Sioux Falls, SD (KELO AM) - First, it was a Spanish immersion elementary school. Now, another kind of language will be bestowed upon Sioux Falls youngsters.
On Monday the school board overwhelmingly approved spending $1.26 Million to bring computer coding immersion to a handful of grade schools and middle schools over the next five years. The programs will begin this summer.
Board members and supporters say it will help younger students develop problem solving and computer skills at a young age, something that will prepare them for jobs in a digital world. Others hope it helps expose students from all backgrounds and races to the computer sciences.
Funding for the program, which comes from a group called Code to the Future, will come in large from the districts federal title funds.
Code to the Future has helped develop coding immersion schools in the Phoenix and Los Angeles areas. The group is gaining attention nationally, and has even been applauded by the White House as a leader in helping schools integrate coding into their curriculum as early as kindergarten.