Resources

AZHACS - Arizona Hubs Advancing Computer Science

Rural communities and educators working together to build skills and knowledge in Computer Science and Computational Thinking

AZHACS is an initiative of the NSF-funded AZ K-8 Consortium (Award #2031527).

The intent of the Consortium is to be part of the Arizona STEM Ecosystem for K-8 educators to discuss any topic, gain access to resources, engage in professional development, and foster a Practitioner Learning Community or Working Group to share best practices. The Consortium is starting with Computer Science (CS), as the initiative is funded by NSF CS for All.

Researcher Practitioner Partnerships

Our rural RPPs are dedicated to providing all students with the opportunity to participate in computer science (CS) and computational thinking (CT) and ensuring that preK-8 teachers have the instructional materials and preparation they need to integrate CS and CT into their teaching.

OUR Mission

In November 2020 the National Science Foundation (NSF) approved the Arizona Computer Science for All proposal. This proposal is designed around two pillars:

1. A study to understand the use of computer science and computational thinking in the classroom

2. Develop Research-Practitioner Partnerships to tackle issues to high-quality CS/CT education.

OUR Vision

In the Spring of 2021 AZ HACS is looking for local innovative thinkers, change makers, and collaborators to create RPP teams that will work to better the education culture by bringing in reliable tools to help teachers succeed.

Your Voice

AZ HACS is looking for local collaborators to create RPPs – a blend of community members, educators, and researchers working together to identify issues, gather reliable data, and make informed decisions.

Results and Outcomes

In March 2021, the AZHACS team conducted a survey of over 200 K-8 educators and school administrators regarding computer science education in their schools. The objectives of the survey were to:

Assess educators’ beliefs regarding the value they place on integrating computer science into K-8 classrooms.
Determine readiness by evaluating the degree to which educators believe their school or district possesses essential ingredients needed to successfully implement and/or advance computer science (e.g., hardware, supportive leadership)
Gauge self-reported implementation by assessing the extent to which educators believe their institution is currently implementing Arizona’s Computer Science Standards

AZHACS Resource Center

Over the course of the project, the AZHACS team and collaborating partners have compiled a collection of resources for computer science education.

In the Media

Project Timeline

STEM Pathways and Community Growth: Partner Spotlight on the City of Chandler Economic Development Division

May 26, 2026

By Micah Miranda, Economic Development Director, City of Chandler Office of Economic Development This article is part of a year-long blog series, Partner Profiles: Bringing the AZ STEM Ecosystem to Life. We’ll be highlighting the organizations statewide that build bridges and create connections to unite a wide array of STEM-focused

STEM Without Barriers: Spotlight on Building Opportunity in Bisbee

April 27, 2026

This article is part of a year-long blog series, Partner Profiles: Bringing the AZ STEM Ecosystem to Life. We’ll be highlighting the organizations statewide that build bridges and create connections to unite a wide array of STEM-focused industries. In the hills of southern Arizona, the Bisbee Science Exploration and

Why STEM Education Is Arizona’s Most Important Economic Strategy: Spotlight on Arizona Technology Council

March 30, 2026

By Steven Zylstra, Arizona Technology Council and SciTech Institute President & CEO This article is part of a year-long blog series, Partner Profiles: Bringing the AZ STEM Ecosystem to Life. We’ll be highlighting the organizations statewide that build bridges and create connections to unite a wide array of STEM-focused