@ucbalumnus – I agree. I was initially skeptical of CSP because I had the attitude of put 'em in AP-CS-A and let them sink or swim, figuring that kids are loaded with tech devices and would want to learn more about how they work. Apparently not! They see the devices as tools (I don’t know how many times I’ve had to explain the difference between WiFi, our MicroCell, cellular data, and hotspots). Anyway, our HS started a Computer Science pathway this year (they already have Biotech, Business, Teaching, Engineering, Healthcare, Marketing, etc.). Freshmen take Intro to Digital Technology, sophomores take AP-CSP, and juniors take AP-CSA. Seniors typically do some sort of local internship. This was the first year AP-CSP was available so D18 took it as a junior.
BTW, I think CS has matured and grown enough that it needs to be split into two categories: traditional CS with the nitty-gritty details, and “application science”. Both fields are huge and very different (I’ve done both). You can see some of that with “game design” and “computer programming” specialties but I think it should be formalized at the university level. The abstraction stack would be EE->CE->CS->AS. It’s become painfully obvious to me over the last 10 years that the current CS system isn’t working.