BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — The Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education approved the state's first-ever academic content standards for computer science. The new standards are planned to make sure graduates apply analytical and critical thinking skills to real-world situations, illustrate digital literacy and digital citizenship skills and use technology skills as serviceable citizens, according to a news release. These standards will be put in place for the 2025-26 school year. The standards will be organized into five core concepts, including "computing skills, networks and the internet, data and analysis, algorithms and programming, and impacts of computing," according to a news release. It will help teachers in arranging student learning and offering continuity to the elements that make up computer science educational programs, according to a news release. Louisiana students to spend less time taking state tests after changes, LDOE says "The value of computer science education in developing students' analytical skills cannot be overstated," said BESE President Ronnie Morris. "Every day, each of us interact with an ever-increasing number of computing systems that impact how we live and work, and the importance of digital literacy will only increase in the years ahead." The approval of these standards by the board marks the completion of a process that started with the passage of the Computer Science Education Act in the 2022 Louisiana Regular Legislative Session. According to a news release, the act set "the Computer Science Education Advisory Commission, which produced recommendations for the development of a state action plan for computer science education in all public schools." Latest News Why do news media call the winners of elections? BESE approves Louisiana's first-ever K-12 academic standards for computer science Millions remain in the dark after Hurricane Milton Senate candidates sidestep 'fully optional' debates Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Japanese organization of atomic bombing survivors Nihon Hidankyo