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The Alabama Data Scholars, a pioneering internship and skill-building initiative powered by QuantHub through grant funding by Innovate Alabama, celebrated the graduation of their first cohort of Data Scholars on July 25, 2024 at QuantHub’s Headquarters in Birmingham, Alabama with a graduation ceremony and a series of Scholar presentations. Pioneering a New Era of Tech Talent in Alabama  The brand-new program is transforming the future of tech talent in Alabama by equipping high school students with cutting-edge skills in data science, analytics, and AI through direct, hands-on experience. By partnering with a mix of corporate partners, innovative startups, tech companies, and nonprofit and government entities, Alabama Data Scholars offers Alabama high school students from across the state the rare opportunity to gain 21st-century skills through paid internships, all before graduating high school. This 8-week internship and skills development program has opened doors for students across Alabama, equipping them with the tools and experiences needed to thrive in high-demand careers and allowing them to find opportunities to succeed right in their home state. Dr. Kelsey Bickett, Program Manager of the Data Scholars Internship, breaks down the impact of the program The inaugural cohort of Alabama Data Scholars, comprised of 26 Scholars, was competitively selected from a pool of over 100 applicants. Once accepted into the program, interns were placed with 21 innovative employers throughout the state, including Energy Alabama , Hispanic and Immigrant Center of Alabama (HICA) , BlackBelt Technologies (BBT Connects) , Southern Company , Protective Life Insurance , EBSCO Information Services , Altec  and many more. These organizations provided an enriching environment where Scholars could develop valuable skills in AI and machine learning, data analysis, data visualization, business analytics, Power BI, Python, and SQL by participating in their own hands-on projects. Throughout the program, Scholars not only gained technical expertise but also heard from special guest speakers from higher education partners at Alabama State University, Auburn University at Montgomery, Samford University, Trenholm State Community College, Troy University, University of Alabama in Huntsville, University of Montevallo, and the University of North Alabama. These institutions provided valuable perspectives on the latest advancements and research in data science, offering Scholars a comprehensive understanding of the academic pathways available to them. A key highlight of the program was the opportunity for Scholars to earn micro-credentials through their successful completion of skills in QuantHub. These micro-credentials are recognized in the industry and are specifically aligned with Alabama’s talent marketplace, known as Talent Triad, providing Scholars with a competitive edge as they enter the workforce. Dr. Kelsey Bickett, Program Manager of Alabama Data Scholars, introduced the cohort to the audience by breaking down some of the most impressive data points generated by the interns during the program. By the close of the 8–week program, interns mastered over 450 data skills (despite the fact that 85% of Scholars were also juggling commitments outside of school). She added that Scholars could expect to earn a projected starting salary of $85,956 after college (well above Alabama’s average salary $47,826), which would translate to an estimated 8x ROI for the state.  But Dr. Bickett was clear: the priority of Alabama Data Scholars is not only to build a robust workforce for the state but also to persuade the Scholars to consider making Alabama their forever home:  “While the internship experience itself was central to the program, we also wanted to ensure that students knew that they had access to great opportunities in Alabama. You can stay here and have a great quality of life, get a great education, and achieve your dreams.” Bridging the Urban-Rural Tech Skills Gap As demand for tech skills surges, place-based opportunity gaps persist, leaving rural communities at a disadvantage and vast amounts of potential untapped. Alabama Data Scholars is a vital step toward addressing these disparities by bringing relevant tech skills to learners across the state. By focusing on inclusive and diverse talent pipelines, the program ensures that all students, regardless of their geographic location, have access to the education and opportunities needed to succeed in the 21st-century workforce. Data Scholar Joseph Kelly (far left) worked with the AL Department of Commerce, Rural Development Department and is pictured here with Alabama Governor Kay Ivey at the opening of Alabama Mineral Springs LLC. Shannon Allen, Program Director for HBCU Engagement at Innovate Alabama, expressed her pride in the Scholars’ achievements:  “Innovate Alabama is dedicated to driving entrepreneurship and innovation all across our great state, and part of that mission is investing in young talent, just like you, that will shape our future. Data science and data literacy are the cornerstones of our workforce, and you, our graduates, are standing right at the front of that transformation.” Data Scholars Monisha Bommu and Fernando Acevedo attend the Sloss Tech Next in Tech panel Stories of Success and Learning After each Scholar received their diploma and $500 scholarship, they were invited to the stage to present the projects they worked on during the course of their internship and share what skills they took away from the experience.  Fernando Acevedo discusses his experience working with ¡HICA! Fernando Acevedo, a rising senior at Hoover High School, shared that he learned the complexities of data migration and access control while interning at ¡HICA! One pivotal part of his experience as an Alabama Data Scholar was creating a data visualization showing the increase in Hispanic populations across Alabama counties over the past 30 years. Mang interned remotely, completing internship assignments for EBSCOed from the comfort of home  Mang Hnin Lian, a rising junior at Susan Moore High School, interned remotely with EBSCOed where he was tasked with enhancing the company’s credentialing system. He successfully created over 32 new credentials and added more than 1,500 skills to strengthen the database. Additionally, he developed over 200 skeleton credentials, laying a solid foundation for future expansions aimed at colleges. These contributions not only bolstered EBSCOed’s credentialing framework but also deepened his understanding of database management and skill integration. Mang also found a unique way to personalize his internship experience by leveraging his passion for programming. Inspired by his love for coding, Mang devised a system to gamify the process of collecting “neurons” within the tasks assigned through QuantHub. And using Python, he managed to automate and iterate tasks, effectively “cheating” the system in a constructive way. This approach not only allowed him to excel in completing tasks but also fueled his enthusiasm for tackling challenges creatively. “Reflecting on my internship and experience in the Data Scholars program, I am profoundly grateful for the myriad opportunities that have shaped my personal and professional growth. Beyond acquiring technical proficiency, I developed essential soft skills — including communication, critical thinking, and adaptability — that are indispensable in today’s competitive landscape.”   - Mang Hnin Lian, Alabama Data Scholar  Kingston Boatman (left) worked with fellow Data Scholar Preston Ganacayo (right) at Tquila Automation. Here they are pictured with Tquila Automation Co-Founder and CTO, Richard Denton (middle).  Kingston Boatman, a rising junior at Hoover High School, was hosted by Tquila Automation, where he immersed himself in the world of AI, automation, and data analytics. His primary assignment was to develop a recruitment chatbot for the company’s hiring managers. Using Druid AI, Kingston and his team designed a chatbot that could ask candidates questions from a survey created by the HR team. The responses were then processed using UiPath and automatically input into a Google form.  “QuantHub’s Data Scholars program has allowed me to learn about different degrees offered at colleges within Alabama related to these fields, and the skills I’ve developed have helped me narrow down which type of engineering I am interested in pursuing in college. I’ve also realized just how useful AI and data literacy can be and how their applicability could benefit people working in many different fields. The growing uses of AI and data will only make it more important for students to become familiar with skills like those I’ve learned as an intern.”  -Kingston Boatman, Alabama Data Scholar  Irene Kihara’s presentation on her internship experience with BlackBelt Technologies Irene Kihara, an intern with BlackBelt Technologies, learned the importance of data literacy and how organizations use data to make informed decisions. “Something that surprised me is the high demand for data scientists. This showed me the crucial role data plays in helping organizations become profitable and improve their operations.” Interning at BBT Connects was an eye-opening experience for Irene, highlighting the critical importance of data and AI skills in government and organizational settings. The internship also made her realize how these skills can aid in predicting outcomes and making better decisions. As a student who plans to major in cybersecurity engineering, Irene found that the new skills and problem-solving abilities she acquired will be invaluable in securing career opportunities in the future. “My experience with the Data Scholars program has been invaluable, not only in connecting me with an industry internship but also in providing opportunities to learn from professors and speakers about post-high school prospects and ongoing skills development.” - Irene Kihara, Alabama Data Scholar The Scholar Showcase celebrating these Scholars’ achievements was more than just a celebration; it was a testament to the power of opportunity, learning, and the impact of data science on our world. As Shannon Allen concluded, “Alabama is going to benefit and reap the rewards from this partnership for years to come.”  We encourage you to explore the phenomenal projects and work created by the Alabama Data Scholars here . Apply to join the 2025 Alabama Data Scholars cohort now! Student applications open in December 2024, and employers interested in getting involved can register now through October 1, 2024 to help with student recruitment, and support the program as speakers, workshop leaders, mentors, and more. Both applications can be found at https://www.quanthub.com/intern/ Alabama high school sophomores, juniors, seniors, and recent graduates are eligible to apply to the Alabama Data Scholars, provided they are over the age of 16 at the start of the internship. The program welcomes students eager to learn, regardless of their prior experience, making it an inclusive opportunity for all interested in business, STEM careers, and data science. The selection process is thorough, and Scholars are evaluated based on their interest in data science, academic and extracurricular involvement, and their engagement in QuantHub. Final internship placements are made by partnering employers after careful review and interviews. Looking Forward As the Alabama Data Scholars program continues to evolve, the future is bright for both the Alabama Data Scholars and the state of Alabama.  QuantHub is introducing Applied Data Science and Data Analytics courses in Alabama classrooms during the 2024–2025 academic year. These courses will complement and integrate the QuantHub educational platform into the curriculum, effectively preparing students to dive into internships through skill paths and exercises seamlessly aligned with industry needs. QuantHub is also piloting new community projects to engage K-12 students with data, involving Data Scholars alumni in peer mentoring and project management activities across the state. The Alabama Data Scholars program will also expand to involve more students and employers in 2025, with plans currently underway to build out new, interdisciplinary data pathways and undergraduate internship and professional development opportunities. Alabama Data Scholars is just the beginning for QuantHub.   QuantHub is on a mission to advance data literacy across the U.S. through a unique, multifaceted, and tech-driven approach. They aim to replicate this work in other states and nationally! For more information, reach out to k12@quanthub.com .

DS4E Brings Together Education Leaders to Define Key Data Science Learning Outcomes and Prepare Students for an AI-Driven Future Focus group participants work to group learning outcomes into strands On June 28th, 2024, Data Science 4 Everyone brought over 100 education leaders together at the University of Chicago to begin building a national learning progression for K-12 data science and data literacy. This event marked the culmination of five months of collaboration by 11 focus groups, working alongside national educator associations such as NCTM (math), NSTA (science), NCSS (social studies), and CSTA (computer science). The goal was to discuss, identify, and rank priority learning outcomes for data education that students should learn by high school graduation. Participants in these focus groups included representatives from Fortune 500 companies, state education agencies from 12 states, higher-education faculty across disciplines, undergraduate data science programs, schools of education, curriculum developers, teacher educators (from math, social studies, and the sciences), and a group of exceptional undergraduate students. Each focus group was invited to present the top ten data science learning outcomes their group developed in response to the question: What essential data science and data literacy skills should all students know before graduating from high school? In addition to presenting their individual lists of learning outcomes, each focus group spoke to the challenges they faced in creating these lists and offered their thoughts on design recommendations. The participants were advised to listen to commonalities and differences during the presentations and to take note so that those discussions could be used in the writing of these learning outcomes. Opening Remarks The focus group convening kicks off with a message from University of Chicago Provost Katherine Baicker Before the focus group presentations began, Zarek Drozda, Executive Director of Data Science 4 Everyone, set the stage by reminding everyone present that their goals were not only to identify the most important data science learning outcomes but also to socialize the idea of data science education and emphasize the importance of these skills for all students, regardless of their chosen career path. “It’s not just about the workforce. I can’t emphasize enough how there are civic, daily life, and life-long learning goals that are attached to all of these ideas.” -Zarek Drozda, Executive Director of DS4E University of Chicago Provost Katherine Baicker echoed this sentiment in her opening remarks, and made it clear that she believes data science skills are basic life skills that should be taught to all students: “I taught data science and causal inference in public health. And it was kind of galling to me that doctors have to take calculus but don’t have to take statistics. Because as consumers of information, being able to understand all of the facts that come our way requires an understanding of what data can tell us, what it can’t tell us, how it can be manipulated, and how to actually extract reliable information from it.” She also commended the group for setting the goal of teaching students basic data skills early in their educational careers and noted how rare this kind of collaboration between K-12 educators and higher education is: "We didn't really have a unified approach to [teaching data science], which is why the work that you're all doing is so important and so exciting." -University of Chicago Provost Baicker David Uminsky, Executive Director of the University of Chicago Data Science Institute, also commended the focus groups’ efforts to bring as many diverse viewpoints into the creation of the learning standards as possible and noted how this representation translates directly into accessibility: “It took many decades after the founding of [computer science] to think ‘maybe we should make this field more broadly accessible.’ So this group in this room right now, which I’m very excited to be a part of and support in any way as a University of Chicago data science leader, is not waiting too long to think about the rigorous way we can broaden and increase access to data science education.” NCTM President-Elect Latrenda Knighten addresses the focus groups Latrenda Knighten, President-Elect of NCTM and a veteran classroom teacher, closed out the opening remarks section of the event and underlined the importance of making data science and data literacy skills interdisciplinary: “We really want to make sure we foster that sense of interdisciplinary learning, we want to help students see the connections between different subjects and have them apply that knowledge in a lot of different contexts. Because we want them to realize that unpacking this world [of data science] allows them to uncover patterns, trends, correlations, and other useful information and use that data to make sense of the world.” -NCTM President-Elect Latrenda Knighten She added that teaching these skills must begin early so that students will have the best chance to succeed, whether they are interested in pursuing a career in STEM or not. “This is not a course that we’re creating for the kids that can’t handle calculus. These are things we really need people to do to keep the world running, but we have to provide our students from the beginning with the foundation.” Key Themes from Focus Group Presentations The student focus group presents their top learning outcomes As the focus group presentations got underway, several key themes emerged, including the need to teach data science to students maturing in the age of AI. There was a strong consensus among the focus groups on the importance of preparing students for an AI-driven future, which includes understanding AI concepts, ethical considerations, and practical applications. Arshi Mahajan, a first-year student at Dartmouth studying Data Science and Environmental Studies and a member of the student focus group, spoke to the importance of ensuring students are future-ready: “One of the classes that I took this past semester really encouraged us to see AI as more of a tool rather than something that’s taboo, and I think that really helped me because right now a lot of students are using AI, but not in a responsible manner. They don’t really understand how it can be used to supplement education, and as a result, they’re depriving themselves of enhancing their education with the use of AI.” Jennifer Sayed, a researcher at Southern Methodist University and a member of the social studies - educator focus group, emphasized that students should be able to recognize inherent biases in AI and examine how AI is culturally and politically situated. "For a functioning democracy, we as social studies teachers actually have a responsibility to make sure that our students are data literate and that they can engage in democracy, they can take civic action, that they are empowered to do these things through data literacy and data science." Making Math Relevant Another theme that emerged from several of the focus group presentations was the need to teach math that is both relevant and necessary in students’ lived experiences. Deidre Richardson, State Mathematics Coordinator at the New Jersey Department of Education and a member of the policy focus group, framed this as a golden opportunity for data science to grab the attention of students who may not consider themselves “math people.” “This is an opportunity to make math relevant, taking that one step further and engaging students with datasets that are personally meaningful for them, allowing them to make sense of their world, to develop a sense of purpose, and ultimately to advocate for social change.” Dustin Purdy, a math teacher at Dwight Global and a member of the educator - math focus group, echoed that sentiment: “To engage our students we need to do things that are meaningful to them. So the idea of having some kind of activation, where students can activate for a claim that’s important to their community. And in order to connect with our students, we have to have this environment that’s welcoming, they have to feel a sense of belonging.” Inclusion of Student Voices The student focus group (from left to right: Kenzo Hubert, Joseph Gomez, Julius Cervantes, Omry Brewster, Arshi Mahajan, Nadia Bishop, Kaylin Hernandez) One unique element of this event was the inclusion of student voices in these discussions. Kailyn Hernandez, a senior at Duke University majoring in Public Policy and a member of the student focus group, advocated for centering allowing students to self-direct their own research so that they would have more inherent investment in their work. When asked how we can better center students in this conversation of data science education, Kailyn responded: “Let’s not underestimate students and let's let them ask their own questions and pursue their own research.” Arshi Mahajan echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of aligning educational outcomes with students' future aspirations: “As students, we’re always trying to look towards the future and answer that question: what are we doing after college, so we tried to create a balance between career outcomes and practical application.” -Arshi Mahajan, Student Focus Group Participant Creating Access and Equity Many focus groups also spoke to how data science skills can be used to create access and equity for K-12 students. Yan Sun, Business Development Advisor at Cargill and a member of the industry focus group, emphasized that K-12 curriculum should consider different career paths of students and the fact that even students who aren’t interested in pursuing higher education need to know basic data literacy and data science skills. Focus groups field questions from other participants in the audience “I personally mentored a colleague in our company. He did not have a college degree, but interestingly he’s a data scientist in Cargill right now because he participated in an apprentice program.” -Yan Sun, Business Development Advisor, Cargill Jonathan Winstead, Principal Engineer at Collins Aerospace and also a member of the industry focus group, added that in crafting these recommendations, educators and curriculum designers need to be mindful of the digital divide and ensure that students who don’t have access to computers are still able to engage with and learn basic data literacy skills. “We assume that all students have access to the same tools and technology, but I work with a STEM program within NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers), and we teach a lot of kids that don’t have consistent internet, they’re sharing computers, some don’t have computers, some only have Chromebooks.” Winstead suggested industry may be the ones to correct this issue. “I think we also need to put an emphasis on the digital divide and particularly on what can industry do to help improve that situation.” -Jonathan Winstead, Principal Engineer at Collins Aerospace Early Education in Data Science Several focus groups also emphasized the importance of teaching data science skills to students early in their academic careers. Brian Wright, Quantitative Foundation Associate Professor of Data Science Undergraduate Programs at the UVA School of Data Science, noted that many of the students that take his machine learning courses don’t necessarily have the foundational data science skills necessary to do creative and intuitive work in the field. “What they don’t have is intuition about where data is generated, where it comes from, the different types of questions you can and can’t ask [AI]. How do you know which question to critically evaluate when you see a data table? That process can be learned more effectively in K-12 education and should come before technical courses.” Future Directions Focus groups work to pare down learning outcomes after the conclusion of the presentations At the close of the presentation, participants were asked to review all of the presented learning outcomes at their tables and group these outcomes into strands identified at a previous NSF workshop. Each table then modified and incorporated feedback into their top 10 outcomes, particularly focusing on any outcomes they identified as missing from their list. Moving forward, DS4E will focus on refining these learning outcomes based on the feedback received during the event. A draft public list of the learning outcomes voted on and refined by the focus groups at the close of the event is set to be released in August to the general public. During this period, DS4E will gather broader input from educators, parents, school leaders, and faculty across the country. This participatory approach aims to ensure the learning outcomes are relevant, practical, and widely accepted. This work will culminate at the Data Science Education K-12: Research to Practice Conference , which will be held in San Antonio, Texas February 17-19, 2025. Through collaborative sessions, innovative formats, and a supportive community, this inaugural conference will offer a dynamic atmosphere for educators, researchers, curriculum developers, and school leaders to exchange ideas and co-create the future of data science education in K-12. The call for proposal submissions to the conference is open until August 1, and proposals can be submitted here. The DS4E focus group convening marked a significant and revolutionary milestone in the journey towards creating a national learning progression for K-12 data science and data literacy. The collaborative efforts of education leaders, industry representatives, higher education faculty, students and other stakeholders have laid a strong foundation for future progress. As the initiative moves forward, the continued engagement and input from a broad range of stakeholders will be vital to ensuring that all students are prepared for a data-driven world. In the words of Provost Katherine Baicker, “I’m really excited about this project because of the transformative effect I think it can have on the education of generations to come.”

Javeria Salman of The Hechinger Report reports on how a national framework for teaching data skills is gaining momentum Zarek Drozda speaks to the focus group convening at the University of Chicago. For the past two years, Javeria Salman has been exploring the landscape of data science education through her reporting at The Hechinger Report . Her findings reveal a significant gap: the absence of a national framework for teaching data skills and literacy, akin to the Common Core standards for math or the Next Generation Science Standards. Recently, there has been significant progress on this front. A group of K-12 educators, students, higher education officials, and industry leaders recently gathered at the University of Chicago to present their initial findings on what essential data skills should be required for high school graduates. This effort, led by Data Science 4 Everyone, involved 11 focus groups over five months. These groups discussed the fundamental knowledge students should acquire in data science and artificial intelligence, integrated not only in dedicated data science classes but also in subjects like math, English, and science. For a more detailed look at these developments, read the full article here.

In its second year, the After the AP Data Science Challenge exploded in popularity, highlighting the desire from high school students to learn data science Varunrao Wallajabad and Saketh Subramanian discuss their predictive models in class at Fort Zumwalt West High School The future of work is rapidly evolving, with data science emerging as a cornerstone of the digital economy. In 2023, 22% of job postings across the country sought workers with at least one skill related to getting, exploring, or analyzing data. Yet, fewer than half of U.S. universities currently offer specific initiatives to equip students with the data skills necessary to thrive in an economy where AI and machine-learning are on the rise. This gap in education underscores the importance of initiatives like the After-The-AP Data Science Challenge, which empower high school students to develop essential data science skills early in their academic journeys. Now in its second year, the After-The-AP Data Science Challenge has grown exponentially, from 2,500 student participants in 2023 to over 9,000 student participants in 2024. This surge in participation reflects the growing interest and importance of data science education among high school students. In collaboration with Data Science 4 Everyone at The University of Chicago, CourseKata, and North Carolina State University Data Science Academy, Skew the Script – a nonprofit education initiative led by a consortium of AP Statistics educators – first organized this national competition for high school students following their AP examinations in 2023. In 2024, 488 classrooms from across the United States and its territories registered for a competition to predict which colleges offer the highest return on financial investment by developing models to forecast student loan default rates. Using data from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard and IPEDS portals, students performed complex data analysis, filtering, modeling, visualization, and communication of insights on U.S. colleges. They navigated 26 variables across 4,435 colleges, carefully selecting valuable information for their final submissions. Students boldly tackled this challenge in the several weeks they were allotted to devise their own unique solutions. (From left to right) Varunrao Wallajabad, Brady Willman, and Saketh Subramanian swap insights and collaborate. Among the many participants across the country, Boyu Hua, who took first place in this year's challenge, emerged as a standout, mastering diverse modeling approaches that proved both rewarding and challenging. When asked why he chose to participate, Boyu cited his own interest in working on real-world problems in the classroom: “The chance to work on practical data science projects and engage with instructors on topics beyond the syllabus was incredibly appealing. I wanted to challenge myself, broaden my skills in coding and statistics, and see how far my accumulated expertise in data science could take me.” "I believe the best learning is experiential whether it's a semester project or the After the AP Data Science Challenge where students, like Boyu, can get their hands 'dirty' analyzing and interpreting real-world data." With his model achieving an impressive final test R^2 value of approximately 0.92, Boyu exemplifies the innovation and skill nurtured through the challenge. Reflecting on Boyu's achievement, his teacher Ed Leonard of St. Martin’s Episcopal School remarked: "Boyu is a truly remarkable young man with an incredible future. I can't wait to see what path he chooses. I believe the best learning is experiential whether it's a semester project or the After the AP Data Science Challenge where students, like Boyu, can get their hands 'dirty' analyzing and interpreting real-world data. I'm very proud Boyu jumped right in and took on the Challenge while also tackling four AP exams." Boyu Hua hard at work on his predictive model Using Jupyter Notebooks and R, an open-source statistical software, students like Boyu engaged in complex data analysis techniques using digital technology, advanced algebra, and complex statistical techniques. For students to succeed in the challenge, mastery of linear regression, polynomial regression, and the basics of machine-learning  were all required. Aaron Ho, who secured the second-place spot, shared his motivations and insights for joining the 2024 After the AP Data Science Challenge: "Originally, this was an assignment given to me by my teacher, Mrs. Anthony, but as I progressed through the challenges, I found that this was something that I could use to apply my knowledge of Computer Science, something that I've been striving to do ever since I took AP Computer Science. I got really into it, and it became something that I worked very hard on. Maybe a little too hard!" "Completing this challenge has opened a whole new window for me. I can see myself studying Data Science along with Computer Science or Cybersecurity in the future." - Aaron Ho One unique element of the After the AP Data Science Challenge is the collaborative nature of the project, which invites students to work together in learning the ins-and-outs of data analysis and modeling, before eventually submitting their own individual models to the competition. James Kwong, who secured eighth place in the competition, said he was drawn in by the appeal of collaborating with his classmates: “ The collaborative environment where all of my fellow Stats students, from all four of our periods, were grinding out each module together just made the experience really fun. We had this class leaderboard thing, and that really motivated me to get the top spot.” Though he also added that he and his classmates made memories working together outside the classroom as well, "I would say the most memorable moment would be coding this on the sofa of my friend's house! We were eating cookies together, and watching TV, the lights were all off, and it was generally just a great time." "This experience has shown me that those seemingly dull numbers can tell fascinating stories." For some students, the challenge revealed how data science can be used across curriculum, as sixth-place winner Hagen Qian noted: “This challenge showed me that you can apply data science to any topic and be able to notice trends with different variables.” Ibrahim Ahmad, who secured sixth place, also said participating in the challenge transformed the way he perceived data science and drove home the idea that data science can bring math to life: "Before this challenge, I believed data science was simply sifting through endless, monotonous files filled with numbers. However, this experience has shown me that those seemingly dull numbers can tell fascinating stories. The data speaks to us, and by analyzing it, we can uncover narratives that offer profound insights into our lives and the world around us." "I am so delighted that this challenge exists since it gives students a chance to learn some basic R programming while reinforcing their statistical conceptual knowledge." Jeremy Gibbs, a veteran AP Computer Science teacher at Fort Zumwalk West High School whose students Varunrao Wallajabad and Jaineel Patel placed in the top 12, encouraged other teachers to consider joining next year’s challenge: “I am so delighted that this challenge exists since it gives students a chance to learn some basic R programming while reinforcing their statistical conceptual knowledge. My biggest advice was echoed by [my student] Jaineel, 'Just do it!'  This really was a valuable learning experience for my students and myself.  I look forward to keeping the tradition going next year!” For future participants, second-place winner Aaron Ho offered this inspirational advice, pushing students to go beyond their own perceived limitations: "There is so much you can do if you put your mind to it. Never be afraid to challenge the boundaries; but make sure not to break the rules. In my model, I strayed away from the traditional addition and subtraction, and moved on to complex interactions, and used multiple operands. Don't be afraid to use your intuition as to what will work. It's certainly what propelled me into this year's second-place spot." Among students from over 46 states (and several territories outside the US) and hailing from a range of academic backgrounds (ranging from course-completers in AP statistics, AP Computer Science, and AP Calculus) we are pleased to announce our 2024 National Data Science Challenge Champions: We’d also like to congratulate the runners-up of the challenge, who submitted highly predictive and accurate models for the same task, just barely missing the leaderboard: Andrea Zhang, Western Reserve Academy Kate Guglielmo, Westfield High School Ethan Alapatt, Mission San Jose High School Ameen Almousa, Franklin High School Davin Huynh, Liberty High School Jake Evans, Chagrin Falls High School Mia Chavez, Summit High School Nicolas Oncken, Cascades Academy Kai Deshima, Somerville High School Josh Jensen, Broad Run High School Aadi Gupta, Mission San Jose High School Abhay Bhaskar, Edison Academy Magnet School James Leung, Hunter College High School William Stinson, Chagrin Falls Deslderio Anderson, Franklin High School On behalf of the national organizers, we congratulate each student team who participated in the challenge – choosing to dedicate their class time at the end of the school year, when time and perseverance are the hardest to find. Thank you for diving in and engaging in valuable skills that will carry with you for the next several years, and long into your career – in addition to learning about the complicated landscape of college debt. Thank you for your efforts, and we know this is just an early preview of what you will accomplish in the future!

By: Sean Sukol, Data and Policy Analyst, Data Science 4 Everyone The US has only just begun to lay the foundation for data science education with surveys of the current education landscape and investigations into the implication of AI for our society. But our peers and competitors have already made data science, machine learning, and AI required components of their K-12 curricula; issued learning progressions and other national standards for the study of data science; leveraged public-private partnerships and established national grant programs to reach students in remote and underserved communities; and collaborated with industry leaders to write textbooks and fund research into the best ways to teach data science. Beyond Borders 2024: Primary and Secondary Data Science Education Around the World focuses on data science education and education advocacy in Canada, the UK, Germany, China, India, and New Zealand. Each section begins with a brief description of the country’s education system to orient US readers who may be unfamiliar with them. We briefly describe relevant national initiatives and policies, especially recent education reforms, and highlight organizations that deliver or advocate for data science education in primary and secondary schools. We also provide information on tertiary education initiatives, research into teaching and curricula, and industry concerns where appropriate. Policies and projects in Australia, Colombia, Estonia, Finland, Israel, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Singapore, and South Korea receive brief descriptions. We include citations, links, and quotes by experts familiar with the respective local contexts throughout the report, and each section ends with a list of items for further reading. Our writing on data science education initiatives, policies and programs is descriptive. We do not prescribe or argue for any one method of curricular integration, policy advocacy, or teaching in this report. Rather, we recognize the decentralized nature of education policymaking in the US and hope to showcase the many policy and education options we see abroad with the hope that readers will be inspired by those most applicable and effective in their own contexts. This report underscores the urgent need in the US to make data science and data literacy education a fundamental component of our K-12 system. It can be done, and our future and fortune depend on it. Data Science 4 Everyone is committed to writing authentically and accurately about education systems around the world. Please use this form to express interest in contributing to our 2025 report or to share feedback on our 2024 report.

On February 27th, a dynamic gathering of over a hundred classroom educators, state education leaders, higher education and community college faculty, nonprofit organizations, and philanthropists convened in Phoenix at the Helios campus. Their mission? To spearhead statewide discussions on the future trajectory of mathematics education for Arizona students. The central question guiding these discussions was profound: “If we reimagined mathematics, what would we want to see in 10 years?” Dr. Deborah Hughes Hallett, Professor of Mathematics at the University of Arizona and adjunct at Harvard Kennedy School, answered the question directly: “Automation won’t take away jobs from students directly, but students may lose jobs to someone who knows how to use AI.” Dr. Hallett discusses the growth of data science as a major at ASU Dr. Hallett argued mathematics teachers should be at the center of tackling this new world and in adapting the curriculum expectations: “There was a time when logarithms were for hand-calculating things. That is now out of date.” Her experiences at Harvard and in reforming the teaching of Calculus proved it is possible. “I had my undergrads code in R & Python to do mathematics… and we all survived, shockingly.” What would these changes look like in K-12 curriculum? Dr. Hallett’s insights underscored the need for a fundamental shift in the K-12 curriculum towards real-world applications. Nigel Nisbet of MIND Research, an educational technology company that has been working to create software-based experiences for elementary students for over a decade, echoed this sentiment, also highlighted the importance of imbuing math learning with real-life relevance. “Actual problems, actual questions, and actual data [make] the math learning meaningful.” To underscore this point, Nigel shared with the group a photo from 1942, displaying a room of women performing computations by hand. “This was the original mandate for math education, to correctly calculate the budget totals or computations of a mechanized super-computer. How many people today are employed for procedurally accurate mathematical computations? Zero.” -Nigel Nisbet of MIND Research Paul Tighe of the Arizona School Administrators Association agreed and emphasized the importance of connecting math education to students’ lived experiences in order to rekindle students’ engagement and enthusiasm in math. “Somewhere between Kindergarten and the end of high school, students go from loving math and finding it very engaging to absolutely hating it or being discouraged from it.” Tighe argued students need better contexts, connections, and content that connects to today’s modern realities. “Why are we having kids learn how to solve linear systems of equations? Sometimes it’s a little hard to think of applications of that content, aside from two trains meet from a platform and asking when will they meet? Students can just look that up online or use ChatGPT to find the answer.” To illustrate his point, Tighe recounted his own experience recently taking students to a local (VT) aerospace engineering firm and linking linear questioning systems to the methods military jets employ to ensure fuel access when damaged through their advanced onboard technology and sensors. Creating modern math experiences will require support, resources, and training for educators — if not a different culture entirely. “We need to change the cultural perception of teachers… other countries do that," added Tighe. Many other countries have also already established data science and data literacy education as a national priority and undertaken education reforms to prepare their students and citizens for a more competitive, data-rich, and sophisticated world, as evidenced in Data Science 4 Everyone’s recent report Beyond Borders: Primary and Secondary Data Science Education Around the World. What opportunities could data science education unlock, particularly in Arizona? The discourse expanded to encompass the potential of data science education in Arizona. Helen Thomas of the Arizona Department of Education emphasized the significance of integrating community context into the curriculum and leveraging data science to address locally relevant issues: “A lot of tribal communities are passionate about community education, and how can we bring that community context into the classroom will be critical.” Through datasets on local water access, economic opportunity, or even migration patterns, data science coursework can allow teachers to explore community-relevant issues and connect them to mathematics. “We need to build relationships both horizontally and vertically across the system, including in summer or out of school, where students are learning math and data science across the system, to have more concerted efforts to bring this vision to life,” said Thomas. Others were more adamant about what is needed for the near future. Educators brainstorm what infrastructure is needed in classrooms Melissa Hosten of the Center for Recruitment & Retention of Mathematics Teachers at the University of Arizona underscored the importance of aligning assessment practices with the evolving demands of the digital age: “We are losing students who are mathematicians by not counting their understanding, and we’re keeping a really anemic group of math content standards on the pedestal…That assessment you are using to determine where you’re students are, is it emphasizing place-values, or a significant focus on statistics, data science, and geometry? My guess is the former. The tests aren’t measuring any success for the latter.” What will the future of data science look like in Arizona? The future is already here for some students, brought to them by innovative work from educators across the state like Blais Cross, a high school math teacher at Bisbee Unified School District. This past year, Ms. Cross’ students conducted an original project to collect, organize, clean, analyze, and communicate data, analyzing the rates at which the schools’ students eat breakfast after some students expressed concern to her that their classmates were regularly skipping meals. Students invented a data collection plan and leveraged data collection tools including Google Sheets, Pyret, and DataClassroom to interrogate multiple potential hypotheses. After collecting survey data, cross-referencing other school-level data from the cafeteria, attendance rates, perceptions of food quality, meal cost, student mental health, and bus schedules, students determined the highest correlation in their model was between bus arrival times and meal-skipping. They also discovered that students’ buses were systematically arriving late several days each week, resulting in missed meals on a frequent basis. Ms. Cross shared that discovery is, “what leads to… are you just going to be another statistic, or are you going to do something about it?” Ms. Cross with her Bisbee High School Breakfast Survey Class and Survey Motivated by their findings, students then prepared a presentation to the school board to advocate for policy change on the timing of school-provided meals. Rather than simply making a rhetorical argument or a speech at a school board meeting, the students developed a data-driven presentation that was highly visual and explored multiple hypotheses through careful argumentation. The data made a difference for the Board, as Ms. Cross explained: “Once the school board realized that our data told a very a strong story, and the cafeteria’s own data matched their work and suggested a similar issue, the board decided to change the timing.” After this project, Ms. Cross was surprised to see even her students who typically didn’t engage in mathematics become passionate and inspired: “As a member of Ms. Cross’s CoStats class, I found this project to be very inspiring. For one of the first times in my life, I watched my classmates genuinely want to engage in the discussions, share their theories, and play their part. I could tell that the majority was passionate about making some changes. Even students that generally choose not to engage academics were into it, and even showed up to speak to the school board” — Student in Ms. Cross’s CoStats Class, Bisbee Unified School District The class’s work would eventually appear in an article in the Sierra Vista Herald Review: “If you hold students to high standards, they will rise to the occasion. But you have to give them the opportunity,” Ms. Cross shared. In her class, students also analyzed ACT test performance, MLB pitching speeds, and ways to optimize the angle of solar panels. “Our students were successful in changing the minds of our administration and our board to shift the breakfast time. Maybe I am a rogue ambassador for data diplomacy. That’s what we called the project. Data diplomats.” Reflecting on her experience to date with Data Diplomats, Cross was clear on what is needed today: “It’s very important to me to be a data literacy advocate for every student, every time, in every classroom. No matter what. That’s my bottom-line. I don’t care what you call it, whether statistics, data science, or a purple elephant.” Students from Ms. Cross’s class shared reactions to participating in data collection Eboney McKinney, Director of Mathematics and Educational Technology Standards at the Arizona Department of Education concurred. “Curiosity, creativity, other reasons to care… we lose that along the road to math.” McKinney concluded, “collectively, we can shift what math teaching looks like in the state of Arizona.” The UArizona Educators in Data Science (EDSci) Fellowship was created to support middle and high school educators in integrating real-world data science learning experiences into their classrooms while fostering diversity in the data science field. The fellowship, open to all interested educators, accepts up to 20 fellows annually. Accepted fellows will participate in a 5-day summer data science professional development in June 2024, followed by monthly virtual meetings facilitated by the UArizona Data Sciences Academy. Fellows are expected to create a narrative of their data science journey and will receive compensation for their participation. The application deadline is May 15, 2024, and interested applicants can apply here and find more information about the Fellowship here. The Arizona Data Science Summit is made possible through the generous support of the Burton Family Foundation and PI Mak from Arizona State University.

Read an Op-ed from the San Antonio Express-News written by Julius Cervantes, a first-generation undergraduate at the University of Texas at San Antonio studying data science and finance Growing up in San Antonio's South Side, Julius Cervantes faced formidable challenges, making traditional math courses seem irrelevant. However, during his senior year at Burbank High School, an AP Statistics course taught by Dash Young-Saver changed everything, igniting his passion for data science. Now a first-generation undergraduate studying data science and finance at the University of Texas at San Antonio, Julius advocates for bringing real-world data into math classrooms to inspire others. Read Julius's full op-ed here.

The Alabama State Department of Education partnered with QuantHub in order to bring data literacy education to public schools across the state. A student using QuantHub in their math class. By fostering a trailblazing partnership between the Alabama State Department of Education and QuantHub, the state of Alabama is setting a new standard for educational innovation. This collaboration aims to tackle one of the most pressing challenges of 21st-century education: equipping students with the data science skills essential for success in a data-driven world. By proactively equipping K-12 students with essential data skills, Alabama is not only meeting the growing workforce demand for data expertise but also strategically preparing its youth for future success. This initiative approach to education underscores a commitment to not only advancing the state’s educational capabilities but also ensuring its students are poised to thrive in the global digital economy. Pioneering Data Literacy in Alabama Schools QuantHub was born from a simple realization about the workforce in Alabama: the gap between the demand for skilled data professionals and the available talent pool was widening. This realization dawned on Joshua Jones, founder of data science strategy firm Strategy Wise, while collaborating with leading companies such as Chick-fil-A and Samsung that were increasingly requiring data literacy skills across roles and responsibilities. To tackle this divide, Jones and data scientist Nathan Black co-founded QuantHub and began creating hiring assessments to streamline the recruitment process for data-centric roles. Soon after creating these hiring assessments, QuantHub’s customers began asking for a way to not only assess employees’ knowledge of data science skills but also to train them. Noticeable skill gaps were exposed, highlighting the need for a personalized upskilling solution for all employees— from maintenance workers to executives. Here, QuantHub gained another key insight: improving data literacy statewide should begin much earlier, in K-12 education. Josh Jones, QuantHub CEO, delivers a presentation on AI at the Alabama Science Teacher Association Conference In collaboration with the Alabama State Department of Education, QuantHub initiated a pilot Data Literacy Program in 16 schools during the 2022–2023 academic year, focusing on diverse representation across each region of the state. Implementing this program across the state highlighted a unique set of opportunities present at many of Alabama’s schools, from rapid content development to interdisciplinary teaching methods. Alabama State Superintendent of Education Dr. Eric Mackey explained: “By integrating QuantHub’s advanced training software into our educational framework, we are not only preparing our students for the future of work but also ensuring that Alabama remains competitive in the rapidly evolving digital economy.” The initial pilot of the QuantHub Data Literacy program also unveiled one more striking insight: it wasn’t just about introducing students to the basics of data science but showing them how these skills could be applied in their future careers. Participation in the Data Literacy program sparked a passion for data science in many students, driving them to consider pursuing careers in the growing field. Data Literacy Across the Curriculum Schools across Alabama have taken a variety of approaches to integrating QuantHub’s Data Literacy program, utilizing it in math, science, and CTE courses as well as intervention courses. The positive reception from science departments and the alignment with ACT Science standards illustrate the program’s success in integrating data science into the curriculum in a meaningfully way that helps students succeed in standardized assessments. As science teacher Brianna Davis states, “It has been easy to have my students master one skill a week, and I really appreciate that it is mapped so specifically to the ACT standards. I know my students are learning things that will help them on tests and in real life.” Math teachers utilize QuantHub to help address data analysis and statistics standards. As math teacher Vincent Nuckols explains, “QuantHub exposes students to worthwhile information. Nothing else provides the contextualization of statistics like this. It helps students to know how to think about data.” Midfield High School and Bessemer High School have seamlessly woven data science into their career technical courses, focusing on equipping students for a future in the AI-enhanced workforce. These students dive into the ethical dimensions of AI and master data wrangling techniques, empowering them to harness the vast expanse of available workplace data. This training prepares them to create value both for themselves and their prospective employers, setting a strong foundation for their careers. “QuantHub has had a great impact on our students. It has helped them to be more innovative and more ready for whatever the world has to offer.” -Principal Tenesha Perdue of Midfield High School Accessible Insights Accessibility has always been a cornerstone of QuantHub’s approach to K-12 education. From initiatives designed to make the platform screen reader and keyboard accessible (adhering to both the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines Level A and Level AA standards) to the inclusion of language support, particularly for ESL students, QuantHub is committed to inclusivity, ensuring that language barriers don’t hinder students’ access to education. “Language support is a critical factor in shaping the learning experiences of English as a Second Language (ESL) students regarding educational software. A well-designed software that provides clear instructions, explanations, and content in a language that ESL students can easily understand can help them engage more effectively. Additionally, this type of software that adapts to the individual needs of the student and places them at their proficiency level, making it even more helpful.” -Maria Franco, Education Specialist, Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative QuantHub also provides adaptive instruction with personalized competency-based instruction. High school student David Robinson highlights how important this particular function was to his learning experience: “I’m a slow learner and the pace of my teachers doesn’t give me the time to learn the material. [QuantHub] was super easy for me, I just jumped right in. The ‘Study Activity’ button is really helpful when I don’t know the answer to a question.” David’s experience underscores the significance of adaptive instruction in empowering students to excel. By catering to students’ unique strengths and challenges, educational platforms like QuantHub foster a more inclusive learning environment where every student can reach their full potential. As the education community continues to champion accessibility, prioritizing initiatives that empower all learners, regardless of their backgrounds or abilities, becomes imperative. Dr. Veronique Zimmerman-Brown running a professional development session for teachers in Selma, Alabama Empowering Educators: The Key to Successful Implementation A critical factor for determining the success of data science and data literacy programs in K-12 education is teacher professional development. Dr. Belinda Patton, Data Literacy Program Coordinator, emphasizes the importance of equipping teachers with the necessary skills and confidence to integrate these programs effectively into their classrooms: “Teachers face constant demands and distractions. When they learn the skills themselves and become confident in the material, they see how easy it is for their students to learn and that it isn’t just another thing to try to squeeze into the day. They see how tailored learning really makes a difference and how data science skills are relevant for everyone.” Collaborating with organizations like the Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative (AMSTI) has been instrumental in facilitating teacher professional development initiatives. By offering teachers the opportunity to earn significant professional development credits through partnerships with platforms like QuantHub, AMSTI has inspired more educators to embrace data science programs in the classroom. This collaboration not only equips teachers with the necessary skills but also empowers them to create engaging and relevant learning experiences for their students, ultimately fostering a data-literate generation poised for success in an increasingly data-driven world. Ensuring Access to Data Science Education for All The development and implementation of the Data Literacy Program across Alabama has come with its own challenges, from ongoing IT struggles to the complexities of weaving new technologies into educational frameworks. These challenges reflect the broader issues involved in bringing educational innovation to life, particularly in rural areas. In Macon County’s rural Notasulga High School, battling limited internet and a shortage of reliable tech tools hasn’t stopped students from shining. QuantHub actively addressed these obstacles with a keen emphasis on making learning accessible and inclusive, underscoring its dedication to ensuring data science education reaches every student. Notasulga High School teacher Paulinnia Whitlow reported that many of her students had never been exposed to this particular kind of data science material before. One student reported, “I saw a lot of charts on the ACT exam and the platform helped me on the ACT WorkKeys.” Despite the initial technical obstacles, Notasulga’s students have excelled by mastering the data science skills offered through the Data Literacy program and are now armed with standout resumes. Expansion and the Data Scholars Program Building on this momentum, the Data Literacy in Alabama initiative set ambitious new goals to expand its reach to 2,000 teachers and 38,000 students across the state. This expansion was not just about spreading data science education more broadly, but also about deepening the impact on students’ readiness for the workforce. Thus, through a strategic partnership with Innovate Alabama, the QuantHub Alabama Data Scholars Internship Program was born. “We were thrilled to discover students demonstrating a profound interest and aptitude in data science, despite facing academic challenges in other areas. This inspired us to recruit our first cohort of summer interns, who furthered their education while gaining real-world experience.” — QuantHub CEO, Joshua Jones The QuantHub Alabama Data Scholars Internship Program places Alabama high school juniors and seniors into 8-week paid learning experiences at Alabama-based employers that use data in creative ways. The summer program offers interns hands-on experience with AI and data science as well as critical professional development. Participating interns and businesses also get the chance to shape the future of Alabama’s tech scene. This synergy between education and practical application exemplifies QuantHub’s comprehensive approach to preparing students for the challenges and opportunities of the technological future. QuantHub champion student and Data Scholar, Kenya Gordon Innovate Alabama CEO Cynthia Crutchfield captures the essence of this collaboration, stating: “Through our partnership with QuantHub, we are excited to offer Alabama’s youth hands-on experience with data science and AI, fields that are critical for the future of our state’s industries. We’re not only investing in the next generation of Alabamians but also sowing the seeds for a more innovative state economy.” These are just a few of the exciting projects Alabama Data Scholars will get the chance to work on in 2024: “Collect, clean, and visualize energy data published by the Energy Information Administration, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and other federal agencies. The student will help us curate information to help us better understand the operational characteristics of the current energy system and how it is changing to increasing clean energy.” -Daniel Tait, Executive Director of Energy Alabama “Support the data team in quality assurance of data during extraction from current platform to migrate into new internal data collection platform.” –Sarai Hernandez, Office Coordinator of Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama “Analysis of sentiment data….some amazing things that move the needle in organizations that care for their employees and their development” -Dr. Timo Sandwritter, President of RippleWorx “We are working on establishing an internal dashboard of our programmatic results in addition to a public facing dashboard with broader metrics. We would like this intern to work on both projects…which would include maintaining up-to-date data, improving presentations, developing communication strategies, and creating presentations that show not just the broad trends but specific trends.”–J.W. Carpenter, President of Prosper Foundation One of the most unique features of the Data Scholars program is the opportunity it presents for students across Alabama, especially those in rural areas, to participate in virtual internships with forward-thinking companies. These internships offer hands-on experience with data projects, highlighting the program’s dedication not just to technological accessibility but also to making meaningful opportunities available to students in even the most remote locations. In 2024, 46% of applicants to the Data Scholars Program were from rural districts in Alabama. Many students like high schooler Kenyale Moore from Saraland, Alabama, believe becoming a Data Scholar will ultimately help them achieve their career goals: “My dream job revolves around working with AI systems like ChatGPT or specializing in cybersecurity. However, I’m also open to exploring various fields within computer science as my interests are broad and evolving. Participating in the Data Scholars program can significantly contribute to achieving my aspirations. ” QuantHub’s Vision for the Future QuantHub is not only focused on providing data science education for K-12 students, they also want to showcase the tangible benefits of data skills for students’ future careers. To this end, they have partnered with the Alabama Talent Triad to ensure they are equipping students with the skills and credentials needed in the workforce in verifiable Learning and Employment Records (LER). QuantHub’s Upskill platform allows students to master skills at their own pace, demonstrating competency in high demand skills such as working with spreadsheets and sharing a machine learning model. QuantHub is also helping students register their data and AI certificates earned in a digital wallet. This enables students to build their resumes with relevant skills, bridging the gap between their education and career aspirations by aligning with the specific requirements of job postings. Alabama’s endeavor to foster widespread data literacy and encourage STEM careers through initiatives like QuantHub’s is not just commendable; it’s a model for other states seeking a path to make data education more accessible for all. This journey of innovation, challenges, and opportunities highlights the transformative potential of data science in shaping the future workforce and driving state-wide innovation. As we look to the future, the QuantHub experience in Alabama serves as a compelling example of how targeted and holistic educational initiatives can lay the groundwork for a more informed, skilled, and competitive society. Are you a 7th-10th grade student currently enrolled in an Alabama middle or high school? QuantHub is awarding scholarships up to $500 to talented 7th-10th grade students interested in attending a summer science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) camp or program hosted by an Alabama college or university. Scholarship winners will be selected by a panel of reviewers based on factors including: demonstrated interest in data-driven STEM careers, engagement in the QuantHub platform, academic excellence, and extracurricular involvement. Interested students can apply by May 1, 2024 here. Interested in finding out more about how your school or district can start implementing data science lessons in the classroom? Learn more about QuantHub and their services at QuantHub.com/education.

UIUC Pioneers Data Science Education Initiative, Aims to Reach Millions Through DISCOVERY Platform Attendees at the November 2023 workshop In November 2023, Wade Fagen-Ulmschneider and Karle Flanagan spent a full day at the Discovery Partners Institute (DPI) in Chicago, presenting an intensive workshop on data science to nearly 20 Chicago Public Schools curriculum designers. It was a hit with the attendees, but more than that, it was the latest step in an expanding, multi-year effort to bring data science to the masses—while also promoting UIUC as a national leader in data science education. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recently projected that employment of data scientists will grow by 36% from 2021 to 2031, suggesting a need to attract many young people to the field. Fagen-Ulmschneider, who is a Teaching Professor of Computer Science, and Flanagan, who is a Teaching Associate Professor of Statistics, have answered that call by building a web presence called DISCOVERY that is designed both to raise awareness of UIUC’s world-class data science offerings, and to provide an accessible, free introductory data science education that anyone with a phone can use as a point of entry to the field. Attendees at the November 2023 workshop. Fagen-Ulmschneider said that a seed grant from DPI enabled their DISCOVERY website to launch in Summer 2021. The site makes the substance of UIUC’s STAT/CS/IS 107 course, Data Science Discovery, freely available online. “There’s no login, there’s no ads; it’s just totally free. The DISCOVERY resources contain extremely high-quality content and serve as the basis for our freshman-level course here,” he said. “When we started DISCOVERY, we shared the vision that Illinois will be the national leader of undergraduate education in data science... Every time you search for basic data science concepts, it should be no surprise when Illinois is a top search result,” added Fagen-Ulmschneider. “A lot of our focus has been on... how do we provide high-quality content? After that, our ‘phase 2’ is, how do we get out there and let people know about it?” In pursuit of that “phase 2” goal, every summer since 2021, Fagen-Ulmschneider and Flanagan have partnered with DPI to run a 6-week summer experience as part of DPI’s Digital Scholars program. In each offering, 30 to 40 high-school students, guided by experienced UIUC teaching assistants, are taught a condensed version of the Data Science Discovery course content. Read more about how University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign professors Wade Fagen-Ulmschneider and Karle Flanagan are ensuring that Chicago public school students have access to high-quality data science education here.

Data Science 4 Everyone recently learned of a public letter signed by Silicon Valley technology leaders connecting the needs for AI and data science professionals with the critical efforts of math educators and the foundational content they teach. The letter also celebrates an earlier announcement in February by the University of California system that encouraged the development of introductory data science courses throughout the state to gain Area C mathematics eligibility in the senior year of high school, while reinforcing several other mathematical content expectations for university admissions in these programs. DS4E has not yet independently confirmed these leaders directly signed this letter. These developments build upon several conversations in the state about the relevance and appropriateness of the high school mathematics sequence for all students, especially in a world of changing technology. While the University has clearly signaled a need for more learning experiences in these areas through this new recommendation, we also caution that the new guidelines risk unintentionally disqualifying data science, statistics, and even computer science courses previously developed for students across the state in recent years prior to this announcement. These include several “low-floor, high-ceiling” programs designed to engage students who do not see themselves traditionally in math or STEM fields – and would otherwise not elect to take further math courses at all. These new guidelines may also risk disenfranchising many students across the state from college access to the UC system. A prior letter to UC submitted from 15 college access groups cautioned significant risks to historically marginalized students already enrolled in existing courses, and since the announcement, over 100+ school math leaders across the Golden State have expressed concerns about the process by which these new recommendations were reached in another open letter. We concur that AI engineers need calculus and linear algebra in the same way bridge engineers need geometry and physics. It would be erroneous to claim otherwise. Nor does anyone intend to lower expectations, but rather raise both the depth and usefulness of academic outcomes most critical for today. We are also united on the most important idea expressed: we all want more students to take more mathematics in high school. Willingly. We concurrently fear today’s required approach renders math indifference rather than math preparation. Moreover, critical differences emerge when considering what is most important for students across sectors, job types, and work environments today, and with what and when to specialize. DS4E is committed to building common ground and intentional, thoughtful, and careful approaches to the integration of emerging technology education into the K-12 curriculum. No one is better positioned than our technology leaders to give clear guidance on the preparation necessary for specializing in these fields or in academic research. Yet this work necessitates moving at an appropriate speed and with the right input from many and more diverse experts, including industry leaders across sectors, faculty across disciplines, and K-12 educators across many community contexts to ensure the most students possible participate in the AI economy. To that end, we hope technology leaders can help guide the education sector to understand 1) What skills and content preparation is ideal for students who intend to specialize in Data Science or the design of AI tools? 2) What skills, critical thinking, and other content is ideal for students across all careers and life pursuits to appropriately, safely, and ethically leverage these tools for problem-solving? 3) In what additional school subjects should universal AI and data literacy be reinforced? DS4E has extended invitations to the signing industry leaders to join a Data Science 4 Everyone Advisory Board to inform this work, along with a humble request on behalf of the community to philanthropically support these ongoing efforts across the country, and ensure resources are made available to the countless teachers, schools, and districts who are tirelessly building these opportunities on a daily basis. Have questions about what data science education entails in K-12 education? See our FAQs here.

Data Science 4 Everyone partnered with World's Largest Lesson to draw attention to the need for data literacy around the world. Zarek Drozda with panelists (from top left to bottom right) Wesley E. Hedgepeth , Hollylynne Lee , Fatuma Faarah, and Mayuri Dhumal In an era defined by data-driven decision-making and rapid technological advancements, data literacy and digital skills have never been more important for K-12 students, who are now vocally asking for these skills to be taught worldwide. To address this need, Data Science 4 Everyone partnered with World’s Largest Lesson to host a webinar on January 24 to celebrate International Day of Education and discuss the global need for students to have equitable access to data literacy and data science education. World’s Largest Lesson, which is delivered in partnership with UNICEF and UNESCO, is committed to introducing children and young people everywhere to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs. World’s Largest Lesson creates resources for teachers to use with their students to engage them in these issues of sustainability and provides opportunities for students to take action in their own communities. The resulting webinar event entitled “Passport to Potential: Exploring K-12 Data Literacy Worldwide”(which can be viewed here) brought together experts and educators from around the globe including Mayuri Dhumal, Data Values Advocate at Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data; Fatuma Faarah, Campaign Officer at Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data; Wesley E. Hedgepeth, President of the National Council for the Social Studies; and Hollylynne Lee, Distinguished University Professor of Mathematics and Statistics Education at North Carolina State University to discuss the need for data literacy education worldwide and consider questions of access and equity when data is collected, analyzed, and shared. Transforming Education Report: Bridging the Gap in Data Literacy Alison Bellwood, Executive Director of World’s Largest Lesson, opened the webinar by discussing World’s Largest Lesson’s work aligning with the United Nations SDGs. Last year, the World’s Largest Lesson surveyed over 37,000 students from 150 countries about the changes they would like to see in education, which culminated in the Transforming Education Report. One of the most striking statistics revealed in this report: 55% of students surveyed noted they weren’t learning to analyze and use data during the course of their education. Data from the Transforming Education Report This was backed up by World’s Largest Lesson’s new report “Ready, Willing and Able?” which explored the competencies that young people need to take action for sustainability issues. This report highlighted data and information skills as two ‘red zones’ in current educational systems worldwide. We know data fuels progress, but understanding it is key. The SDGs aim for a better world by 2030, but data literacy is a critical missing piece. Alison Bellwood, Executive Director of World’s Largest Lesson, and Zarek Drozda “For us, harnessing data sits centrally as one of the crucial competencies we need to start developing in young people as we look to them to address the sustainability issues of our time and into the future.” -Alison Bellwood, Executive Director of World’s Largest Lesson Fostering Data Literacy on a Global Scale The panel kicked off with Fatuma Faarah, Campaign Officer at the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data, who highlighted the importance of building data literacy to empower individuals and ensure ethical data practices. As a part of her work with Sustainable Development Data, Fatuma worked to create the Data Values Campaign, launched in 2022, which seeks to establish a common vision on data ethics, data rights and data governance, bringing together underrepresented voices and perspectives on issues surrounding data and power. Over the past year, the movement has grown significantly, with over 600 participants from 100 countries joining in discussions and planning actions. Fatuma explained that by engaging with global leaders and hosting sessions at various events, including the UN, the campaign has emphasized the importance of incorporating Data Values into policymaking and institutional practices. By adhering to the principles outlined in the Data Values Manifesto, participants are driving meaningful changes in how data is collected, managed, and used to ensure equitable benefits for all. “Building people’s ability to think critically about data, make well-informed decisions and increase daily use by individuals and organizations allows them to meaningfully participate and have a say in the way their data is being collected, managed and used.” -Fatuma Faraah, Campaign Officer at the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data Mayuri Dhumal, Data Values Advocate with the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data and a gender activist in India, followed with a discussion of her own research, which centers on the water crisis in India, underscoring the transformative power of data literacy at the grassroots level. Mayuri shared that her research began with an investigation into why so many girls in India are often forced to drop out of school after the eighth grade. Her research uncovered that many of these girls no longer had time to attend school because they were forced to walk extremely long distances (on average 2,100 kilometers per year) from their homes to fetch water for their families. But when she began collecting data on the water crisis in India, Mayuri was surprised to find that according to official data, 89% of homes in India have access to sanitation facilities. Mayuri soon began an investigation on the ground, speaking to the people living in the homes represented by this data, and discovered that many families didn’t have enough water to make these toilets functional. Though the data claimed that the toilets existed, it only implied that they were also functional. This was Mayuri’s first inkling that the data being presented by the Indian government and other entities might be a false representation of the living standards in these communities, which sparked her interest in empowering citizens with data literacy. Mayuri explained she soon began speaking to individuals in these communities and collecting data right alongside them. Soon, she discovered and shared with community members that their data (including names and addresses) was being collected and misrepresented by local officials in order to to create the illusion that they were making strides in providing indoor plumbing in their communities. This knowledge empowered these same individuals to go to their local officials and demand their right to water. Mayuri emphasized that by empowering communities with the tools to understand and advocate for their rights through data, individuals can demand accountability and drive meaningful change. “We all say that data is the new fuel, but to use this fuel properly we need to spread the knowledge about this fuel first.” -Mayuri Dhumal, Data Values Advocate with the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data and a gender activist in India Integrating Data Literacy Across Curriculum The panel continued with Wesley E. Hedgepeth, President of the National Council for the Social Studies, who emphasized the role of data literacy in fostering critical thinking and informed citizenship in social studies classrooms. He discussed how incorporating data science across disciplines allows students to engage with real-world issues, evaluate evidence, and take informed action. Wesley also noted that teaching data literacy skills fits neatly into the social studies framework , which encourages students to develop questions and search for answers by evaluating sources of information, investigating evidence and communicating and critiquing conclusions that lead to informed action. In a government class, for instance, students might discuss how a census allows them to see demographic changes in society, a question that can only be answered with data. Students can then use this data to form their own conclusions and engage in civic action based on those conclusions. “The use of data science and data literacy fits perfectly in the social studies classroom due to our reliance on documents.” -Wesley E. Hedgepeth, President of the National Council for the Social Studies Hollylynne Lee, Distinguished University Professor of Mathematics and Statistics Education at North Carolina State University, followed with a discussion of her work researching and training teachers how to teach data science and data literacy skills. Through researching the best practices for teaching statistics and data science in the classroom, Hollylynne and her colleagues at Concord Consortium developed ESTEEM: Enhancing Data Science and Statistics Teacher Education with E-Modules. ESTEEM aims to enhance undergraduate teacher preparation for teaching data science and statistics by investigating current systems, fostering a networked improvement community, and developing high-quality curriculum materials. Utilizing the CODAP web-based data tool, the project aims for widespread adoption and accessibility of technology for learning and practicing data science and statistics across various educational settings. “We’re not going to achieve any of the goals we discussed today without the teachers who can help our students engage in these kinds of experiences.” -Hollylynne Lee, Distinguished University Professor of Mathematics and Statistics Education at North Carolina State University Be A Fact-ivist Challenge At the close of the event, Alison Bellwood returned with one more exciting announcement: the launch of the Be A Fact-ivist challenge, inviting students to harness the power of data to drive change! Students with their Fact-ivism posters From International Day of Education on January 24 to Open Data Day on March 2, students submitted posters on SDG #4: Education, using real-world statistics to support their arguments and ignite meaningful conversations. Be A Fact-ivist! is a free online platform inviting students to research data on the SDGs (sustainable development goals as outlined by the UN here) and then share the posters they create based on a fact of their choice, because data is the first step to action!​ We know data fuels progress, but understanding it is key. The SDGs aim for a better world by 2030, but data literacy is a critical missing piece of that puzzle. The Be A Fact-ivist challenge invited students to dive into data, and then bring it to life creatively to drive change. Students from across the world submitted posters focused on their thoughts about what should change in education supported by real-world data pulled from the data in the Transforming Education Survey. Students then shared their posters online on the Factivist website where they were added to the Fact-ivist Gallery for SDG #4: Quality Education. If you missed this challenge, don’t worry! The Fact-ivist platform is still online for your students to upload posters on any SDG they choose. And if you would like to watch the Passport to Potential: Exploring K-12 Data Literacy Worldwide panel, the recording can be found here. Poster submitted by Ronald, 18, Philippines Poster submitted by Talal, 16, Lebanon Poster submitted by Elspeth, 15, Ireland

Listen to Steve and Walt's engrossing (and hilarious) discussion of the importance of data science in unexpected arenas like entertainment on the "People I Mostly Admire" Podcast. "The way I always like to think about it is creativity is having a good idea, data science is proving you’re right." - Walt Hickey Walt Hickey Wants to Track Your Eyeballs on People I (Mostly) Admire. Walt Hickey is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and data expert whose 2023 book You Are What You Watch explains "the power of entertainment to change our biology, our beliefs, how we see ourselves, and how nations gain power." He's written for publications like FiveThirtyEight and Business Insider, where he covered topics ranging from movie box office performance to demographic trends. Hickey is recognized for his ability to use data-driven approaches to provide in-depth analysis and commentary on complex issues. In this interview with Steve Levitt, Hickey emphasizes the fact that data science skills are becoming increasingly valuable for professionals in soft fields like marketing, where understanding and analyzing data can provide significant insights into consumer behavior and preferences. Hickey suggests students interested in pursuing careers in data analysis should focus on developing a strong foundation in statistics, programming, and data visualization techniques. But he also advocates for the importance of data science education in preparing all students for the evolving demands of the job market, no matter what field they're interested in joining. Click here to listen to the full podcast