Joins Bipartisan Efforts to Promote Innovation in Education, Cybersecurity Defense
While attending the 2017 National Governors Association (NGA) Summer Meeting in Providence, RI, Governor Larry Hogan joined a multi-state cybersecurity compact, as well as a partnership to expand K-12 computer science education.
The Compact to Improve State Cybersecurity is part of the NGA’s “Meet the Threat: States Confront the Cyber Challenge” Initiative. The compact, signed by 38 governors across the country, makes recommendations to better secure states’ cyber infrastructure by building cybersecurity governance, preparing and defending the state from cybersecurity events, and growing the nation’s cybersecurity workforce.
“Maryland has become the cyber capital of the nation – it’s where our nation’s premiere cyber-related federal agencies and intelligence assets are located, and we’re home to more than 1,200 cybersecurity companies,” said Governor Hogan. “I am proud to join my fellow governors in signing this compact, and supporting the Governors Partnership for K-12 Computer Science, to help ensure we continue educating the next generation of cyber warriors.”
The Governors Partnership for K-12 Computer Science is a group of state leaders committed to strengthening computer science education across states for all students, in order to meet the demands of a 21st century workforce and prepare students for the jobs of the future. Currently, it is estimated that there are more than 500,000 open computing jobs across the country, and there are over 115,000 total computer science-related jobs in Maryland.
As part of the initiative, governors commit to working toward the following priority computer science policies that will help meet the goal of increasing access to K-12 computer education:
- Enable all high schools to offer at least one rigorous computer science course.
- Fund professional learning opportunities so teachers can be prepared to teach these courses.
- Create a set of high-quality academic K-12 computer science standards to guide local implementation of courses.
In addition to Maryland, the partnership includes governors of Arizona, Rhode Island, Iowa, Virginia, Idaho, and Nevada. Click here to read more about the effort.
Governor Hogan currently serves on the NGA’s Executive Committee and Education and Workforce Committee, and as co-chair of the NGA Water Policy Learning Network. He previously served as the chairman of the Economic Development and Commerce Committee.
