Bill Text: TX SB1315 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of a computer science strategic advisory committee and a grant program for the professional development and training of computer science classroom teachers.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-04-25 - Co-author authorized [SB1315 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-SB1315-Introduced.html
| 88R1848 DIO-D | ||
| By: Eckhardt | S.B. No. 1315 | |
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| relating to the establishment of a computer science strategic | ||
| advisory committee and a grant program for the professional | ||
| development and training of computer science classroom teachers. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter J, Chapter 21, Education Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 21.466 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 21.466. COMPUTER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS | ||
| PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GRANT PROGRAM. (a) In this section, | ||
| "institution of higher education" has the meaning assigned by | ||
| Section 61.003. | ||
| (b) The commissioner shall establish a competitive | ||
| professional development grant program to encourage teachers to: | ||
| (1) obtain computer science certification; and | ||
| (2) continue professional development in coding, | ||
| computational thinking, cybersecurity, and computer science | ||
| education. | ||
| (c) From money appropriated for the purpose, the | ||
| commissioner shall make grants to eligible providers that offer: | ||
| (1) professional development for classroom teachers | ||
| to ensure teachers maintain a working knowledge of current computer | ||
| industry standard tools and resources; and | ||
| (2) training for computer science certification for | ||
| teachers in accordance with certification requirements adopted by | ||
| the State Board for Educator Certification. | ||
| (d) To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a | ||
| provider must: | ||
| (1) be an institution of higher education, regional | ||
| education service center, or school district or partnership of | ||
| multiple school districts or a nonprofit entity approved by the | ||
| commissioner that has demonstrated experience in providing | ||
| professional development through a statewide network; and | ||
| (2) meet eligibility standards established by | ||
| commissioner rule. | ||
| (e) An eligible provider receiving a grant under this | ||
| section must: | ||
| (1) provide the training or professional development | ||
| described by Subsection (c) and establish professional development | ||
| hubs in each education service center region; | ||
| (2) serve high-need campuses; | ||
| (3) have established partnerships with institution of | ||
| higher education faculty with expertise in cybersecurity, | ||
| computing, and computer science education; and | ||
| (4) develop partnerships with computer industry | ||
| professionals. | ||
| (f) The commissioner may adopt rules as necessary to | ||
| implement this section. | ||
| SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 28.0181 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 28.0181. COMPUTER SCIENCE STRATEGIC ADVISORY | ||
| COMMITTEE. (a) In this section, "advisory committee" means the | ||
| computer science strategic advisory committee established under | ||
| this section. | ||
| (b) The agency shall establish the computer science | ||
| strategic advisory committee as a permanent advisory committee to | ||
| the agency to develop and provide recommendations for increasing | ||
| computer science instruction and participation in public schools. | ||
| (c) The advisory committee is composed of at least 11 | ||
| members. The members must include: | ||
| (1) two members appointed by the governor; | ||
| (2) two members appointed by the lieutenant governor; | ||
| (3) two members appointed by the speaker of the house | ||
| of representatives; | ||
| (4) one member appointed by the chair of the senate | ||
| committee with primary jurisdiction over primary and secondary | ||
| education; | ||
| (5) one member appointed by the chair of the senate | ||
| committee with primary jurisdiction over higher education; | ||
| (6) one member appointed by the chair of the house of | ||
| representatives committee with primary jurisdiction over primary | ||
| and secondary education; | ||
| (7) one member appointed by the chair of the house of | ||
| representatives committee with primary jurisdiction over higher | ||
| education; | ||
| (8) one member appointed by the chair of the State | ||
| Board of Education; and | ||
| (9) any other members added by the advisory committee | ||
| in a manner determined by the committee in the committee's | ||
| discretion. | ||
| (d) In appointing members to the advisory committee, the | ||
| governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of | ||
| representatives shall coordinate appointments to ensure that the | ||
| six individuals appointed to the advisory committee collectively by | ||
| those officers include: | ||
| (1) three educators who teach in a public school and | ||
| are certified in computer science; | ||
| (2) one parent or person standing in parental relation | ||
| to a student enrolled in a public school; | ||
| (3) one person employed in the technology industry; | ||
| and | ||
| (4) one faculty member of an institution of higher | ||
| education. | ||
| (e) The governor shall designate a member of the advisory | ||
| committee as the presiding officer of the advisory committee to | ||
| serve in that capacity at the pleasure of the governor. | ||
| (f) The advisory committee may hold public meetings. | ||
| (g) Members of the advisory committee are not entitled to | ||
| compensation but are entitled to reimbursement for actual and | ||
| necessary expenses incurred in fulfilling committee duties. | ||
| (h) The agency shall appoint an agency employee to support | ||
| the advisory committee. | ||
| (i) Not later than January 1 of each odd-numbered year, the | ||
| advisory committee shall submit to the governor and the legislature | ||
| a report that includes recommended changes to state law, including | ||
| funding proposals and timelines for the implementation of the | ||
| recommended changes. The report shall include recommendations that | ||
| are intended to: | ||
| (1) increase the number of certified computer science | ||
| teachers; | ||
| (2) increase the number of public high schools | ||
| offering computer science courses; | ||
| (3) increase the number of high school students | ||
| enrolled in computer science courses; | ||
| (4) encourage the enrollment of diverse student | ||
| populations in computer science courses; and | ||
| (5) expand computer science learning opportunities, | ||
| including computer programming, computer coding, cybersecurity, | ||
| and computational thinking, in public schools. | ||
| SECTION 3. Section 5, Chapter 1149 (H.B. 2984), Acts of the | ||
| 86th Legislature, Regular Session, 2019, is repealed. | ||
| SECTION 4. Not later than December 31, 2023, the | ||
| commissioner of education shall establish the grant program | ||
| required under Section 21.466, Education Code, as added by this | ||
| Act. | ||
| SECTION 5. As soon as practicable after the effective date | ||
| of this Act, the appropriate persons, as provided by Section | ||
| 28.0181(c), Education Code, as added by this Act, shall appoint | ||
| members to the computer science strategic advisory committee. | ||
| SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
| a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
| provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
| Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
| Act takes effect September 1, 2023. | ||
