North Dakota has become the first U.S. state to mandate computer science and cybersecurity education for students in its public schools.
Governor Doug Burgum signed HB 1398 into law on March 24. Officials noted that these courses will be taught to students from kindergarten through the 12th grade and that curriculum plans must be submitted by the summer of 2024.
“Today is the culmination of years of work by stakeholders from all sectors to recognize and promote the importance of cybersecurity and computer science education in our elementary, middle and high schools,” North Dakota School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler said.
“Our vision is to integrate and underscore the importance of computer science and cybersecurity instruction into the classes our students take as they move through our K-12 system,” Baesler added. “Under this bill, the information and knowledge our students need will be part of every grade level, which is appropriate when you consider the role that technology plays in our everyday lives.”
The law will also encourage qualifying schools and institutions to offer computer operations and cybersecurity courses to adults.
“HB1398 was the capstone of work that began in 2015,” says Baeslar.
According to Baesler, the House bill is the culmination of the work started by the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction in 2015, when it formed a working group of lawmakers and relevant stakeholders to formulate a vision for the state’s K-12 computer science and cybersecurity educational needs.
Under the bill, each public and nonpublic elementary, middle school, and high school must develop a computer science and cybersecurity integration plan, which school boards must approve by July 1, 2024.
Baeslar stated that EduTech, a division of North Dakota Information Technology, will develop examples of these integration plans. Schools may rely on these samples to develop their own plans.
Governor Burgum said the bill addresses one of the most pressing issues in the state. Burgum added that the bill continued his administration’s commitment to developing student and citizen knowledge of computer science and cybersecurity.
“Our students have more access than ever to computers and technology devices in our schools. It’s crucial that our students also learn cyber safety skills,” said Burgum.
“The ability to manage technology is also important in helping our North Dakota students to get good jobs. Employers look for students who have the skills to take on tech challenges and cyberattacks, and complete daily tasks using technology devices.”
U.S. Cybersecurity Outlook
The enactment of HB 1398 bill into law reveals the state’s commitment to cybersecurity education — a move that is likely to allow North Dakota to significantly contribute to the cybersecurity market in the coming years.
The North Dakota governor has been encouraging youth to pursue careers in computer science, cybersecurity and technology through the promotion of Cyber Madness tournaments and Girls Go Cyberstart competitions in North Dakota’s schools.
In fact, cybersecurity job openings in the United States often go unfilled, despite the lucrative pay across U.S. cities.
K-12 level cybersecurity education is key to a long-term solution to cyber threats and in filling job vacancies. In the immediate future, it is crucial for companies to take more responsibility when it comes to creating secure products and addressing worker shortages.
Knowledge and skills in cybersecurity are only growing in importance, and it is crucial for small business operators to keep their businesses safe online. We also recommend reading up on the importance of security awareness training.
