BILL NUMBER: AB 1530	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 4, 2014
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JULY 2, 2014
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 17, 2014
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 28, 2014
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 28, 2014

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Chau
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Hagman and Olsen)

                        JANUARY 17, 2014

   An act to add and repeal Article 7 (commencing with Section 51300)
of Chapter 2 of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education
Code, relating to school curriculum.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1530, as amended, Chau. Model curricula: computer science.
   Existing law requires the adopted course of study for grades 1 to
12, inclusive, to include instruction in various areas of study,
including, but not limited to, English, mathematics, and social
sciences. Existing law requires the State Department of Education to
adopt model curricula in certain areas of instruction, including,
among others, driver education and training, gang violence
suppression, and substance abuse prevention.
   This bill would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction
to consider identifying existing model curricula for kindergarten or
any of grades 1 to  12,   6,  inclusive, on
computer  science,   science. The bill would
also require the Superintendent to consider  recommending
 for  the revision of existing, or the development
of new, model curricula for kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 6,
inclusive, on computer science, and  to consider 
submitting, on or before July 1, 2017,  the recommended
  any  model curricula  revised or developed as
a result of this bill  to the State Board of Education for
adoption. The bill  would provide that  , in addition to
funds that may be appropriated by the Legislature for purposes of
implementing the provisions of the bill,  would authorize
 the Superintendent  to   may 
seek out  alternative nonstate   and accept
 funding  from nonstate sources to defray the cost of
identifying, developing, or revising the model curricula. The bill
would make these provisions inoperative on July 1, 2018, and would
repeal them on January 1, 2019.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Article 7 (commencing with Section 51300) is added to
Chapter 2 of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code,
to read:

      Article 7.  Model Curricula for Computer Science


   51300.  It is the intent of the Legislature to encourage the
establishment of programs of instruction in computer science, with
instruction beginning as early as feasible for each school district.
   51301.  The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
   (a) Computer science is an established discipline at the
collegiate and postgraduate levels, but the integration of computer
science concepts into kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive,
curricula has not kept pace in the United States.
   (b) Computer science education is not just about access to
computers or about preparing pupils to be passive users of
technology, it is about preparing pupils to be innovative creators of
new technologies.
   (c) Our educational system should prepare our pupils in
kindergarten and grades 1 to 6, inclusive, with the fundamental
computer science knowledge, skills, insights, and perspectives they
need for future success and for a world in which computing is
everywhere. While computer usage in classrooms is increasing,
knowledge and familiarity about computing is not keeping pace.
   (d) The goal of computer science curricula in kindergarten and
grades 1 to 6, inclusive, should be to introduce the fundamental
concepts of computer science, including instruction on computational
thinking, algorithmic processes and principles, hardware and software
design, computer applications, and the impact of computers on
society, and to increase the knowledge of computer science for all
pupils, especially those pupils who are members of underrepresented
groups.
   (e) The National Science Foundation and nonprofit organizations
publish and maintain comprehensive computer science curricula for use
in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, that are free of
charge to all persons. These curricula promote an introduction to,
and an understanding of, the fundamental concepts of computer
programming and coding.
   51302.  The Superintendent shall consider  identifying
  each of the following: 
    (a)     Identifying  existing model
curricula for kindergarten or any of grades 1 to  12,
  6,  inclusive, on computer  science,
recommending for   science. 
    (b)     Recommending  the revision of
existing, or the development of new, model curricula for kindergarten
or any of grades 1 to 6, inclusive, on computer  science,
and submitting,   science. 
    (c)     Submitting,  on or before July
1, 2017,  the recommended   any  model
curricula  revised or developed as a result of this section 
to the state board for adoption.  Upon adoption, 
 If   the model curricula is adopted by the state board;
the Superintendent shall make the model curricula available on
the department's Internet Web site.
   51303.  In addition to any funds that may be appropriated by the
Legislature in the annual Budget Act or another statute for purposes
of implementing this article, the Superintendent may seek out, apply
for, and accept  nonstate  funding  from
nonstate  sources to defray the cost of identifying, developing,
or revising the model curricula pursuant to this article, including,
but not limited to, federal funds, grant programs, and private
funds.
   51304.  This article shall become inoperative on July 1, 2018, and
as of January 1, 2019, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute
that is enacted before January 1, 2019, deletes or extends that date.