Last Month, March 2022, Skill Struck closed 2.8 million dollars in new investment to help K-12 schools adopt equitable and engaging computer science education. This round was led by Orchard Ventures, with participation from individuals such as Aaron Skonnard, Davis Smith, and Sterling Snow. 

Skill Struck provides school districts with educational computer science software and curriculum.

"We are focused on making computer science education fun and engaging, while also making it rigorous for all students,” Parker Gentry, CEO and Founder of Skill Struck, said. “This is especially our goal for underrepresented students.” 

Because educators have a lot on their plate, Skill Struck is also focused on making their computer science education implementation simple and sustainable for teachers and administrators. 

Skill Struck’s Growth and Opportunity 

In 2019, Skill Struck partnered with their first school district in the state of Utah. Since then, Skill Struck has partnered with many other forward-thinking schools and districts in the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah. 

Skill Struck has also partnered with organizations that serve students in the following countries:  Canada, Honduras, Kenya, Mexica, and the United States of America. 

“We believe every student–regardless of circumstance–deserves access to a quality computer science education,” Devin Lindley, Vice President at Orchard Ventures, said. “However, implementing an engaging and rigorous K-12 computer science curriculum can be very difficult for schools and districts. After visiting and talking with several schools using Skill Struck, it became clear that Skill Struck has truly built a best-in-class platform that is both highly engaging for students and empowering for teachers. Students and teachers alike absolutely love using Skill Struck.” 

"We believe there’s an access gap in computer science education,” Devin continued. “Skill Struck is narrowing that gap by providing a platform that schools anywhere–including those in rural and urban areas–can use to effectively teach computer science. We couldn’t be more thrilled to help impact the lives of students all over the world by providing a high-quality computer science education that will prepare them for the future.” 

Computer Science State Mandates and Available Funding  

As Devin mentioned, there is a lot of opportunity for expanded computer science access in the United States alone. This is because states across the nation have seen the importance of implementing computer science (CS) in K-12 education, and have required districts to do so through CS mandates. 

With these state mandates, funding has been provided that can be used to implement software and curriculum like Skill Struck. 

The majority of U.S. states have funding available to use toward Skill Struck’s computer science software and curriculum, even without CS mandates.  

States with mandates and/or funding include: 

• Alabama
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Florida 
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Indiana 
• Iowa
• Kentucky
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Mississippi
• Missouri 
• Montana 
• Nevada 
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey 
• New Mexico 
• New York 
• North Carolina 
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island 
• South Carolina 
• Tennessee 
• Texas
• Utah
• Virginia 
• Washington 
• West Virginia 
• Wyoming

Even with these CS state mandates and funding available, only 51% of today’s high school students have access to computer science. 

“It’s very clear to us that coding and computer science skills are essential in today’s tech workforce,” Parker said. “We’re really focused on connecting with forward-thinking educators that are not only working to meet their state mandates but also wanting to give all students access to computer science.”

"By implementing computer science in as many classrooms as possible throughout the US, we can make computer science more equitable. These students can and will directly impact the technology we use today and in the future. ” 

Making Computer Science Implementation Simple and Sustainable 

With these computer science mandates happening across the nation–and more to come–districts are overwhelmed with another requirement. Not to mention, the last couple of years in K-12 education have been harder than ever due to the pandemic. 

In order to help with teachers feeling burnout, and to help new teachers acclimate to the classroom, Skill Struck’s software and curriculum is easy to implement and use. 

‍Teachers do not need experience in computer science or coding in order to use Skill Struck. This is possible through a built-in autograder, pre-made lesson plans, 100% CSTA stand alignment and state-specific standard alignment, a built-in textbook and code editor, student progress dashboards, and more. 

How Skill Struck Will Use These Funds 

Skill Struck and their district and school partners in computer science are overcome with gratitude for those who invested in this round. These funds will help Skill Struck increase equity and access to computer science by helping build more software and curriculum, and expand their reach to more educators and communities in the U.S. 

To learn more about Skill Struck’s mission, software, and curriculum offerings, visit www.skillstruck.com. 


About Orchard Ventures

Orchard Ventures is a Utah-based family office that partners with top-tier entrepreneurs, operators, and investors to build enduring companies that fundamentally enhance society. Orchard provides patient, flexible capital solutions and invests at all stages of a company's life-cycle. For more information, visit orchardventures.com.