Join our cause.

​Any individual or organizations with an interest in supporting our equity-driven Mission is encouraged to join CS4IL.  We continue to expand our coalition of elected officials, industry professionals, parents/guardians, K-12 educators, K-12 school and district administrators, college-level educators, academic researchers, advocates, and ultimately anyone with an interest in becoming actively-involved in our Mission.  

Express your interest in joining us by completing the form accessible here.

Learn about our vision.

On 30 June, 2017, pursuant to PA099-0647, the Illinois State Board of Education Computer Science Education Task Force published a Report provided to then-Governor Bruce Rauner and every Illinois state legislator. Even in 2021, the first thirteen pages of the Task Force Report provide many insights into the current landscape of K-12 CS Education in Illinois.  

The Report also includes a one-page Executive Summary of recommendations to the Illinois State Board of Education and to Illinois policymakers in helping ensure all Illinois students have the opportunity to open new doors in our future economy.

Achieving each of the Report recommendations is the starting point for our work. 

You can read the full Report as it was sent to our Governor and General Assembly here.

Get the word out.

As a grassroots coalition, we hope that all individuals interested in getting involved will reach out to their own professional and social networks to help expand our reach to include stakeholders across Illinois.

Please follow us on Twitter at @CSForIL, and use the hashtag #CS4IL across your social media accounts in helping to get our message out to your social media networks!

Reach out to your local state legislators.

You can find out who your state representative and state senator are and how to contact them directly by clicking here.  

Contacting your state representative and state senator is the single most immediate and impactful strategy you can implement today.  

In connecting with your state representative and state senator, ask them three simple questions:

​(1)  "Have you read the first 13 pages of the IL CS Education Task Force Report yet? If so, what is your initial reaction to what you read? If not, when will you do so?"
(2)  "What is your belief about the value of K-12 Computer Science Education for all students in Illinois?" 
(3)  "What actions will you take to help bring a world-class K-12 Computer Science Education to all students in Illinois?"

Encourage your local state legislators to become involved with our coalition.

National and state leaders now recognize the importance of computer science and information technology to our state and regional economies. The knowledge and skills students learn in computer science and IT classes are essential to every industry, from manufacturing to agriculture to medicine. Computing skills are changing our students from being technology consumers to becoming creators and innovators in the global economy."

—Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, in Bridging the Computer Science Gap: Five Actions States Can Take, Page 1, Southern Regional Education Board, 2016