The global rise of artificial intelligence and technology has generated a profound demand for computer science skills in the workforce. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in “computer and information technology occupations is projected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations from 2023 to 2033.”  

To adapt to the changing workforce and increased demand for computer science, the Louisiana State Legislature passed a law that added computer science as a high school graduation requirement for all public schools. Act 211, known as the Computer Science Education Advancement Act, was signed into law on May 23, 2024, and went into effect on Aug. 1, 2024.  

Under the new law, high school students must complete a one-credit computer science course to graduate. Additionally, grades six through eight will be instructed in “exploratory computer science,” and elementary schools “shall provide instruction in the basics of computer science and computational thinking.” 

 According to the CSEAA, computer science instruction will be initially implemented in high schools before the 2026-2027 school year. Students who begin high school during the 2026-2027 school year must complete one computer science course to graduate. Louisiana public schools with students in grades six through eight will introduce computer science programs before the 2026-2027 school year. Elementary schools will implement computer science education before the 2027-2028 school year.   

 The new law acts in tandem with Act 541, known as the Computer Science Education Act, which was passed in 2022. While the Computer Science Education Advancement Act mainly details the specific computer science and educational requirements that Louisiana public school students must fulfill, the Computer Science Education Act establishes the Computer Science Education Advisory Commission to effectively deliver and implement computer science education in Louisiana public schools.  

The CSEA also provides the “legislative findings and intent” behind creating a computer science requirement. The legislature found that “computer science is a transforming industry that bolsters productivity, drives innovation, and creates commerce,” and “positions related to computer science are some of the fastest-growing in the global economy, yet many of those positions remain unfilled.” The CSEA and the subsequent implementation of a computer science curriculum hope to create a workforce equipped to meet growing technological demands and facilitate technological advances. 

The BLS predicts that the average growth rate for all occupations will be 4% from 2023 to 2033. In the computer and information technology field, 356,700 openings are projected each year, with a computer occupation growth rate of 12% from 2023 to 2033. Among the fastest-growing computer and information technology professions include information security analysts, at 33%, and computer and information research scientists, at 26%.

Across different industries, the fastest-growing professions were solar photovoltaic installers in construction at 48%, nursing careers in healthcare at 40% and information security analysts in computer and information technology at 33%.