Most schools realize that students need to be able to use a computer in this day and age, which is why many have already established computer labs where they teach the basics of programming and using software. Still, in most U.S. schools computer science is still just an optional subject, but that’s all set to change for public schools in Chicago.

This week, the Chicago Public School Board of Education announced that it had voted unanimously for computer science to become a mandatory subject for all high school students, which means they will no longer be able to graduate without learning the basics of coding. The new rules come into effect for next year’s class of freshmen, which means they’ll graduate with their new found programming skills in 2020.

Chicago has been planning this for some time. The city’s Mayor Rahm Emanuel first announced he wanted to make computer science a core subject back in 2013. More recently, the Chicago Public School Board of Education has been working closely with an organization called Code.org to create a curriculum for the subject and prepare teachers to teach it.

“Making sure that our students are exposed to STEM and computer science opportunities early on is critical in building a pipeline to both college to career,” said Mayor Emanuel in a statement. “Requiring computer science as a core requirement will ensure that our graduates are proficient in the language of the 21st century so that they can compete for the jobs of the future.”

It’s encouraging news, but computer science still has a long way to go before it reaches parity with subjects like English and Math. At present, only 25 percent of U.S. schools offer computer science. Things are better in Chicago, where 107 schools currently offer computer science, 41 of which are high schools. Of the students who’re currently studying the subject in the city, 43 percent are female and 37 students are black or Hispanic.

Chicago isn’t alone in recognizing how important it is to teach computer science. Earlier this year, President Obama himself unveiled a plan that would see $4 billion set aside to make computer science a mandatory subject at all K-12 schools in the country.

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