The Micro:bit Educational Foundation, a nonprofit, is taking a computer science program built around the BBC micro:bit, a small programmable computer, beyond Los Angeles. Google.org is giving an additional $520,000 to bring it to schools in 49 states, Washington, D.C., and two U.S. territories during the 2026-27 school year, according to GovTech. That follows $610,000 for the Los Angeles pilot, for more than $1.1 million in total.
What’s new
- $520,000 more from Google.org, aimed at schools in 49 states, D.C., and two territories in 2026-27.
- micro:bit CreateAI, a tool for exploring machine learning through physical movement, joins the expansion.
What isn’t confirmed
- What schools will pay. GovTech doesn’t say.
- How many schools or districts will take part. “49 states” describes where the funding aims to bring the program, not who has signed up.
- The grade range for the national rollout.
Why It Matters to You
- Teachers in elementary grades may get standards-aligned lessons and training in computer science, which the Los Angeles pilot built for grades 3 to 5.
- Students in participating schools would work on projects tied to real problems, such as smart traffic systems and seawater monitoring.
- It isn’t something a family can sign up for. Availability depends on whether your school or district joins in 2026-27, and neither source gives an application process.
Where the idea came from
The foundation announced the Los Angeles pilot in May 2025 with the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE), the Greater Los Angeles Education Foundation, and the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) at the University of Texas at Austin. It was planned as a one-year effort to build California standards-aligned lessons with professional development, aimed at grades 3 to 5.
GovTech reports the pilot reached more than 3,100 students and 154 teachers in 84 schools, and that 90 percent of the schools were Title I. It says TACC ran an independent evaluation. The foundation said pilot results would inform a page of standards-aligned resources free to educators, though the cost of hardware and training for new schools isn’t stated.
What the pilot reported, and how far to trust it
| Measure (Los Angeles pilot) | Result | Who answered |
|---|---|---|
| Confidence teaching computer science increased | 95 percent agreed | Teachers |
| Had knowledge to integrate computer science | 42 percent before, 82 percent after | Teachers |
| Had resources to teach the content | 34 percent before, 86 percent after | Teachers |
| At least three-quarters of students more engaged | 88 percent agreed | Teachers |
| At least three-quarters of students more confident in digital skills or coding | 77 percent agreed | Teachers |
| Learned about coding | 79 percent of 725 surveyed | Students |
Source: GovTech, citing the TACC evaluation.
Almost every figure here is a teacher’s survey response about their own confidence or their students. The reporting includes no test scores or skill assessments. The 77 percent is teachers saying at least three-quarters of their students became more confident, not students rating themselves. The student figure comes from 725 surveyed students, a fraction of the 3,100 reached, and the reporting doesn’t say how they were chosen. We didn’t open the TACC evaluation itself, so these results come from GovTech’s summary. No source measures district savings or teacher time saved, so we make no claim on either.
Quick answers
Is the program free for schools? The sources we opened don’t say. The foundation described resources as free to educators in its May 2025 announcement, but the cost of kits, training, or hardware for new schools isn’t stated.
What is a micro:bit? A small programmable computer. The foundation says more than 73 million young people in over 85 countries have used it.
Which grades does it target? The Los Angeles pilot targeted grades 3 to 5. The grade range for the national expansion isn’t stated. CreateAI is described as usable by students as young as 8.
How can a school get involved? Neither source gives an application process. Teachers can contact the Micro:bit Educational Foundation or their district office.
Sources
- Government Technology: Successful Coding Pilot Expands Nationwide (Sep 29, 2026)
- Micro:bit Educational Foundation: Building standards-aligned lessons and professional development in California (May 5, 2025)