Back to School
with CodeHS
Before the Bell
Everything you need to start the year strong with CodeHS: set up, lesson-ready, and confident before students walk in.
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Five steps to a smooth first week
Five Steps Before the Bell
Everything that follows, in the order you'll want to tackle it. Work top to bottom and you'll be ready for day one.
1 Choose Your Courses
Pick what you're teaching this year: start from the catalog, browse by subject or standard, and add the courses you need to your account.
Find the right fit
Over 100 courses across K-12, including AP Computer Science A, AP Computer Science Principles, AP Cybersecurity, and the brand-new Introduction to Vibe Coding.
Browse the course catalog2 Set Up Your Sections
Get your rosters ready: create a section for each class period and attach its course. It takes a couple of minutes, and you can add students by join link or sync them from your LMS.
3 Week Zero Lesson Plans
Set the tone before anyone writes a line of code. Week Zero is a ready-made intro to your coding class: six topics that set expectations, build community, and get students comfortable on CodeHS. No code required.
Computer Science Mindset
Frame how programmers think: curiosity, persistence, and iteration.
Navigating CodeHS
Show students how to sign in, find assignments, and move through the platform.
Setting Norms and Expectations
Establish how your classroom runs before the first assignment.
Community Building
Icebreakers and collaboration activities that set the tone for the year.
Careers and Code
Connect the course to real pathways and careers in computing.
Debugging and Problem Solving
Build the habit of working through errors instead of around them.
- Ready to present
- Editable
- No code required
4 Join a Free Webinar
Sharpen your teaching with free virtual webinars and workshops all fall, led by the CodeHS team and CodeHS Teacher Trainers, and open to teachers at every experience level.
- CodeHS DC Metro Meetup: Elevating Your Classroom with New Tools, Curriculum, and AI
- CodeHS San Francisco Meetup: Elevating Your Classroom with New Tools, Curriculum, and AI
- CodeHS Chicago Meetup: Elevating Your Classroom with New Tools, Curriculum, and AI
- CodeHS Boston Meetup: Elevating Your Classroom with New Tools, Curriculum, and AI
5 Check Out New CodeHS Features
See what's new for 2026–27: six big releases landed this year, from new AI tools to a hands-on cyber lab.
Ask AI
Discover curriculum, assign lessons, and surface progress data, all from one chat without leaving CodeHS.
Learn moreVibe Coding
Students describe an idea in plain language and watch it come to life, then learn the code behind it.
Learn moreAI Student Hints
Students request a hint right in the editor. It points to the next step instead of handing over the answer.
Learn moreStudent Groups
Color-code groups in the Roster app, then filter Gradebook, Progress, and Code Review by group.
Learn moreLOGIC Assessments
Pre- and post-tests that measure student growth across the year and generate clear, shareable data.
Learn moreCyber Range
A secure, simulated lab where students apply cybersecurity skills with real Linux commands.
Learn moreDo More With CodeHS Pro
Pro adds the tools that give you time back: ready-to-teach lesson plans, a full gradebook, academic integrity insight, and AI tools.
Teach a full CS course, free
- The full course catalog and Week Zero plans
- Sections, rosters, and the online IDE
- Free webinars and the Knowledge Base
Everything in Free, plus
- Ready-to-teach lesson plans, slides, and pacing guides
- Full gradebook with autograding and rubric-based feedback
- Academic integrity: plagiarism, similarity, and paste detection
- AI tools for teachers and guided hints for students
You're Never on Your Own
However the year unfolds, help and a whole community of CS teachers are one click away.
Back to School FAQ
How do I get my CodeHS account ready for the new school year?
Work through five steps before day one: pick your courses from the catalog, create a section for each class period, grab the Week Zero lesson plans for your first days, register for a free webinar, and review what is new on the platform this year. Most teachers finish the setup in under an hour.
What are Week Zero lesson plans?
Week Zero lesson plans are a ready-made introduction to your coding class, covering six topics that set expectations, build community, and get students comfortable on CodeHS before they write any code. Every plan is editable, ready to present, and requires no programming.
Do I need CodeHS Pro to teach a course?
No. CodeHS Free includes the full course catalog, sections and rosters, the online IDE, free webinars, and the Knowledge Base, so you can teach a complete computer science course at no cost. Pro adds ready-to-teach lesson plans and slides, the full gradebook with autograding, academic integrity tools, and AI tools for teachers and students.
How do I create sections and add my students?
Create a section from the Sections app, give it a name such as "Period 3 Intro to CS", and attach the course you are teaching. Then share the section join link or code with students, or sync your roster automatically through Google Classroom, Canvas, Clever, ClassLink, or another integration.
Are the CodeHS back-to-school webinars free?
Yes. CodeHS runs free virtual webinars and workshops all fall, led by the CodeHS team and CodeHS Teacher Trainers, and they are open to teachers at every experience level. The full schedule, including on-demand sessions you can watch any time, is on the free PD event calendar.
What is new in CodeHS for the 2026-27 school year?
Six major releases shipped for this school year: Ask AI, Vibe Coding, AI Student Hints, Student Groups, LOGIC Assessments, and the Cyber Range. The full back-to-school changelog covers each one along with smaller updates to grading, academic integrity, and the IDE.
