Bill Text: CA AB2329 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: Computer science strategic implementation plan.
Sponsorship: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2016-09-27 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 693, Statutes of 2016. [AB2329 Detail]
Download: California-2015-AB2329-Chaptered.html
BILL NUMBER: AB 2329 CHAPTERED
BILL TEXT
CHAPTER 693
FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE SEPTEMBER 27, 2016
APPROVED BY GOVERNOR SEPTEMBER 27, 2016
PASSED THE SENATE AUGUST 31, 2016
PASSED THE ASSEMBLY AUGUST 31, 2016
AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 29, 2016
AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 14, 2016
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 27, 2016
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 13, 2016
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 28, 2016
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Bonilla
(Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Chiu)
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Travis Allen, Calderon, Chang,
Dababneh, Gonzalez, Kim, Lackey, Low, Obernolte, and Olsen)
FEBRUARY 18, 2016
An act to add and repeal Chapter 19 (commencing with Section
53310) of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code,
relating to school curriculum.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2329, Bonilla. Computer science strategic implementation plan.
Existing law requires the Instructional Quality Commission, on or
before July 31, 2019, to consider developing and recommending to the
State Board of Education computer science content standards for
kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, pursuant to
recommendations developed by a group of computer science experts
convened by the Superintendent of Public Instruction in consultation
with the state board.
This bill would require the Superintendent to convene, on or
before September 1, 2017, a computer science strategic implementation
advisory panel composed of 23 members, as specified, to develop and
submit recommendations for a computer science strategic
implementation plan to the State Department of Education, the state
board, and the Legislature on or before July 1, 2018. The bill would
require the department and the state board to consider the advisory
panel's recommendations; the department to develop, and the state
board to adopt, a computer science strategic implementation plan on
or before January 1, 2019; and the department to submit the plan
adopted by the state board to the Legislature on or before January 1,
2019. The bill would require the Superintendent to appoint a
statewide computer science liaison to serve the advisory panel, as
provided. The bill would authorize the advisory panel, if state or
federal funds are not available or sufficient for purposes of these
provisions, to evaluate the process and ability to accept grants and
receive donations and other financial support from public or private
sources for purposes of convening the advisory panel, preparing the
computer science strategic implementation plan, and ensuring that the
computer science strategic implementation plan adopted by the state
board is implemented. The bill's provisions would be repealed on
January 1, 2021.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
(1) Computer science education is not only about access to
computers. It is about innovation and development of technology.
Computer science education builds pupils' computational and critical
thinking skills, which enables them to create, and not simply use,
the next generation of technological tools. This fundamental
knowledge is needed to prepare pupils for the 21st century regardless
of their ultimate field of study or occupation.
(2) Computer science drives job creation and innovation throughout
our state's economy. Providing access to computer science education
is a critical step for ensuring that California remains competitive
in the global economy and strengthens its cybersecurity. Last year,
there were over 600,000 technology jobs open across the United
States, and, by 2018, 51 percent of all science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics (STEM) jobs are projected to be in
computer science-related fields. In California, there are currently
86,436 open computing jobs, which is four times the average demand
rate in California.
(3) Computing occupations make up two-thirds of all projected new
jobs in STEM fields, making computer science one of the most
in-demand college degrees. However, California only had 3,525
computer science graduates in 2014 with only 15 percent female
graduates.
(4) There are fewer advanced placement (AP) examinations taken in
computer science than in any other STEM subject area. Of the high
school pupils in California who took the AP computer science
examination in 2015, only 26 percent were female, only 973 were
Latino, and only 148 were African American. Only 242 schools in
California, or 16 percent of California schools with AP programs,
offered the AP computer science course in the 2013-14 school year.
(5) President Obama's Computer Science for All initiative builds
on the momentum at the state and local level. The President's
upcoming budget proposes funding for the United States Department of
Education, available over three years, for states to increase access
to computer science education in elementary and secondary education
classrooms. Under the program, states would submit comprehensive
five-year "Computer Science for All" plans in order to be eligible
for federal funding, and every state with a well-designed strategy
would receive funds. In addition to state-level grants, the budget
will also dedicate funds for competitive grants specifically for
leading districts to execute ambitious computer science education
expansion efforts for all pupils, including traditionally
underrepresented pupils, with those efforts to serve as models for
national replication.
(6) However, access to computer science education for all pupils
is still a challenge, especially for underrepresented communities.
Only one out of four K-12 schools teaches any computer science,
leaving 75 percent of pupils today without the opportunity to develop
skills that could help them thrive in the future.
(7) Exposure to computer science at a young age has the potential
to address the diversity gap in computer science fields. Girls who
take AP computer science in high school are 10 times more likely to
major in computer science in college. African American and Latino
pupils who take this course in high school are over seven times more
likely to major in this field.
(8) A Google-Gallup survey found that nine out of 10 parents say
they want computer science taught in their schools, and the majority
of parents and teachers believe it should be required learning for
21st century pupils.
(9) Computer science has often been confused with broader
technology education in schools. California should adopt distinct
standards for computer science focused on both the creation and use
of software and computing technologies at all levels of K-12
education.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that all pupils in
kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, have access to computer
science education, with a strong focus on pupils underrepresented in
computer science, including girls, low-income and underserved school
districts, and rural and urban school districts.
(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that the only
predetermined outcome be to increase access to computer science in
California schools and to account for disparate views as
recommendations are provided.
SEC. 2. Chapter 19 (commencing with Section 53310) is added to
Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code, to read:
CHAPTER 19. COMPUTER SCIENCE STRATEGIC IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
53310. (a) On or before September 1, 2017, the Superintendent
shall convene a computer science strategic implementation advisory
panel to develop recommendations for a computer science strategic
implementation plan. The advisory panel shall hold public meetings,
post the location and time of the meetings, and post agendas online.
Members of the advisory panel shall possess expertise in computer
science.
(b) The advisory panel shall consist of, but not necessarily be
limited to, the following members:
(1) The Superintendent or his or her designee, who shall serve as
cochair of the advisory panel.
(2) A representative of the Governor, who shall serve as cochair
of the advisory panel.
(3) A representative designated by the Senate Committee on Rules.
(4) A representative designated by the Speaker of the Assembly.
(5) (A) Six K-12 teacher representatives, designated by the
Superintendent.
(B) It is the intent of the Legislature that these representatives
include two elementary school teachers, two middle school teachers,
and two high school teachers who are all currently teaching.
(C) It is further the intent of the Legislature that these
representatives include one teacher from a large urban school
district and one from a rural school district.
(6) A representative representing the Commission on Teacher
Credentialing.
(7) A credentialed teacher representing the Computer Science
Teachers Association.
(8) A representative of the private sector technology industry,
designated by the Superintendent.
(9) A faculty member from the University of California.
(10) A faculty member from the California State University.
(11) A faculty member from the California Community Colleges.
(12) A faculty member from a private postsecondary educational
institution, designated by the Superintendent.
(13) A credentialed teacher from the Instructional Quality
Commission.
(14) A representative from an equity-focused organization
knowledgeable of computer science/STEM education programs, designated
by the Superintendent.
(15) A representative from a parent organization, designated by
the Superintendent.
(16) A representative representing school administrators and
superintendents, designated by the Superintendent.
(17) A pupil enrolled in a public school, designated by the
Superintendent.
(18) A representative from a county office of education,
designated by the Superintendent.
(c) Administrators from the University of California, the
California State University, and the California Community Colleges
may serve as advisers to the advisory panel to provide input on the
computer science strategic implementation plan.
53311. (a) On or before July 1, 2018, the computer science
strategic implementation advisory panel shall submit recommendations
for a computer science strategic implementation plan to the
department, the state board, and the Legislature that includes, at a
minimum, recommendations on all of the following:
(1) Broadening the pool of teachers to teach computer science.
These recommendations may provide, among other things, for the
following:
(A) Providing training and professional development for education
in computer science pursuant to Section 60605.4.
(B) Creating a teacher certification pathway in computer science.
(C) Expanding scholarship eligibility and loan forgiveness
programs for computer science teachers in low-income and underserved
school districts and rural and urban school districts.
(2) Defining computer science education principles that meet the
needs of pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive.
(3) Ensuring that all pupils have access to quality computer
science courses. These recommendations may provide, among other
things, for the following:
(A) Scaling up computer science education coursework so that all
high schools teach at least one computer science course.
(B) Providing access to computer science in both college and
career pathways.
(C) Ensuring school districts have adequate broadband connectivity
and infrastructure and access to hardware and software. This may
include, but is not limited to, the development of grant programs
that prioritize high-need school districts.
(D) Removing local policy and regulatory barriers that local
educational agencies face when implementing computer science
education.
(E) Increasing the participation of pupils traditionally
underrepresented in computer science education.
(b) The recommendations shall be submitted to the Legislature in
conformance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
(c) Upon completion of the recommendations for a computer science
strategic implementation plan, the computer science strategic
implementation advisory panel established pursuant to Section 53310
shall cease to exist.
53312. (a) The Superintendent shall appoint a statewide computer
science liaison within the department to serve the computer science
strategic implementation advisory panel, including, but not limited
to, in the following actions:
(1) Coordinating the efforts of the advisory panel by writing up
the recommendations of the advisory panel members and disseminating
them to all stakeholders.
(2) Soliciting input and public comments.
(3) Preparing the necessary legislative reports to share the
advisory panel's recommendations.
(4) Ensuring that the advisory panel's recommendations adopted by
the state board are implemented.
(b) The duration of the liaison's role shall only be for a limited
period of time subsequent to the adoption by the state board of
academic content standards in computer science and the curriculum
framework for computer science in order to provide technical
assistance and support to local educational agencies in commencing
implementation of the computer science academic content standards and
curriculum framework.
53313. The department and state board shall consider the
recommendations submitted by the computer science strategic
implementation advisory panel pursuant to Section 53311. The
department shall develop, and the state board shall adopt, a computer
science strategic implementation plan on or before January 1, 2019.
The department shall submit the plan adopted by the state board to
the Legislature in conformance with Section 9795 of the Government
Code on or before January 1, 2019.
53314. If state or federal funds are not available or sufficient
for purposes of this chapter, the computer science strategic
implementation advisory panel may evaluate the process and ability to
accept grants and receive donations and other financial support from
public or private sources for purposes of convening the advisory
panel, preparing the computer science strategic implementation plan,
and ensuring that the computer science strategic implementation plan
adopted by the state board is implemented.
53315. This chapter shall become inoperative on July 31, 2020,
and, as of January 1, 2021, is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that becomes operative on or before January 1, 2021, deletes
or extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is
repealed.
