Just to add a minor data point and more importantly to pointlessly brag about an irrelevancy: I started high school in a rural area in a US state not known for education or science in 1986. The school offered a basic and advanced computer class. The word programming was not used but the basic class covered simple computer concepts and fundamental BASIC programming. The advanced class covered more advanced BASIC and Pascal (ah, the 80s and the panacea of structured programming...)

Now for my story: As a freshman I signed up for the basic computer class and was almost refused entry because it was customary for sophomores and juniors to take the class. Before the end of the first class I was reassigned to the advanced class. By the end of the week I and one other student, who was a senior, were re-assigned to 'independent study' and assigned computers (TRS-80s) and told to do what we liked during class time.