BILL NUMBER: AB 2329 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 28, 2016
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Bonilla
( Principal coauthor: Assembly Member
Chiu )
( Coauthors: Assembly Members
Dababneh and Low )
FEBRUARY 18, 2016
An act to add and repeal Chapter 19 (commencing with Section
53310) of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code,
relating to school curriculum.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2329, as amended, Bonilla. Computer science
curriculum: study. strategic implementation plan.
Existing law requires the Instructional Quality Commission, on or
before July 31, 2019, to consider developing and recommending to the
State Board of Education computer science content standards for
kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, pursuant to
recommendations developed by a group of computer science experts
convened by the Superintendent of Public Instruction in consultation
with the state board.
This bill would provide for the establishment of a computer
science strategic implementation advisory board, composed of 20
members, as specified, to report necessary legislative changes
related to computer science education to the State Department of
Education and the state board on or before January 1, 2018, and to
submit recommendations for a computer science strategic
implementation plan to the department and the state board on or
before March 1, 2018. The bill would require the department and the
state board to consider the advisory board's recommendations and the
recommendations of the commission specified above, to develop and
adopt a computer science strategic implementation plan, and to submit
the plan to the Legislature on or before January 1, 2019. The bill's
provisions would be repealed on January 1, 2021.
The California Council on Science and Technology is a nonprofit
corporation organized pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the federal
Internal Revenue Code. Existing law provides that the council was
established at the request of the Legislature for the specific
purpose of offering expert advice to state government on public
policy issues significantly related to science and technology.
Existing law authorizes school districts that require more than 2
years of mathematics courses for graduation to award mathematics
credit for completion of a California State University and University
of California approved "category C" computer science course.
Existing law requires the California State University and requests
the University of California to develop guidelines for high school
computer science courses to be approved for purposes of recognition
for admission to the California State University and the University
of California, respectively, and would encourage the University of
California to ensure that computer science courses that satisfy the
mathematics subject area requirements for admission build upon
fundamental mathematics content provided in courses that align with
the academic content standards developed by the Academic Content
Standards Commission.
This bill would request that the council undertake and complete a
study, and submit the study to the Legislature, by January 1, 2018,
analyzing the status and impact of recently enacted laws, as
specified. The bill would state that the goal of the study is to help
the Legislature, through a data-driven review, understand the needs
to advance computer science in California's high school curriculum
and to move forward with policy that increases computer science
education opportunities in high school, leading to an increase in the
number of computer science degree holders produced by public
postsecondary educational institutions in California.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no
yes . State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. (a) The Legislature finds and declares
all of the following:
(1) Computer science education is not only about access to
computers. It is about innovation and development of technology.
Computer science education builds pupils' computational and critical
thinking skills, which enables them to create, and not simply use,
the next generation of technological tools. This fundamental
knowledge is needed to prepare pupils for the 21st century regardless
of their ultimate field of study or occupation.
(2) Computer science drives job creation and innovation throughout
our state's economy. Providing access to computer science education
is a critical step for ensuring that California remains competitive
in the global economy and strengthens its cybersecurity. Last year,
there were over 600,000 technology jobs open across the United
States, and by 2018, 51 percent of all science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics (STEM) jobs are projected to be in
computer science-related fields. In California, there are currently
86,436 open computing jobs, which is four times the average demand
rate in California.
(3) Computing occupations make up two-thirds of all projected new
jobs in STEM fields, making computer science one of the most
in-demand college degrees. However, California only had 3,525
computer science graduates in 2014 with only 15 percent female
graduates.
(4) There are fewer advanced placement (AP) examinations taken in
computer science than in any other STEM subject area. Of the high
school pupils in California who took the AP computer science
examination in 2015, only 26 percent were female, only 973 were
Latino, and only 148 were African American. Only 242 schools in
California, or 16 percent of California schools with AP programs,
offered the AP computer science course in the 2013-2014 school year.
(5) President Obama's Computer Science for All initiative builds
on the momentum at the state and local level. The President's
upcoming budget proposes funding for the United States Department of
Education, available over three years, for states to increase access
to computer science education in elementary and secondary education
classrooms. Under the program, states would submit comprehensive
five-year "Computer Science for All" plans in order to be eligible
for federal funding, and every state with a well-designed strategy
would receive funds. In addition to state-level grants, the budget
will also dedicate funds for competitive grants specifically for
leading districts to execute ambitious computer science education
expansion efforts for all pupils, including traditionally
underrepresented pupils, with those efforts to serve as models for
national replication.
(6) However, access to computer science education for all pupils
is still a challenge especially for underrepresented communities.
Only one out of four K-12 schools teaches any computer science,
leaving 75 percent of pupils today without the opportunity to develop
skills that could help them thrive in the future.
(7) Exposure to computer science at a young age has the potential
to address the diversity gap in computer science fields. Girls who
take AP computer science in high school are 10 times more likely to
major in computer science in college. African American and Latino
pupils who take this course in high school are over seven times more
likely to major in this field.
(8) A Google-Gallup survey found that 9 out of 10 parents say they
want computer science taught in their schools, and the majority of
parents and teachers believe it should be required learning for 21st
century pupils.
(9) Computer science has often been confused with broader
technology education in schools. California should adopt distinct
standards for computer science focused on both the creation and use
of software and computing technologies at all levels of K-12
education.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that all pupils in
kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, have access to computer
science education, with a strong focus on pupils underrepresented in
computer science, including girls, low-income and underserved school
districts, and rural and urban school districts.
SEC. 2. Chapter 19 (commencing with Section 53310)
is added to Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the
Education Code , to read:
CHAPTER 19. COMPUTER SCIENCE STRATEGIC IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
53310. On or before March 1, 2017, a computer science strategic
implementation advisory board shall be established by the department
to develop recommendations for a computer science strategic
implementation plan. The advisory board shall be comprised of the
following members:
(a) A representative appointed by the Governor, who shall serve as
the chair of the advisory board.
(b) A representative appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules.
(c) A representative appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly.
(d) A representative representing the Superintendent.
(e) A representative representing the state board.
(f) A representative representing the department.
(g) A representative representing a K-12 teacher or faculty
association, appointed by the Governor.
(h) A representative representing the Commission on Teacher
Credentialing.
(i) A representative representing the Computer Science Teachers
Association.
(j) A representative representing a large urban school district,
appointed by the Governor.
(k) A representative representing a rural school district,
appointed by the Governor.
(l) A representative of the private sector technology industry,
appointed by the Governor.
(m) A representative from the University of California.
(n) A representative from the California State University.
(o) A representative from the California Community Colleges.
(p) A representative from the Instructional Quality Commission.
(q) A representative from a computer science/STEM education and
research program, appointed by the Governor.
(r) A representative from a nonprofit student/school advocacy
organization, appointed by the Governor.
(s) A representative from a parent organization, appointed by the
Governor.
(t) A representative representing school administrators and
superintendents, appointed by the Governor.
53311. On or before March 1, 2018, the advisory board shall
submit recommendations for a computer science strategic
implementation plan to the department and the state board that
includes, at a minimum, recommendations on all of the following:
(a) Broadening the pool of teachers to teach computer science.
These recommendations may provide, among other things, for the
following:
(1) Providing training and professional development for education
in computer science.
(2) Creating a teacher certification pathway in computer science.
(3) Expanding scholarship eligibility and loan forgiveness
programs for computer science teachers in low-income and underserved
school districts and rural and urban school districts.
(b) Developing computer science content standards. These
recommendations may provide, among other things, for the following:
(1) Defining computer science education principles that meet the
needs of pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive.
(2) Building on the successful integration of computer science
into the California science standards.
(3) Adapting computer science education standards being developed
in other states to address the needs of California pupils.
(4) Building on computer science frameworks for kindergarten and
grades 1 to 12, inclusive, developed by nationally recognized
computer science organizations and experts.
(5) Ensuring that all pupils have access to quality computer
science courses, which may include scaling up computer science
education coursework so that all high schools teach at least one
computer science course.
(6) Procuring a pathway for computer science to count toward high
school graduation and college admission requirements.
(7) Providing access to computer science in both college and
career pathways.
(8) Ensuring school districts have adequate broadband connectivity
and infrastructure and access to hardware and software.
53312. The Governor shall appoint a statewide computer science
liaison to serve the advisory board, including, but not limited to,
by coordinating the efforts of the advisory board and ensuring that
the advisory board's recommendations are implemented to achieve the
intentions of the computer science strategic implementation plan.
53313. (a) The advisory board shall report any necessary
legislative changes related to computer science education to the
state board and to the department on or before January 1, 2018.
(b) The department and state board shall consider the
recommendations submitted by the advisory board pursuant to Section
53311 and the recommendations submitted to the state board by the
Instructional Quality Commission pursuant to Section 60605.4, shall
develop and adopt a computer science strategic implementation plan,
and shall submit the plan to the Legislature on or before January 1,
2019.
53314. This chapter shall become inoperative on July 31, 2020,
and, as of January 1, 2021, is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that becomes operative on or before January 1, 2021, deletes
or extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is
repealed.
SECTION 1. (a) The Legislature finds and
declares both of the following:
(1) The California Council on Science and Technology was
established by California academic research institutions, including
the University of California, the University of Southern California,
the California Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and the
California State University, and was organized as a nonprofit
corporation pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue
Code, in response to Assembly Concurrent Resolution 162 (Resolution
Chapter 148 of the Statutes of 1988).
(2) The council was uniquely established at the request of the
Legislature for the specific purpose of offering expert advice to
state government on public policy issues significantly related to
science and technology.
(b) The California Council on Science and Technology is hereby
requested to undertake and complete a study, and to submit the study
to the Legislature, by January 1, 2018, analyzing the status and
impact of recently enacted laws that do both of the following:
(1) Authorizes school districts that require more than two years
of mathematics courses for graduation to award mathematics credit for
completion of a California State University and University of
California approved "category C" computer science course.
(2) Requires the California State University and requests the
University of California to develop guidelines for high school
computer science courses to be approved for purposes of recognition
for admission to the California State University and the University
of California, respectively, and would encourage the University of
California to ensure that computer science courses that satisfy the
mathematics subject area requirements for admission build upon
fundamental mathematics content provided in courses that align with
the academic content standards developed by the Academic Content
Standards Commission.
(c) The goal of the study is to help the Legislature, through a
data-driven review, understand the needs to advance computer science
in California's high school curriculum and to move forward with
policy that increases computer science education opportunities in
high school, leading to an increase in the number of computer science
degree holders produced by public postsecondary educational
institutions in California.
(d) The study is requested to focus on, but not be limited to, the
implementation of Assembly Bill 1764 (Chapter 888 of the Statutes of
2014) and Senate Bill 1200 (Chapter 518 of the Statutes of 2014),
and is requested to include all of the following:
(1) The number of schools that require three years of mathematics
for graduation requirements.
(2) The associated number of schools that have a qualifying
computer science course that can satisfy the third year of the
mathematics requirement.
(3) The number of pupils taking a computer science course
identified in paragraph (2).
(4) The diversity by gender and ethnicity of those pupils
identified in paragraph (3).
(5) The number of pupils who took a computer science course
identified in paragraph (2), graduated, and went to a postsecondary
educational institution.
(6) The number of pupils studying or continuing computer science
course study at the postsecondary level.