BILL ANALYSIS Ó
ACR 108
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 9, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Joan Buchanan, Chair
ACR 108 (Wagner) - As Introduced: February 21, 2014
SUBJECT : Computer Science Education Week
SUMMARY : This measure would designate the week of December 8,
2014, as Computer Science Education Week. Specifically, this
bill :
1)Declares that computer science plays a critical role in
transforming society.
2)Declares that computer technology is an integral part of the
culture, is transforming how people interact with each other
and the world around them, and is transforming industry.
3)Recognizes computer science as the underpinning of the
information technology sector of our economy, which is
uniquely positioned to help with economic recovery through
research and development of new innovations.
4)Identifies the essential nature of understanding the
fundamentals of computing and providing pupils a chance to
participate in high-quality computer science activities at the
elementary and secondary levels.
5)Recognizes the importance of computer science education in the
development of higher order thinking skills and the benefits
of computer science courses at the elementary and secondary
levels, including access to qualified teachers, technology,
and age-appropriate curriculum.
6)Identifies the challenges of computer science education in
elementary and secondary schools, including distinguishing
computer science from technological literacy, providing
adequate professional development for computer science
teachers, and the existence of significant equity barriers
ACR 108
Page 2
within computer science education.
7)Declares that advances in computer science depend upon the
contribution of all, irrespective of race, gender, or age.
8)Recognizes Admiral Grace Murray Hopper, one of the first
females in the field of computer science, who engineered new
programming languages and pioneered standards for computer
systems. Computer Science week is held annually in
recognition of the this computing pioneer whose birthday was
December 9, 1906.
9)Identifies the goals of Computer Science Education Week as
highlighting the crucial role that computer science plays in
transforming our society, recognition of how computer science
enables innovation and creates economic opportunities, and
examining the inclusion of computer science classes as one of
California's core areas of instruction.
10)Resolves that the Legislature designates the week of December
8, 2014, as Computer Science Education Week.
FISCAL EFFECT : This measure was keyed as non-fiscal by
Legislative Counsel.
COMMENTS : Expanding access to computer science courses has
generated much debate and conversation within California and the
country. Spurred in part by industry's speculation on a future
shortage of qualified American workers and educators'
characterization a lack of rigorous computer science curriculum
as a civil rights issue, many ideas have been vetted in an
effort to address these issues. According to code.org, a
non-profit organization dedicated to expanding participation in
computer science by making it available in more schools,
computer science in K-12 education is absolutely critical;
"[c]omputer science develops students' computational and
critical thinking skills and shows them how to create, not
simply use, new technologies. This fundamental knowledge is
needed to prepare students for the 21st century, regardless of
their ultimate field of study or occupation." According to the
ACR 108
Page 3
author, this resolution is a call to action to raise awareness
about the importance of computer science education and its
connection to careers in computing and other fields.
Related Legislation
AB 1530 (Chau) of 2014, encourages the SPI to develop or, as
needed, revise a model curriculum on computer science, and to
submit the model curriculum to the SBE for adoption. This
measure is pending in the Assembly Education Committee.
AB 1539 (Hagman) of 2014, requires the SBE to adopt computer
science academic content standards. This measure is pending in
the Assembly Education Committee.
AB 1764 (Olsen and Buchanan) of 2014, allows a school district
to award mathematics credit for completion of a California State
University and Universities of California approved "category c"
computer science course, if the district requires more than two
years of mathematics courses for graduation. This measure is
pending in the Assembly Education Committee.
AB 2110 (Ting) of 2014, requires the SBE to incorporate computer
science curriculum content into the mathematics, science,
history-social science, and language arts curriculum frameworks,
as it deems appropriate. This measure is pending in the
Assembly Education Committee.
Previous Legislation
AB 887 (Atkins), Chapter 719, Statutes of 2011, established the
policy for the state of California that all students in grades 1
- 12 shall have equitable access to educational programs
designed to strengthen technological skills, including, but not
limited to, computer education programs and that funds
appropriated for these educational programs have the goal of
ensuring equitable access to those programs for all students.
This measure was not heard by the Assembly Education Committee.
ACR 88 (Torlakson), Resolution Chapter 84, Statutes of 2010,
established, until January 1, 2014, the California Task Force on
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education for
the purpose of promoting the improvement of mathematics,
science, engineering, and technology education across the state.
The task force would consist of Members of the Legislature and
experts appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly and the Senate
ACR 108
Page 4
Committee on Rules. This measure passed out of the Assembly
Education Committee by a vote of 9 - 0.
SB 675 (Torlakson) of 2007 requires the State Department of
Education to conduct a needs assessment survey, including
specified components, of all school districts and county offices
of education to determine the availability and accessibility of
courses and coursework in the areas of career technology
education and computer literacy. This measure died in Assembly
Education without being heard, at the request of the author.
SB 1736 (Ackerman) of 2005 establishes the One-to-One Laptop
Computer Pilot Program to be administered by the SPI. This
measure died in Assembly Education without being heard, at the
request of the author.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
None on file
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Jill Rice / ED. / (916) 319-2087