Data science education is in the early stages in Nebraska schools, according to a report from Data Science 4 Everyone. The national initiative with the University of Chicago looks at each state specifically for the first time.
Researchers found that across the United States, and in Nebraska, data science programs are still in the early stages. According to Zarek Drozda, executive director for Data Science 4 Everyone, fewer than 1% of students across the country are part of a K-12 data science program. Some states, like Indiana, have more than 200 schools with data science lessons, while states like the Dakotas are reporting none.
In Nebraska, four schools with about 200 students offer a full data science program, while three others include data science as a lesson or unit in another class.
The report highlighted the seven schools but didn’t specify which schools offered a full program and which offered some lessons in the area:
- Valentine Community Schools
- Lyons-Decatur Northeast Schools
- Mead High School
- Papillion La Vista Community Schools
- Nebraska Correctional Youth Facility Community High School
- Platteview Central Jr. High School
- Lincoln Lutheran Middle/High School
“In Nebraska, there’s some early pockets of innovation, and we know there’s a lot more work to do,” he said. “Last school year, we had about 204 students enrolled across the state in just four schools — really excited to see your teachers and school leaders beginning to offer these programs.”
Classes in data science teach students about certain data analysis techniques, such as visualizing numbers and ethics involved with using data. Drozda said data science sits at the intersection of statistics, computer science and mathematical modeling.
“In today’s terms, it’s really the workhorse behind artificial intelligence,” Drozda said. “Many AI models were developed by data scientists. Any AI tool that you use, whether it’s ChatGPT or Siri, or even an autonomous vehicle in the future, all those models are trained off of large data sets many, many times to create a representation of the real world and make predictions that mimic natural language or how to drive efficiently.”
Drozda said the report comes at a time when AI is expanding, making it even more important to grow data science courses in K-12 schools.
Drozda said there are three key areas to a data science program: statewide high school pilot programs, teacher development and pathways to higher education or the workforce.
“When looking at economic data and looking across sectors, whether it’s manufacturing, or it’s energy, technology, even agriculture, we know that employers are looking for these skills and that it will be very much so rewarded in the job market when students with data analysis credentials or certificates go to apply for jobs that are currently live in the job market,” Drozda said. “But our education system isn’t yet rewarding that. It needs to catch up to where the job market has shifted.”
Nebraska has a statewide career and technical education pathway for data science, but most schools have not yet implemented it. Drozda said one challenge potentially holding back schools is budget.
“The curriculum already has a lot of priorities and content in the school day. There’s not always enough room to add new content priorities,” he said. “I think at the same time there are ways to integrate this into existing school subjects, so we don’t have to build out a whole new pathway for students.”
Drozda said he believes schools can start melding data science lessons into areas like math or science if they are wanting to provide data science but don’t have the capacity to start a whole program.
In the United Kingdom, Drozda said data science and AI foundation courses are now part of the national curriculum. He hopes to see the United States follow suit because, Drozda said, data science is critical for students to have as a tool.
“We want them to be equipped with a durable, critical thinking toolkit that will allow them to navigate AI tools with confidence, get ready for any job that’s going to be on the job market the next five, ten years, and just make personal decisions in their daily lives, whether it relates to financial planning or health care or other daily life challenges that we all encounter nowadays,” Drozda said. “Data is everywhere, and we want students to be able to tackle it with confidence, rather than being intimidated by it.”