Teach Cyber began with a simple idea: every student should have the opportunity to discover cybersecurity—and the people who make that possible are teachers.

What started as a free, Creative Commons-licensed high school cybersecurity course has grown into a national initiative to build teacher capacity, strengthen cybersecurity education, and expand access for students across the United States. Today, Teach Cyber develops curriculum, prepares teachers, conducts research, and builds the national infrastructure needed for high-quality high school cybersecurity pathways.

Our curriculum is grounded in learning science and real-world relevance. Based on the High School Cybersecurity Curriculum Guidelines, the Teach Cyber courseware uses hands-on labs, active learning, and scenario-based instruction—including cyber-physical labs through the U.S. Cyber Range. Thousands of teachers have downloaded and adapted the materials, and educators in more than a dozen states have implemented or pilot-tested the units.

To ensure teachers are prepared—not just to use curriculum, but to teach cybersecurity with confidence and accuracy—we launched the National Cybersecurity Teaching Academy (NCTA), a graduate-level certificate designed specifically for high school educators. NCTA equips teachers with technical foundations, instructional skill, and classroom-ready experience. Graduates leave prepared to launch and sustain cybersecurity programs in their schools.

Our work extends beyond teaching materials and professional learning. Through the ARC Project (Assess, Research, Collect), Teach Cyber builds the evidence base for cybersecurity education. We develop validated assessments, conduct empirical studies on learning, interest, and self-efficacy, and investigate how emerging technologies (including cyber-physical systems and AI-enabled security) can be taught effectively—and equitably—in high school settings. Our team has produced national analyses of teacher endorsement pathways, state policy scans, and research that informs curriculum, teacher preparation, and educational practice nationwide.

Across all of these efforts, our mission remains the same: to support and empower the educators who will introduce the next generation to cybersecurity. Each teacher we train reaches hundreds of students, and each student who learns cybersecurity creates new possibility—for themselves, for their communities, and for the nation.

Teach Cyber welcomes partners, sponsors, and collaborators who share this commitment to building cybersecurity pathways in America’s schools. If you’d like to join us, we’re ready.