How to Join

Contact Us

Schools and teachers interested in the program can contact us to get more information, review the curriculum, and learn how this program can work for you. When you are ready to begin, the first step is for teachers to join the professional development program in the semester or summer before they teach their first class.

 

Program Costs

As the first land-grand university, Kansas State University takes our trifold mission of education, research, and extension seriously. We have taken the time to talk with K-12 educators across the state and recognize the many challenges facing Kansas schools. We have worked hard to bring a quality research-grounded curriculum with a delivery model that makes sense for a school with limited resources. This includes our professional development aimed at helping a teacher with no formal training in computer science quickly get comfortable with offering a first computer science course, and providing that training and curriculum at the lowest possible expense to our schools.

 

Current costs for joining the Cyber Pipeline are:

Teacher Training Program $0. This free training is made possible by leveraging multiple funding sources, covering what would normally be a $7.5k cost. This funding is extended to teachers with the agreement that they offer the CC 110 or CC 210 course in their school the following academic year. This offer is contingent upon available funds on a first-come, first-served basis.

Per-Student Fee $16. This annual fee covers the subscription to the Codio Platform, an online development environment that we use to deliver our curriculum, and the administrative costs of the Cyber Pipeline program.

 

Cost Comparison with Similar Programs

Program	Teacher Training	Curriculum	Ongoing Mentoring
Cyber Pipeline	$0	$16 per student	Personalized coaching
Code.org	$0 - 4,400	$0	None
UTeach	$1,000 per course	$800 per course	Personalized coaching
Advanced Placement	$600 - $1,000	No curriculum*	None
Project Lead the Way	$2,400	$2,200 annually	Mentoring program

 

Funding

The Cyber Pipeline courses align with Kansas Career and Technical Education (CTE) course requirements. This allows schools adopting Cyber Pipeline courses to be eligible for state CTE funds. CS faculty also serve on many CTE advisory committees. More details about the CTE program can be found on the KSDE website.

 

Student Recruitment

Simply offering a Computer Science course is often not enough to get students interested and involved – especially in communities that have been traditionally underrepresented in computer science. Thankfully, this is an area that has been carefully studied, and there are several best practices that can help:

1. Invite students individually.

A personal invitation from a teacher is a powerful incentive for many students. It also gives you an opportunity to help potential students understand how computer science could align with their goals and interests. Personal relationships with a mentor figure like a teacher are one of the most important factors in students’ success in computer science.

2. Recruit groups of students.

Students often find it easier to approach a subject with the support of a trusted peer group. This is especially true for young women and others who may feel out of place in a classroom full of young men.

3. Reach out to parents.

Engaging parents with information about computer science and how it can be useful for their child’s future career aspirations can help them be an informed and supportive partner in your students’ learning. Research has shown that parents are a major influence on students’ curricular and career planning.

4. Talk to counselors.

Our courses are designed to engage all students in computer science. Make sure counselors understand that they are not just for “nerdy” kids and discuss with them how important programming and computational thinking are becoming for many careers. Studies have consistently shown counselors often serve as gatekeepers determining for whom a course is appropriate.

 

Many organizations have created resources to help recruit diverse students into computer science.