The Friday Institute for Educational Innovation’s Program Evaluation and Education Research (PEER) Group, under the direction of Callie Edwards, was awarded a $354,720 5-year U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) grant entitled “BPC-AE: Expanding Computing Education Pathways.” The team will serve as external evaluators of the Expanding Computing Education Pathways (ECEP) Alliance’s Broadening Participation in Computing (BPC) State by State program and its impact on computer science education throughout the United States.

“We’re honored to serve as the external evaluation partner for the ECEP Alliance,” said Edwards, principal investigator (PI) of the BPC grant and the director of the PEER Group and strategic partnerships at the Friday Institute. “Our mixed-methods embedded design allows us to examine both the development of the Alliance and the outcomes of its work over time. We aim to provide timely, data-informed insights that support continuous learning, strengthen collaboration among state teams and help the project team track progress toward its long-term goals.”

Edwards will be leading the work on this grant along with senior researchers Kevin Winn and Alicia Fischer, who are both research scholars at the Friday Institute.

This evaluation project will use a mixed-methods embedded design to answer five questions and explore the implementation and impact of the Alliance that is based at the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) at The University of Texas at Austin. The project team will also provide formative feedback on and documentation of the project team process to ensure project activities are completed and goals are achieved.

Focus of the Evaluation

The evaluation project will be focused on answering five critical questions:

• EQ1. In what ways does the Alliance support CS education pathways, policies and practices for all across ECEP states?
• EQ2. How has the ECEP Alliance worked to become a National Hub, Test Bed and Locus for BPC?
• EQ3. How has participation in the ECEP Alliance affected student computer science outcomes? (e.g., how has ECEP Alliance membership situated students for success?)
• EQ4. How has the ECEP Alliance influenced state BPC outcomes?
• EQ5. How has the ECEP Alliance built state capacity to advance BPC goals?

The Broadening Participation in Computing: Expanding Computing Education Pathways grant marks a significant step in advancing computer science and AI education across the nation. The Friday Institute PEER’s team role as external evaluators will provide valuable insights into the impact of the ECEP Alliance’s efforts to expand access for all to CS education, providing insights that will strengthen state policies and practices. 

About ECEP

The Expanding Computing Education Pathways (ECEP) Alliance is a national network committed to advancing access to computer science (CS) education. Since its founding in 2012 with funding from the NSF, ECEP has become a recognized leader in research and policy focused on broadening participation in computing. The alliance is anchored at The University of Texas at Austin, housed within the Texas Advanced Computing Center’s (TACC) Expanding Pathways in Computing (EPIC) unit. TACC works in partnership with co-principal investigators from UT Austin’s College of Education, Michigan State University and the Kapor Foundation to provide strategic guidance and infrastructure for the alliance.

ECEP brings together leaders from 29 states and the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico—including states such as California, Georgia, North Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin—who collaborate to strengthen and sustain K–12 computer science education ecosystems. The alliance supports these state leaders in enacting policies, developing pathways and adopting practices that ensure all students have access to high-quality computing education. By identifying and addressing systemic gaps, ECEP works to create long-lasting, statewide change that advances access, participation and opportunity in computing for all learners.

About the Friday Institute

The Friday Institute brings together researchers, practitioners and policymakers to foster collaborations that will prepare students for success in a rapidly changing world. It conducts research and evaluation; designs professional development; engages educational stakeholders; informs standards, practices and policies; and provides support, tools and structures. Visit fi.ncsu.edu to learn more.

• Learn more about the Program Evaluation and Education Research (PEER) Group

This post was originally published on July 22, 2025. It was updated on July 29, 2025.