{"id":122775,"date":"2026-02-04T16:45:08","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T16:45:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/122775\/"},"modified":"2026-02-04T16:45:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T16:45:08","slug":"south-bronx-charter-school-adapts-computer-science-education-for-the-age-of-ai-bronx-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/122775\/","title":{"rendered":"South Bronx charter school adapts Computer Science education for the age of AI \u2013 Bronx Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Comp Sci High serves roughly 500 students. It faces a new and rapidly evolving challenge: the rise of AI.<\/p>\n

Courtesy of Liam Kahan<\/p>\n

The idea behind Comp Sci High<\/a>\u2014a charter school focused on computer science education for predominantly Black and Latino students in the South Bronx \u2014took shape in 2017. One year later, backed by founder David Noah, the school opened its doors in one of New York City\u2019s most economically disadvantaged neighborhoods.<\/p>\n

From the start, the school set an ambitious goal.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to get every kid to the national median household income by the age of 25,\u201d said Noah, executive director of Comp Sci High.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause that represents how much money you need to have a real measure of choice about where you live, what you eat, what you do, where you send your kids to school.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Students at Comp Sci High sit in a lecture about generative AI. Courtesy of Liam Kahan<\/p>\n

Today, Comp Sci High serves roughly 500 students. But as the school continues its mission of economic mobility through technology, it faces a new and rapidly evolving challenge: the rise of generative artificial intelligence, a force reshaping both education and the tech industry itself.<\/p>\n

For students like 11th grader Kenneth Nunez, the presence of AI is already unavoidable.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s not much you can do without using AI anymore,\u201d Nunez said. \u201cEven if you don\u2019t, your employers are probably going to force you to. And when AI becomes good enough, there might not even be a need for coders.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rather than resist the technology, Comp Sci High is choosing to confront it head-on. Shilpa Agrawal, the school\u2019s director of computer science, is leading a comprehensive effort to prepare both students and staff for an AI-driven future.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re launching a full AI literacy curriculum with all of our students across all four grades,\u201d Agrawal said. \u201cWe\u2019re also incorporating AI into coding practices, because that\u2019s what the industry is doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

The approach, Agrawal explained, is intentionally gradual. Students are first required to master foundational programming skills through traditional instruction before being allowed to use AI tools.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut once they\u2019ve mastered those topics,\u201d explained Agrawal, \u201cthen our classes in a lot of cases are allowing them to generate code using AI for the topics that they\u2019ve shown mastery on.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Students at Comp Sci High learn how to use ChatGPT during their computer science classes. Courtesy of Liam Kahan<\/p>\n

The rapid pace of technological change can be intimidating for educators and students alike. Still, Agrawal remains optimistic that adaptability \u2014rather than fear\u2014 will determine long-term success.<\/p>\n

\u201cUltimately, the world is going to look different when you graduate from high school and when you graduate from college, four and eight years from now,\u201d Agrawal said. <\/p>\n

\u201cAs long as you\u2019re following those trends, as long as you\u2019re understanding and moving with that evolving world, you will be fine.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

Liam Kahan is a journalism student at NYU. For more coverage, subscribe to our\u00a0newsletter<\/a> and follow us on\u00a0Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram<\/a>!<\/p>\n

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