Louisiana Student Standards for Computer Science, grades 9–12

The standards

Louisiana's computer science standards are written for all four years of high school: 49 standards in five strands. No single course is expected to cover all of them. Here is exactly where this sequence stands on each one.

11taught and assessed directly

16touched in part

22left to other courses

The strongest coverage is in Computing Systems, Networks and the Internet, and cybersecurity: the hands-on standards. The programming-project and data-science standards are left to courses built for them. Standards text from the K-12 Louisiana Student Standards for Computer Science, pp. 13–16.

Computing Systems

2 directly · 1 in part · 0 not covered, of 3

Code	Standard, and how the sequence meets it	Coverage
H.CS.1A	Analyze the levels of interactions between application software and system software as well as the hardware layers. Inside the box, how software and hardware talk; both exams test it. What's in the Box? · The Bench	Taught directly
H.CS.1B	Explain how abstractions hide the underlying implementation details of computing systems embedded in everyday things. Computers that do not look like computers: thermostats, cars, card readers. What's in the Box?	In part
H.CS.2A	Generate guidelines that convey systematic troubleshooting strategies that other users can utilize to identify and fix errors. The CompTIA six-step method, worked on real and simulated machines, written up as ticket notes another technician can follow. Broken on Purpose · The Bench (interactive) · The Trip, Part 2	Taught directly

Code

Standard, and how the sequence meets it

Coverage

H.CS.1A

Analyze the levels of interactions between application software and system software as well as the hardware layers.

Inside the box, how software and hardware talk; both exams test it.

What's in the Box? · The Bench

Taught directly

H.CS.1B

Explain how abstractions hide the underlying implementation details of computing systems embedded in everyday things.

Computers that do not look like computers: thermostats, cars, card readers.

What's in the Box?

In part

H.CS.2A

Generate guidelines that convey systematic troubleshooting strategies that other users can utilize to identify and fix errors.

The CompTIA six-step method, worked on real and simulated machines, written up as ticket notes another technician can follow.

Broken on Purpose · The Bench (interactive) · The Trip, Part 2

Taught directly

Networks and the Internet

5 directly · 1 in part · 0 not covered, of 6

Code	Standard, and how the sequence meets it	Coverage
H.NI.1A	Evaluate a network's scalability, reliability, and appropriateness by describing the relationship between routers, switches, devices, topology, and addressing (MAC, IP, Subnet, Gateway). Routers, switches, DHCP, private and public addressing, Wi-Fi bands; the core of A+ Networking. The Trip to muggstech.net	Taught directly
H.NI.1B	Illustrate how to trace data through a network model, explaining the interactions that occur throughout the process. Students order every step from browser to server, watch a request travel it, then find where it broke. The Trip to muggstech.net	Taught directly
H.NI.1C	Describe and evaluate the internet as a digital public infrastructure (DPI) from the highest level to the private service provider level. Internet providers, DNS and the path a request takes; not the policy view of the internet as public infrastructure. The Trip to muggstech.net	In part
H.NI.2A	Recommend security measures to address factors that create trade-offs between the usability and security of a computing system. Passwords and passphrases, MFA, least privilege, updates; why the secure choice is sometimes the less convenient one. Nobody Hacked Anything	Taught directly
H.NI.2B	Interpret and analyze mechanisms through which malware and other types of cyber attacks can impact hardware, software, and sensitive data. Ransomware, Trojans, hijackers and social engineering, and CompTIA's malware removal steps. Nobody Hacked Anything	Taught directly
H.NI.2C	Compare and contrast how software developers protect computing systems and information from unauthorized user access. Authentication and sign-in codes, encryption, firewalls, Secure Boot, BitLocker, WPA3. Nobody Hacked Anything	Taught directly

Data and Analysis

2 directly · 3 in part · 7 not covered, of 12

Code	Standard, and how the sequence meets it	Coverage
H.DA.1A	Evaluate data representations, propose strategies to reconstruct the data, and visualize data in a variety of ways. Binary, hexadecimal, bits and bytes, and file types; not data visualization. Counting Like a Computer · Bits You Can Hold (interactive)	In part
H.DA.1B	Define and describe database structures to optimize the search and retrieval of data. Tables, records, fields, primary keys and simple queries (Tech+ Data and databases).	Taught directly
H.DA.2A	Explain and describe the impacts of uncertainty and the limitations of data collection technology and tools.	Not covered
H.DA.2B	Describe the personal and legal impacts of accumulated data, both collected and derived, for given scenarios. Propose tools and techniques to manage the accumulated data appropriately. Privacy, regulated data and safe disposal of drives that held records. Nobody Hacked Anything	In part
H.DA.3A	Justify choices on how data elements are organized and where data is stored considering cost, speed, reliability, accessibility, privacy, and integrity. SSD against hard drive, local against cloud, RAID, backups and the 3-2-1 rule. Counting Like a Computer	Taught directly
H.DA.3B	Explain and utilize the appropriate data structural organization system to collaborate and communicate data within a team or user group in given scenarios. Folders, paths and file names that other people can find, shared drives and permissions. Where Did My File Go? · Find the File (interactive)	In part
H.DA.4A	Create interactive data visualizations using software tools that explain complex data to others.	Not covered
H.DA.4B	Utilize data analysis tools to ingest (extract, transform, and load) and process data into relevant information.	Not covered
H.DA.5A	Create a model utilizing data with the appropriate simulated variables to develop predictions for real-world phenomena.	Not covered
H.DA.5B	Apply and evaluate data analysis techniques to identify patterns represented in complex systems.	Not covered
H.DA.5C	Analyze patterns in data visualizations, then select a collection tool to test a hypothesis and communicate the relevant information to others.	Not covered
H.DA.5D	Evaluate the impacts of the variables and the model on the performance of a simulation to refine a hypothesis.	Not covered

Algorithms and Programming

1 directly · 7 in part · 8 not covered, of 16

Code	Standard, and how the sequence meets it	Coverage
H.AP.1A	Assess variables, then classify the scope and type of variable. Variables, constants and data types, read in pseudocode (Course 1, Thinking like a programmer).	In part
H.AP.1B	Design algorithms that can be adapted to express an idea or solve a problem. Everyday procedures written as steps and flowcharts.	In part
H.AP.1C	Use and adapt classical algorithms to solve computational problems.	Not covered
H.AP.1D	Explain what computer memory is and how variables are stored and retrieved. What RAM is and why it empties; not how a program stores variables. What's in the Box?	In part
H.AP.1E	Identify and explain how a derived data type can be utilized in a real-world scenario. Arrays and objects, recognized in Tech+ questions.	In part
H.AP.2A	Justify the selection of control structures to balance implementation complexity, maintainability, and program performance. Branching and loops, read in pseudocode and flowcharts.	In part
H.AP.2B	Design and iteratively develop computational artifacts using events to initiate instructions.	Not covered
H.AP.3A	Decompose problems into smaller components using constructs such as procedures, modules, and/or objects. Breaking a procedure into named steps; functions and objects as vocabulary.	In part
H.AP.3B	Create computational artifacts using procedures within a program, combinations of data and procedures, or independent but interrelated programs.	Not covered
H.AP.4A	Utilize the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) to create software that is a minimum viable product.	Not covered
H.AP.4B	Develop and utilize test cases to verify that a program performs according to the program's design specifications.	Not covered
H.AP.4C	Design and develop programs by working in team roles using version control systems, integrated development environments (IDEs), and collaborative tools and practices.	Not covered
H.AP.4D	Evaluate licenses that limit or restrict the use of computational artifacts when utilizing resources such as libraries. Open source, proprietary, subscription and perpetual licenses; on both exams.	Taught directly
H.AP.4E	Apply the appropriate documentation techniques to make programs more accessible to debug and to be maintained by others. Documentation for the next technician: ticket notes and change records, not program documentation. Broken on Purpose	In part
H.AP.4F	Iteratively evaluate and modify an existing program to add functionality and discuss intended and unintended implications.	Not covered
H.AP.4G	Use a standard library and/or application programming interface (API) to create reusable code components to design simple programs and enhance existing programs.	Not covered

Impacts of Computing

1 directly · 4 in part · 7 not covered, of 12

Code	Standard, and how the sequence meets it	Coverage
H.IC.1A	Analyze the key milestones of computer science, historical events influenced by computer science, and the people connected to these achievements.	Not covered
H.IC.1B	Explain how innovations in computer science and technology enable advancements in other fields of study.	Not covered
H.IC.2A	Evaluate the adoption and adaptation of social norms from the physical world to the cyber world.	Not covered
H.IC.2B	Describe how cyberspace is becoming a universal medium for connecting humans, the economy, business, and computing. The cloud and the internet as the place school and work happen. The Trip to muggstech.net	In part
H.IC.2C	Describe and critique how algorithmic feedback loops can shape perceptions, reinforce a limited data set, and limit the sources of information that may inform the individual user.	Not covered
H.IC.3A	Debate laws and industry regulations that impact the development and use of computational artifacts. Regulated data, licensing and privacy rules a technician follows.	In part
H.IC.3B	Describe and analyze the motives of online threat actors to a user's personal safety, privacy, and well-being. Phishing, vishing, tailgating and scams, told as a comic and practiced in the lab. The comic · Nobody Hacked Anything	Taught directly
H.IC.3C	Compare and contrast the varied approaches to govern data, intellectual property, control information access, and various ways for users to be aware of guidance. Access control, least privilege, licensing and data disposal. Nobody Hacked Anything	In part
H.IC.3D	Explain how the interconnectedness of cyberspace can lead to physical and digital vulnerabilities. A badge door and a sign-in code are both part of security. Nobody Hacked Anything	In part
H.IC.3E	Debate the ethical considerations of creating and publishing computational artifacts.	Not covered
H.IC.3F	Analyze the data provenance of computational artifacts.	Not covered
H.IC.3G	Explain how individuals and organizations can exert influence on personal and societal perceptions and practices through computing technologies.	Not covered