Digital Literacy and Computer Science (DLCS)

Digital Literacy and Computer Science (DLCS) knowledge, reasoning, and skills are essential both to prepare students for personal and civic efficacy in the twenty-first century and to prepare and inspire a much larger and more diverse number of students to pursue the innovative and creative careers of the future. In Massachusetts, DLCS instruction includes the areas of computing and society, digital tools and collaboration, computing systems, and computational thinking.

Although Digital Literacy, Information Technology and Computer Science are distinctive in nature, it is essential to take an inclusive approach to teaching and preparing our students for today's modern society. The standards represent the core elements of digital literacy and computer science, not the totality of each.

Please see the Digital Literacy and Computer Science Coursetaking Report to view the number or percentage of students completing at least one Digital Literacy or Computer Science course in grades K–12 as reported by each district.

DLCS Learning Standards

Resources

DLCS Curriculum Planning

2022 Massachusetts Curriculum Guide — updated 11/23/2022
DLCS District Implementation Process

Professional Development Resources and Recordings

Review Rubrics: DLCS in Mathematics DLCS in Science	Piloting new curriculum? DESE and EDC have developed rubrics to help educators determine the quality, rigor, and alignment of lessons and units to the 2016 MA DLCS Curriculum Framework.
Massachusetts K-12 Computer Science Curriculum Guide (2017)	This guide helps school districts choose the computer science (CS) curricula that best suit their communities' needs. The guide was developed as part of an initiative for school districts to accelerate the creation of classroom opportunities for learning CS that are standards based, high quality, career relevant, and accessible to all students at all grade levels.
Commonwealth Virtual Schools (CMVS)	Students may take courses offered by a CMVS if the district and the CMVS have entered into an agreement to provide such courses. As for any coursework outside of school, parents/guardians should know in advance how the virtual course will be treated in terms of grades, course credit, and grade point average (GPA). Two virtual schools currently operate in Massachusetts: Greenfield Commonwealth Virtual School (GCVS) and TEC Connections Academy Commonwealth Virtual School (TECCA).
Instructional Materials and Professional Development	Expanding access to high-quality, standards-aligned curricular materials can significantly improve student outcomes, especially when teachers have the professional learning opportunities they need to make the most of those materials. The Center for Instructional Support at DESE is committed to ensuring that all students in Massachusetts enjoy the many benefits of a strong curriculum.
Quick Reference Guide: Digital Literacy and Computer Science in Kindergarten to Grade 2 Quick Reference Guide: Digital Literacy and Computer Science in Grades 3 to 5 Quick Reference Guide: Digital Literacy and Computer Science in Grades 6 to 8 Quick Reference Guide: Digital Literacy and Computer Science in Grades 9 to 12

DLCS Instructional Resources

DLCS 5–12 License

Interested in getting the 5–12 DLCS Teacher License?

The Digital Literacy and Computer Science Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL) is now available as of September 2021. Please note that there is a delay in score reporting when a new test is first released. The previously-used competency review process is no longer available for educators seeking licensure. Information about what is on the test can be found on the Pearson MTEL webpage. Candidates can register for the test on the Evaluation Systems Group (ES) of Pearson website.

Please use the Licensure Requirements Tool which identifies the requirements for a particular license.

Professional Development Resources

Overview of 2016 DLCS Standards	This presentation is designed to provide an overview of the 2016 DLCS Framework and includes the following sections: The Need Vision Overview of the Framework Implementation
DLCS Framework: Implementation and Licensure (2017)	11/14/2017 MA STEM Summit This presentation is designed to provide an overview of the 2016 DLCS Framework implementation and licensure.
CSforMA MassCUE	CSforMA and MassCUE are two organizations in Massachusetts dedicated to Digital Literacy, Computer Science, and the integration of technology in education. They provide various professional development opportunities throughout the school year.
Methods for Integrated Computing	A free, on-line, self-paced course created by the Georgia Department of Education, Georgia State University, and ISTE.
General PD Planning Guidance	This site is a resource for professional development leaders to support the development of high quality professional development. It includes case studies and tools to support professional development planning and assessment.
AP Computer Science Principles: Providers of AP CSP Curricula and Pedagogical Support AP CSP PD Providers	AP Computer Science Principles is an AP computer science course created to "attract students from a broader range of groups to computer science." (CollegeBoard)
Exploring Computer Science PD Providers	Exploring Computer Science is a high school introductory computer science course.

Classroom Resources

DLCS Curriculum Guide for Massachusetts Districts	Provides an evaluated list of Digital Literacy and Computer Science curricula. Shows alignment of curricula with Massachusetts DLCS standards. This guide is helpful to districts in selecting quality curriculum to use for K–12 DLCS instruction.
Broadening Participation of Elementary Students and Teachers in Computer Science	Broadening Participation of Elementary Students and Teachers in Computer Science was an NSF project that partnered ESE, the Education Development Center (EDC) and school districts around the state. This partnership developed and piloted instructional curriculum modules to facilitate implementation of the computational thinking strand of the 2016 Digital Literacy and Computer Science standards in grades 1–6. The project website includes a computational thinking handbook, integrated modules that include graphic resources, student pages, and a teacher's guide, and recorded computational thinking webinars.
CSTeacherTips	Tips developed by Harvey Mudd College research through funding by the National Science Foundation. These tips for CS education include how to recruit students, identify opportunities for inclusive teaching strategies, and practice responding to microaggressions.
CSUnplugged	Free teaching lessons and associated materials to begin teaching Computer Science without using a computer.
CSEdWeek	Resources to advocate for and teach Computer Science
AP Computer Science Principles: Providers of AP CSP Curricula and Pedagogical Support Instructional Resources	AP Computer Science Principles is an AP computer science course created to "attract students from a broader range of groups to computer science." (CollegeBoard)
Exploring Computer Science Resources	Exploring Computer Science is a high school introductory computer science course.

DLCS Networks and Associations

DLCS Data: Participation and Job Market

DLCS Contact

Name	Phone Number
Anne DeMallie	781-338-3527
Paula Moore	781-338-3529

Last Updated: November 25, 2022