White House budget would fund computer science, other tech priorities

President Barack Obama’s $4 billion plan to help fund computer science classes in schools calls for $40 million in funding in 2017, with yearly spending quickly escalating for the next five years. The Computer Science for All plan, unveiled in Jan, calls for federal funding for states to offer coding classes for students in kindergarten through high school. Funding for the program was included in President Obama's overall $4.1 trillion budget proposal released Feb 9. The aim is to train a quarter million teachers, upgrade infrastructure and provide online courses. It would rely partly on partnerships with private industry. In 2018, President Obama’s budget calls for mandatory funding for the program to rise to $720 million. Spending would increase above $1 billion in each 2019 and 2020. Spending would be $660 million in 2021 and $280 million in 2022. The program also calls for $100 million is discretionary funding for schools to expand computer science classes for girls and minorities.

The budget also calls for funding for 25 agencies to develop digital service teams, which are meant to place tech talent throughout the government. The budget also factors in an estimated $5 billion in savings over the next decade by having the Federal Communications Commission enact spectrum license user fees and allowing the FCC to auction satellite services.