Krishnan presses on whether digital literacy is mandated for all schools

the safety and the literacy long before it's introduced in a classroom or even while they're doing it at home.

Even in our computer science for all curriculum, it's guided by state standards.

It also, in our early grades, and Tanisha, correct me if I'm wrong, the vast majority of some of that learning is unplugged.

And programming that has nothing to do with a screen.

So in those spaces, it's not necessarily the literacy of it all, but it's getting ready, you know, it's part of the readiness of, you know, the programming aspect and making, and, you know, all the work that's involved in.

Yeah, or being even aware of what a screen

does to you, being aware of what social media does to you before that kid has an Instagram account or TikTok account, right?

Do you want to add more?

Okay, I'm just making sure I was on this time.

Thank you.

You're doing great.

Thank you.

I really appreciate our first deputy chancellor and bringing me in for this topic.

When it comes to our computer science programming, not all of it involves screens.

Not all of it involves the usage of tools.

Actually, in elementary school, some of the biggest components of computer science education is understanding

technologies, the effects of that in society, ethics, decision making, how you're communicating, and in the earliest grades, to your point, Chair Denowitz, for our kindergarteners.

It's first graders, second graders.

It's also understanding the differences of what humans do, what technologies do, different types of technologies, and how to interact with it, and what are some of the good uses of interacting with technologies.

Okay, and again, at what age does it start?

So computer science programming, we had that across K to 12.

Okay, so it does include that, and is that every student has access to that, or that's just in the schools that engage with those programs, or the teachers who happen to teach it?

So we provide offerings and programs throughout the year to support K-12 schools in receiving that.

And in accordance with the state, New York State Computer Science and Digital Fluency Standards were passed off across K-12 with the expectation for schools to implement them.

So we provide resources year-round to support any school, K-12, to be able to provide that type of programming.

Sorry, I just want to get through the language I'm hearing, be able to or support them in their...

Are they required to do it?

Do all schools have to do this?

In New York City public schools, we don't have a strict requirement for all students in doing computer science.

But your expectation is that they...

You said the expectation.

There are standards that have been produced by the state where if schools are doing computer science, the expectation is to use those standards so it can hit a certain type of rigor across K-12.

To 12, yes.

I mean, I want to make sure our kids are safe and literate before they touch a screen.

I'm hearing mumblings, it sounds like it's not.

It's the distinction between recommendations and mandates, right?

And I posit that in this age, our youngest kids, before they have a one-to-one screen, need to know exactly what you spoke about, the safety and the dangers and the way it can impact them.

You know, without that education, they're going to suddenly be presented with a screen and do the things that we're scared of.

You know, whether it's the cognitive offloading or it's the addiction to the screen, they need that education.

And it shouldn't be, well, if the school...

Engages in computer science.

It really should be something that all of our kids are getting.