ACM Teach LA

making coding accessible. fun. empowering. approachable. easy.

ACM Teach LA pairs UCLA students with schools in Los Angeles to provide free computer science classes. Our goal is to empower all students with the ability to code, and use it to make a difference.

Tutors working with students at our Day of Code event

How does it work?

Teach LA's flagship program is teaching classes, which typically meet once or twice a week for a quarter. Classes have a wide variety of objectives, ranging from an introduction to python or web development to advanced topics such as machine learning and data science. Each class balances instruction and time for hands-on experimentation, with trained teachers helping students learn and use the material.

Preview of our editor

editor project

We've developed an open-source online code editor specifically targeted towards students learning how to code. Students can sign up easily, and our service stores and runs their code - which removes issues about using a specific computer, and allows students to access their code anywhere! We currently support Python, HTML, and Processing, and plan on adding more features soon!

Cipher Salad home screen

learning labs

Our dev team develops online modules called Learning Labs that each focus on a specific topic in computer science, such as CNNs, cryptography, and password secruity. Through interactive activities and visuals, our Learning Labs aim to make complicated concepts easy to digest!

teacher

what we teach

Depending on the group of students and their coding backgrounds, we shape the class to maximize their learning. Topics that students have learned in the past include programming fundamentals (in Python or Scratch) and intro to web development (in HTML/CSS), as well as complex topics like machine learning and mobile app development.

We're looking to expand our set of topics: data science, game development, digital art, you name it - if you're interested, get in touch!

decorative image for Intro to Programming with Python

Intro to Programming with Python

25+ weekly classes • no experience required •

decorative image for App Development with React Native

App Development with React Native

10+ one-hour online Zoom classes • no experience required • billions will learn! •

most recent blog

Picture from banquet!

quarter-review | Apr 15, 2026

'26 Winter Quarter Review

by Javier


This Winter Quarter of 2026, Teach LA entered its WINTER ARC. Dev Team continued producing their superb educational programs, reaching new area topics designed for the needs of the contemporary youth, while Curriculum also chartered new courses. This quarter was not of complacency, but rather of reaching towards the STARS. The winter nights can get lonely, but with Teach LA by our sides, I think our members would agree the ostensibly difficult winter was a whole lot more fun.

blog

reflection

quarter-review


Interested in working with us?


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or, send us an email at acmteachla@gmail.com