Launching CSTA Washington’s Cybersecurity Interest Group

Cybersecurity education is exploding. Driven by urgent digital defense needs in the AI era, higher-ed completions have surged 19% annually. In Washington, the momentum is undeniable: the number of cybersecurity class sections skyrocketed from 17 in 2019-2020 to 57 in 2023-2024—a massive 35.3% annual growth rate.

With the College Board launching the fully digital AP Cybersecurity course nationwide for Fall 2026, Washington classrooms are on the front lines. Fortunately, teachers aren’t starting from scratch. Robust, turnkey K-12 cybersecurity curricula—from platforms like Code.org, Cyber.org, and Project Lead The Way (PLTW)—are already available to help you build your pathways.

Beyond the classroom, exciting student competitions like CyberPatriot, the National Cyber League (NCL), and CTSO events (such as FBLA and TSA) give students hands-on opportunities to apply their defense skills in real-time.

You do not have to navigate these new resources, frameworks, and competition landscapes alone. CSTA Washington is forming a dedicated Cybersecurity Interest Group to bring our state’s educators together.

Sign up now to get in on the ground floor of this new interest group. We will use an active email network to collaborate over the summer as members join. Our community will officially launch on October 1. Let’s work together to empower Washington’s next generation of digital defenders!

To join the new CSTA Washington Cybersecurity interest group, sign up here.