Amended in Assembly April 21, 2015

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

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

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

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

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

The bill would establish the Computer Science Education Grant Matching Account in the State begin delete Treasury under the administration of the Superintendent. end delete begin insert Treasury. end insert The bill would authorize the begin delete Superintendent end delete begin insert State Treasury end insert to receive, and deposit into the account, begin delete matching funds received from school districts participating in the programs established under the bill, and end delete 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 begin delete program end delete begin insert pilot programs end insert established by the bill. begin delete The end delete

begin insert The end insert 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. begin insert The bill would limit expenditures from the account to cover administrative costs to no more than 10% of the allocations made from the account in any fiscal year. The bill would authorize the Superintendent to refund to the donor all or a portion of any gift, grant, or donation made to the account by that donor if the funds received from that donor have not been encumbered because there are surplus funds in the account or because this provision has not become operative. end insert

The bill would require the Superintendent to submit begin delete a end delete begin insert an annual end insert report, containing specified data about the grant program, to the Governor and the Legislature on or before January begin delete 1, 2019. end delete begin insert 10, 2018, and on or before January 10 in 2019, 2020, and 2021. end insert

begin insert

The provisions of the bill would become inoperative on July 1, 2021, and would be repealed as of January 1, 2022.

end insert

Vote: majority. Appropriation: yes. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

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

SECTION 1.  

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

 

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

 

Article 1.  General Provisions

 

52975.  

(a) The Superintendent shall establish a public-private
computer science education grant begin insert pilot end insert program through which begin delete an
eligible end delete begin insert a participating end insert 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 begin insert as end insert integrated into other courses.
Any school district may apply for participation in this grant begin insert pilot end insert
program. The grant begin insert pilot end insert program shall consist of two parts, the
Computer Science Start-Up Courses Grant begin delete program end delete begin insert Pilot Program end insert
and the Computer Science Educator Training Grant begin delete program, end delete begin insert Pilot
Program, end insert and school districts may apply for participation in either
or both of those two begin insert pilot end insert programs.

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

(c) The Superintendent shall award begin insert one-year end insert grants to school
districts under this chapter to applicants he or she deems to be
eligible. begin insert A school district that receives a grant under this chapter
may apply for a grant in a subsequent year, but grants under this
chapter shall not be automatically renewed for an additional year. end insert
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 begin delete program, end delete begin insert pilot program, end insert 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 begin insert the end insert 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.

begin insert

begin insert 52975.5. end insert   

This chapter shall become inoperative on July 1,
2021, and, as of January 1, 2022, is repealed, unless a later
enacted statute, that becomes operative on or before January 1,
2022, deletes or extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative
and is repealed.

end insert

 

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

 

52976.  

begin insert (a) end insert begin insert   end insert The Computer Science Start-up Courses Grant
begin delete program end delete begin insert Pilot Program end insert is begin insert a competitive grant program that is end insert
intended to support innovative ways to introduce pupils begin insert in
underserved areas end insert who would not otherwise have those
opportunities to computer science and inspire them to enter
computer science careers.

begin insert

(b) In awarding grants under this section, the Superintendent
shall give priority to applicant school districts with higher
percentages of unduplicated pupils, as defined in Section 42238.02,
and, as much as feasible, shall award grants to school districts
that collectively represent the geographic and socioeconomic
diversity of this state. An applicant for a grant under this section
shall submit a specific plan for an introductory computer science
course designed to be of maximum value in meeting the particular
needs of the pupils of that school district.

end insert

52977.  

begin insert (a) end insert begin insert   end insert The Computer Science Educator Training Grant
begin delete program end delete begin insert Pilot Program end insert 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 begin insert as end insert integrated into other courses. The Superintendent shall award
training begin delete grants end delete begin insert grants, on a competitive basis, end insert to eligible educators
employed by applicant school districts. begin delete A grant recipient end delete

begin insert (b) end insert begin insert   end insert begin insert In awarding grants under this section, the Superintendent
shall give priority to applicant school districts with higher
percentages of unduplicated pupils, as defined in Section 42238.02,
and, as much as feasible, shall award grants to school districts
that collectively represent the geographic and socioeconomic
diversity of this state. An applicant for a grant end insert under this section
shall begin delete demonstrate a end delete begin insert submit a specific end insert plan for professional
development for educators begin insert employed by that school district end insert to
acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to teach computer
begin delete science, end delete begin insert science to that school district’s pupils, end insert either as a
stand-alone course or begin insert as end insert integrated into other courses. Grant funds
awarded under this section shall be allocated begin delete on a one-time basis,
and may be used end delete to fund professional development begin delete and training end delete
related to computer science begin delete education. end delete begin insert education for the
participating educators. end insert

 

Article 3.  Funding and Reporting

 

52978.  

(a) The Computer Science Education Grant Matching
Account is established in the State begin delete Treasury under the
administration of the Superintendent. end delete begin insert Treasury. end insert This account shall
be used solely and exclusively for the begin delete program end delete begin insert pilot programs end insert
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 begin insert pilot end insert 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 begin insert pilot end insert program established by this
chapter.

(b) Notwithstanding any other law, the begin delete Superintendent end delete begin insert State
Treasury end insert is authorized to receive, and deposit into the account,
begin delete matching funds received from school districts participating in the
programs established under this chapter and end delete 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.

52978.5.  

begin insert (a) end insert begin insert   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 begin delete chapter and end delete begin insert chapter, end insert covering related
begin delete administrative costs. This end delete begin insert costs, and returning unencumbered funds
to donors pursuant to subdivision (b). The administrative costs of
the implementation of this chapter shall be kept to a minimum,
and in no event shall expenditures from the account to cover
administrative costs exceed 10 percent of the allocations made
from the account in any fiscal year. end insert

begin insert

(b) The Superintendent is authorized to refund to the donor all
or a portion of any gift, grant, or donation made to the account
by that donor if the funds received from the donor have not been
encumbered because the Superintendent has determined that there
are surplus funds in the account or because, pursuant to
subdivision (c), this section has not become operative.

end insert

begin insert (c) end insert begin insert   end insert begin insert This end insert 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.

52979.  

begin delete (a) end delete begin delete   end delete The Superintendent shall begin insert submit an annual end insert report
to the Governor and the Legislature on the programs established
under this chapter. This report shall be submitted on or before
January begin delete 1, 2019, end delete begin insert 10, 2018, and on or before January 10 in 2019,
2020, and 2021, end insert in compliance with Section 9795 of the
Government Code. The report shall include, but not necessarily
be limited to, all of the following data:

begin delete

(1)

end delete

begin insert (a) end insert  The number of applicants annually.

begin delete

(2)

end delete

begin insert (b) end insert  The number of participants annually.

begin delete

(3)

end delete

begin insert (c) end insert  The rate of compliance with academic and employment
requirements.

begin delete

(4) A list of participating postsecondary educational institutions.

end delete begin delete

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

end delete begin delete

(6)

end delete

begin insert (d) end insert  An assessment of the success rates for each participating
school district.

begin delete

(7)

end delete

begin insert (e) end insert  The amount of grant funds awarded each fiscal year,
classified by school district.

begin delete

(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 delete