Amended in Assembly March 26, 2015

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 1258

Introduced by Assembly Member Chau

February 27, 2015

An act to begin delete amend Section 51020 of end delete begin insert add Chapter 13.5 (commencing with Section 52975) to Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of, and to end insert begin insert repeal Section 52979 of, end insert the Education Code, relating to elementary and secondary education begin insert , and making an appropriation therefor end insert .

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 1258, as amended, Chau. Elementary and secondary education: begin delete goals. end delete begin insert Computer Science Education Grant Program. end insert

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Existing law sets standards and guidelines for educational programs for the public schools of the state, including establishing required courses of study for specific grades, and defines various terms for purposes of those provisions, including the term “goal.”

end delete begin insert

Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary schools in this state, and authorizes school districts and other local educational agencies to provide instruction to pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive. Existing law establishes a course of study for pupils in these grades.

end insert

This bill would begin delete make a nonsubstantive change to the definition of “goal.” end delete begin insert establish the Computer Science Education Grant Program under the administration of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. Under the program, eligible school districts would apply to receive funding under either or both of the 2 grant programs. One grant program, the Computer Science Start-Up Courses Grant program, would provide grants to establish and maintain computer science courses, and the other grant program, the Computer Science Educator Training Grant program, would provide professional development for educators to teach computer science, either as a stand-alone course or end insert begin insert integrated into other courses. end insert

begin insert

The bill would authorize any school district in the state to apply for participation in the program. The bill would specify minimum criteria to be applied by the Superintendent in evaluating applicant school districts for possible participation in the program, and authorize the Superintendent to convene an advisory group of computer science experts to discuss and refine these criteria, as specified.

end insert begin insert

The bill would establish the Computer Science Education Grant Matching Account in the State Treasury under the administration of the Superintendent. The bill would authorize the Superintendent to receive, and deposit into the account, matching funds received from school districts participating in the programs established under the bill, and any gifts, grants, or donations received for purposes of the bill from the federal government or private persons or entities. The bill would express the intent of the Legislature that no moneys from the state General Fund be used to fund the grant program established by the bill. The bill would continuously appropriate the funds deposited in the account to the Superintendent for purposes of the bill, provided that the Superintendent certifies, in writing, to the Director of Finance that there are sufficient funds in the account to implement the bill.

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The bill would require the Superintendent to submit a report, containing specified data about the grant program, to the Governor and the Legislature on or before January 1, 2019.

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Vote: majority. Appropriation:  begin delete no end delete begin insert yes end insert . Fiscal committee:  begin delete no end delete begin insert yes end insert . State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

begin insert

begin insert SECTION 1. end insert   

end insert

begin insert Chapter 13.5 (commencing with Section 52975)
is added to Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the end insert begin insert Education Code end insert begin insert ,
to read: end insert

begin insert

 

Chapter   begin insert 13.5. end insert Computer Science Education Grant
Program

 

Article begin insert 1. end insert   General Provisions

 

begin insert 52975. end insert   

(a) The Superintendent shall establish a public-private
computer science education grant program through which an
eligible school district may receive funding to establish and
maintain computer science courses and provide professional
development for educators to teach computer science, either as a
stand-alone course or integrated into other courses. Any school
district may apply for participation in this grant program. The
grant program shall consist of two parts, the Computer Science
Start-Up Courses Grant program and the Computer Science
Educator Training Grant program, and school districts may apply
for participation in either or both of those two programs.

(b) The Superintendent shall provide notice of this program to
all school districts throughout the state, and encourage them to
apply for participation in this grant program.

(c) The Superintendent shall award grants to school districts
under this chapter to applicants he or she deems to be eligible.
The Superintendent shall not award any grant under this chapter
unless the Superintendent determines that there are sufficient
moneys in the Computer Science Education Grant Matching
Account established under Article 3 (commencing with Section
52978) to fund that grant. In order to be deemed eligible for the
grant program, a school district, at a minimum, shall meet all of
the following criteria:

(1) Demonstrate engaged and committed leadership in support
of introducing pupils who would not otherwise have these
opportunities to computer science.

(2) Demonstrate a plan to engage these pupils with the subject
matter of computer science.

(3) Demonstrate that school district staff are appropriately
trained to carry out the plan.

(4) Demonstrate capacity to maximize the use of grant resources
by addressing the availability of appropriate physical space and
technology, projected enrollment, and other specific requirements
set forth by the Superintendent.

(5) Demonstrate a history of successful partnerships within the
community and partner support for computer science. Partnership
support may include, but is not necessarily limited to, supplying
materials or technology, instruction support, internships,
mentorships, and apprenticeships.

(6) Demonstrate the capacity to continue in the school years
succeeding the initial grant year.

(d) The Superintendent may convene an advisory group of
computer science experts to discuss and refine the eligibility
criteria listed in subdivision (c). For purposes of this subdivision,
the Superintendent may use the same group of computer science
experts selected pursuant to Section 60605.4.

 

Article begin insert 2. end insert   Computer Science Start-Up Courses Grant and
Computer Science Educator Training Grant Programs

 

begin insert 52976. end insert   

The Computer Science Start-up Courses Grant program
is intended to support innovative ways to introduce pupils who
would not otherwise have those opportunities to computer science
and inspire them to enter computer science careers.

begin insert 52977. end insert   

The Computer Science Educator Training Grant
program is intended to support professional development for
educators to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to teach
computer science, either as a stand-alone course or integrated
into other courses. The Superintendent shall award training grants
to eligible educators employed by applicant school districts. A
grant recipient under this section shall demonstrate a plan for
professional development for educators to acquire the knowledge
and skills necessary to teach computer science, either as a
stand-alone course or integrated into other courses. Grant funds
awarded under this section shall be allocated on a one-time basis,
and may be used to fund professional development and training
related to computer science education.

 

Article begin insert 3. end insert   Funding and Reporting

 

begin insert 52978. end insert   

(a) The Computer Science Education Grant Matching
Account is established in the State Treasury under the
administration of the Superintendent. This account shall be used
solely and exclusively for the program created in this chapter. The
purpose of the account is to provide matching funds for the
Computer Science Start-Up Courses Grant and the Computer
Science Educator Training Grant programs established under
Article 2 (commencing with Section 52976). Grants under this
chapter, and related administrative costs, shall be funded by a
combination of funds from the account and matching funds
provided by a participating school district. It is the intent of the
Legislature that no moneys from the state General Fund be used
to fund the grant program established by this chapter.

(b) Notwithstanding any other law, the Superintendent is
authorized to receive, and deposit into the account, matching funds
received from school districts participating in the programs
established under this chapter and any gifts, grants, or donations
received for purposes of this chapter from the federal government
or private persons or entities. Expenditures from the account, with
respect to a particular grant, shall not exceed the amount of
corresponding matching funds.

begin insert 52978.5. end insert   

Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government
Code, the funds deposited in the Computer Science Education
Grant Matching Account shall be continuously appropriated to
the Superintendent for purposes of funding the grants established
under this chapter and covering related administrative costs. This
section shall not become operative unless and until the
Superintendent certifies, in writing, to the Director of Finance that
there are sufficient funds in the account to implement this chapter.

begin insert 52979. end insert   

(a) The Superintendent shall report to the Governor
and the Legislature on the programs established under this chapter.
This report shall be submitted on or before January 1, 2019, in
compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code. The report
shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, all of the following
data:

(1) The number of applicants annually.

(2) The number of participants annually.

(3) The rate of compliance with academic and employment
requirements.

(4) A list of participating postsecondary educational institutions.

(5) A needs assessment for program growth based on the eligible
pool of applicants.

(6) An assessment of the success rates for each participating
school district.

(7) The amount of grant funds awarded each fiscal year,
classified by school district.

(b) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2020,
as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is
enacted before January 1, 2020, deletes or extends that date.

end insert

begin delete

SECTION 1.  

Section 51020 of the Education Code is amended
to read:

51020.  

“Goal” means a statement of broad direction or intent
that is general and timeless and is not concerned with a particular
achievement within a specified time period.

end delete