Amazon’s computer science education program, Amazon Future Engineer, is set to double in size as a response to the coronavirus pandemic. The program provides computer science curriculum and resources to students and teachers at more than 2,000 middle and high schools.
Most of the schools included in the program include Black, Latinx and indigenous students who are not represented equally in the field, according to a written statement from Amazon. 2017 data from DataUSA found that Black students earned about 3% of computer science degrees in the U.S., while Hispanic or Latino students earned about 7% of these degrees.
Amazon Future Engineer currently exists in more than 100 middle and high schools in Georgia, including 40 metro Atlanta schools. In 2021, more than 20 elementary schools in the Atlanta Public Schools district will implement the program, said an Amazon spokesperson.
Through the expansion, Amazon Future Engineer will reach more than 5,000 schools nationwide—about 1,000 elementary schools and 4,000 middle and high schools.
COVID-19 reoriented school districts across the country to virtual learning and its obstacles, including local and national Zoom outages. Resources included in the Amazon Future Engineer program, like professional development lessons for teachers, are available virtually. Students can also complete Amazon Future Engineer program assignments remotely.
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