Governor Janet T. Mills Addressing the NationLGovernors Association Summer Meeting in July of 2022 in Portland.  (For more background information on the NGA’ s Commitment to Computer Science, Please visit Post Dated July 11, 2022 Herein).

Governor Janet T. Mills (D), the first woman governor of Maine and the state’s first woman AG, announced the launch of a new Maine Department of Education (DOE) initiative that will provide every Maine public school with a free mobile computer science lab.  This effort, funded through the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund, will enable all Maine students to access high-qualitylearning experiences that provide real-world training in robotics, programming augamented and virtual reality coding and hardware,

In July, Governor Mills joined governors from across the country in signing a bipartisan national compact on computer science education.  As part of the agreement unveiled at the National Governors Assocation’s Summer Meeting in Portland, all 50 governors pledged to work to expand K-12 computer science education options in their states.

“Our economy increasingly depends on workers with training in computer science.  This initiative will ensure that students across our state are prepared to succeed in the jobs of the future,”said Governor Mills. “My Administration will continue to make sure that all Maine students have a chance to acquire digital literacy skils.”

Schools will soon be able to order one of three mobile lab options.  Each lab contains computer science equipment valued at $5,000. and is designed to be integrated into any content area and skill level.  Additionally, the initiative will make available professional learning opportunities for educators tailored to each of the three comupter science topic area.

More information about every program area can be found at the Maine Department of Education website.

(This blogger wishes to remind readers that the National Governors Association is a group that former Governor Paul LePage (R) shunned during his administration claiming it was of no benefit to him. Maybe it is of no benefit to him, but it is certainly a benefit to the people of Maine.  LePage, who tried and was unsuccessful in getting a job in the Trump Administration, and said he was going to get a job as a college professor in Florida, is now running against the incumbent Governor Mills for this position. Don’t let that happen)!