Early racial, gender, and socioeconomic disparities in access to STEM and computer science education in Pre K-12th grade limit the opportunities that all children have to engage meaningfully with technology, develop computational skills, and explore careers in computing.
Large racial disparities in math and science proficiency are present in elementary and middle school, which affect opportunities for success in STEM courses in high school. No significant disparities exist by gender: Boys and girls have equal math and science proficiency levels in the early grades.
Students of color and girls are much less likely to participate in Advanced Placement math, science, and computer science than their peers, affecting preparation for pursuing STEM and computing degrees in college.