Insights from the CS4All Initiative

By Xia Li, Cheri Fancsali, Janice Lee, and Rishika Jain

(September 2025)

New York City Public Schools’ Computer Science for All (CS4All) initiative set out to ensure that every student receives at least one meaningful, high-quality computer science (CS) experience within each grade band (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12). As we have described in other work, the percentage of schools offering some form of CS tripled from 15 percent before the initiative to 45 percent in the 2022-2023 school year. 

This report examines short- and longer-term student outcomes associated with CS course-taking, including CS attitudes, computational thinking (CT) skills, academic achievement, continued CS engagement, and postsecondary pathways. Among our key findings:

• Attitudes shifted modestly after CS instruction: students showed small increases in confidence and cultural representation but slight decreases in belonging and enjoyment of CS, particularly in middle and high school.
• Students’ CT skills grew significantly after instruction, with larger and more consistent gains in elementary school.
• Culturally responsive-sustaining education (CR-SE) practices were linked to more positive student attitudes, particularly among younger students. Positive attitudes were, in turn, linked with stronger CT skills and greater growth in CT skills. 
• CS course availability strongly predicted participation—more so than prior CS experience—highlighting the importance of continuing to expand offerings across schools.
• High school CS course-taking was associated with increased likelihood of declaring a CS major in college, especially among underrepresented students (suggesting potential to reduce gender and race/ethnicity gaps in higher education and careers).
• CS course-taking was not linked to better performance on standardized tests or formative assessments of English language arts and mathematics. 

The report outlines several recommendations for policy and practice, including:

• Embed culturally responsive practices in CS instruction to create more inclusive and engaging classrooms.
• Build on promising elementary school models that integrate CS into core subjects to strengthen skills and attitudes early.
• Assess the wide range of classes available at the middle and high school level, with an eye toward strengthening instructional materials and building well-aligned pathways across schools and grade levels.
• Identify CS assessments and data systems that align with NYS CS and digital fluency standards.
• Leverage high school CS to foster greater equity in postsecondary participation and consider making CS a high school graduation requirement.

Additional findings and recommendations are described in the report.

Overall, the CS4All initiative made substantial progress in expanding CS opportunities across New York City schools. Promisingly, CS course taking was associated with a number of positive student outcomes, including improved CS confidence, CT skills, and (for high school students) a greater likelihood of pursuing CS in college. Yet, disparities in CS participation and outcomes persist. Continued investments in culturally responsive practices, well-aligned pathways and assessments, and expanded course availability will be crucial to advancing CS4All’s vision of high-quality computer science for all students.