, compared to similar female students who did not take CSP. The study also finds AP CSP students are nearly twice as likely to enroll in AP CSA, and that for most students, AP CSP serves as a stepping-stone to other advanced AP STEM coursework.

There is a long way to go to achieve equal gender representation in the field of computer science. Currently, less than half of the nation’s high schools teach foundational computer science.

About Teaneck Public Schools
First in the country to voluntarily integrate its schools, our school district provides a wide array of programs to meet the needs and learning styles to approximately 3700 pre-k through grade 12 students. The District’s 2019-2024 Strategic Plan includes:
New Mission: The Teaneck Public School District educates and empowers students by providing a high quality, rigorous educational experience which prepares students for success within a diverse, global society.
New Vision: The Teaneck Advantage: Educational Excellence for All.
For more information, visit www.teaneckschools.org or follow us on Facebook (Teaneck Public School District) or our YouTube channel (Teaneck Public Schools).

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Media Contact: Terry Corallo - 201-833-5498 Email: tcorallo@teaneckschools.org