For the Fourth Year in a Row Seaside High School Earns the College Board’s AP® Computer Science Female Diversity Award for Expanding Young Women’s Access to AP Computer Science Principles
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 9, 2024
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Marci McFadden, Chief of Communications & Engagement
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For the Fourth Year in a Row Seaside High School Earns the College Board’s
AP® Computer Science Female Diversity Award for Expanding Young Women’s Access to AP Computer Science Principles
Seaside, CA – For the fourth year in a row, Seaside High School has earned the College Board AP® Computer Science Female Diversity Award for achieving high female representation in AP Computer Science Principles. Schools honored with the AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award have expanded girls’ access in AP computer science courses.
More than 1,100 institutions achieved either 50 percent or higher female representation in one of the two AP computer science courses or a percentage of the female computer science exam takers meeting or exceeding that of the school’s female population during the 2022-2023 school year. In 2023, Seaside High School was one of 834 recognized in the category of AP Computer Science Principles (CSP).
“Our female AP computer science scholars and dedicated teachers deserve all the praise and recognition on this step toward gender parity in computer science education,” said PK Diffenbaugh, Superintendent, Monterey Peninsula Unified School District. “What an honor to have earned this distinction four years in a row. We look forward to seeing these young women and others pursue and achieve success in computer science education and careers.”
Seaside High School Assistant Principal Tessa Brown has been an advocate in expanding computer science access and paving the way for female students at Seaside High and says, “Preparing our female students for the high-paying, in-demand jobs of the future is a priority and a focus. Many of our students come from socioeconomically disadvantaged households or English is a second language for them. We need to do everything we can to give them the opportunity to solve some of society’s most challenging problems.”
“Computer science is the source code of our economy and much of the career landscape,” said Trevor Packer, Head of the AP Program. “In the six years since we began the AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award, it’s been heartening to see schools like Seaside High School welcome so many more young women into this vital field.”
The first year of AP Computer Science Principles in 2016-2017 attracted more students than any other AP course debut, and participation is on the rise. In 2023,164,505 students took the AP CSP Exam—more than triple the number of exam takers in the course’s first year. In 2023, 55,572 women took the AP CSP Exam, more than four times the number who tested in 2017.
Providing female students with access to computer science courses is critical to ensuring gender parity in the industry’s high-paying jobs and to driving innovation, creativity, and representation. The median annual wage for computer and information technology occupations was $100,530 in May 2022. However, women represent just 24% of the five million people in computing occupations.
That’s why College Board research about AP CSP is so encouraging. According to the data, female students who take AP CSP in high school are more than five times as likely to major in computer science in college, compared to female students of similar background and academic preparation 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.
These findings highlight the importance of schools nationwide achieving gender parity in AP computer science classrooms. Overall, female students remain underrepresented in our high school computer science classes, accounting for just 34% of AP Computer Science Principles participants and 26% of AP Computer Science A participants. Currently, 57.5% of the nation’s high schools teach foundational computer science. The 1,127 schools that receive this year’s AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award serve as inspirations and models for all U.S. high schools.
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About Monterey Peninsula Unified School District
The Monterey Peninsula Unified School District is home to approximately 9,600 students in grades transitional kindergarten through 12th grade. The district also houses preschool and adult education. The district is built on a solid foundation of effective instruction, positive school culture, systems of support, and collaborative leadership. The district is nestled along the Monterey Bay, and stretches from the city of Marina to the north to the city of Monterey to the south, and encompasses the communities of Del Rey Oaks, Marina, Monterey, Sand City and Seaside.
About The College Board
College Board is a mission-driven not-for-profit organization that connects students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, College Board was created to expand access to higher education. Today, the membership association is made up of over 6,000 of the world’s leading educational institutions and is dedicated to promoting excellence and equity in education. Each year, College Board helps more than seven million students prepare for a successful transition to college through programs and services in college readiness and college success—including the SAT, the Advanced Placement Program, and BigFuture. The organization also serves the education community through research and advocacy on behalf of students, educators, and schools.
