By Semantha Raquel Norris
Special to San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol
This week marks Computer Science Education Week, an annual call to action to inspire students to learn computer science and advocate for equity in its education. It also celebrates the contributions of students, teachers and partners to the field.
To kick off the week, Congresswoman Luz Rivas – the only Latina representative with a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) background – hosted a computer science fair event at Montague Charter Academy in Arleta.
“I grew up in Pacoima without much access to STEM,” said Rivas. “It’s important for me, as a Latina in STEM in Congress, to make sure that students like me have opportunities to explore their interests and feed their curiosities. … And that’s what I was able to witness at Montague.”
Students from kindergarten to fifth grade showed off their coding projects and a robotics game for the congresswoman.
“I was very impressed that there were kids as young as kindergarten that were involved in robotics,” said Rivas. “By having students involved in STEM early, we help them build confidence and skills that will last a lifetime.”
The event also served as a preview to the Computer Science for All Act, which Rivas introduced in the House of Representatives on Wednesday. The bill aims to address disparities in STEM education among underrepresented groups by reducing the enrollment and academic achievement gap.
A 2021 study by the PEW Research Center found that although Hispanic workers make up 17% of total employment across all occupations, they comprise just 8% of all STEM workers. Black workers similarly only comprise 9% of the STEM workforce.
Although women make up half (50%) of those employed in STEM, they are overrepresented in health-related jobs, while constituting a quarter or fewer of the workers in computing and engineering professions.
“We should invest in quality computer science education and ensure that it’s accessible to all students, regardless of background or where they live,” said Rivas. “This bill will fund opportunities for schools that serve underrepresented groups like girls and low-income students.”
The Computer Science for ALL Act would authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to states, local educational agencies and eligible tribal schools to increase access to rigorous computer science courses. It also aims to support teacher training, high-quality learning materials and mentoring for students.
“A lot of times, schools that have the most resources are the ones that are able to invest in STEM education, since it requires materials and equipment and teacher training,” said Rivas. “Some of our LAUSD schools, or low-income schools across the country, don’t have those resources or that funding.”
The bill will allocate $250 million over five fiscal years for these initiatives.
Before Rivas, former President Barack Obama spearheaded a Computer Science For All Initiative in 2016, and Rep. Barbara Lee introduced similar bills in 2021 and 2023.
However, as the founder of DIY Girls, a Northeast Valley-based nonprofit organization dedicated to helping girls become interested in technology and engineering, Rivas has been a longtime advocate for STEM education.
The Computer Science for ALL Act will be the third STEM-related bill she has introduced during her first year in Congress. It follows the AI for ALL Act, aimed at improving AI literacy, and the STEM Pathways for the Future Act, which fosters educational and apprenticeship opportunities for students from nontraditional pathways.
Rivas’ push for STEM education and equity continues despite the President Donald Trump administration’s continued dismantling of the Department of Education. The administration has fired nearly half of the department’s staff, including civil servants in the Office for Civil Rights. Critics fear the loss of resources and protections could result in fewer educational opportunities for minority students and exacerbate achievement gaps.
“We need to do what we can to keep the United States a leader in innovation, because what this administration is doing, unfortunately, will result in pushing the talent to other countries,” said Rivas. “As members of Congress, it’s our role to push and fight for these educational opportunities and these policies that will better prepare future generations in emerging technologies.”