JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A new law will require the Mississippi Department of Education to set a computer science curriculum for K-12 schools by the 2024-25 academic year.
Republican Gov. Tate Reeves signed House Bill 633 on Wednesday, and it will become law July 1.
The Mississippi-based telecommunications and technology company C Spire asked Mississippi legislators to make computer science classes available in all elementary schools, middle schools and high schools by 2024-25. A C Spire news release said 48% of Mississippi high schools currently teach computer science.
The release said that Mississippi employers have unfilled jobs because of a shortage of trained, qualified information technology and computing workers.
C Spire Foundation, a charity connected to the company, announced in January that it was committing $1 million to help Mississippi school districts start computer science classes.
C Spire has been promoting computer science education in Mississippi since 2015 with coding challenges, coding academies and accelerated degree programs.
