BILL NUMBER: AB 2329 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 27, 2016
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 13, 2016
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 28, 2016
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Bonilla
(Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Chiu)
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Travis Allen,
Calderon, Chang, Dababneh, Gonzalez, Kim,
Lackey, Low, Obernolte, and Olsen)
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 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 require the State Department of Education
Superintendent to establish,
convene, on or before July
September 1, 2017, a computer science strategic implementation
advisory board, panel composed of 20
members, as specified, to report necessary legislative
changes related to computer science education to the department and
the state board on or before January 1, 2018, and to
develop and submit recommendations for a computer science
strategic implementation plan to the department and
State Department of Education, the state
board board, and the Legislature on or
before March July 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, panel's
recommendations, 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 would require
the Superintendent to appoint a statewide computer science liaison
to serve the advisory panel, as provided. The bill would authorize
the advisory panel, if state or federal funds are not available or
sufficient for purposes of the bill's provisions, to evaluate the
process and ability to accept grants and receive donations and other
financial support from public or private sources for purposes of
convening the advisory panel, preparing the computer science
strategic implementation plan, and ensuring that the recommendations
are considered by the appropriate stakeholders. The bill's
provisions would be repealed on January 1, 2021.
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. (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 2013-14 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.
(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that the only
predetermined outcome be to increase access to computer science in
California schools and to account for disparate views as
recommendations are provided.
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 July September
1, 2017, the Superintendent shall convene a computer
science strategic implementation advisory board shall be
established by the department panel to develop
recommendations for a computer science strategic implementation plan.
The advisory panel shall hold public meetings, post the
location and time of the meetings, and post agendas online. Members
of the advisory panel shall possess expertise in computer science.
The advisory board shall be comprised of
panel shall consist of, but not necessarily be limited to,
the following members:
(a) The Superintendent or his or her designee, who shall serve as
the cochair of the advisory panel.
(a)
(b) A representative appointed by
of the Governor, who shall serve as the chair
cochair of the advisory board.
panel.
(b)
(c) A representative appointed
designated by the Senate Committee on Rules.
(c)
(d) A representative appointed
designated by the Speaker of the Assembly.
(d) A representative representing the Superintendent.
(e) A representative representing the state board.
(f) A representative representing a K-12 teacher or faculty
association, appointed by the Governor.
(e) (1) Three K-12 teacher representatives, designated by the
Superintendent.
(2) It is the intent of the Legislature that these representatives
include one elementary teacher, one middle school teacher, and one
high school teacher.
(3) It is further the intent of the Legislature that these
representatives include one teacher from a large urban school
district and one from a rural school district.
(g)
(f) A representative representing the Commission on
Teacher Credentialing.
(h)
(g) A representative representing the Computer Science
Teachers Association.
(i) A representative representing a large urban school district,
appointed by the Governor.
(j) A representative representing a rural school district,
appointed by the Governor.
(k)
(h) A representative of the private sector technology
industry, appointed by the Governor.
designated by the Superintendent.
(l)
(i) A representative from the University of California.
(m)
(j) A representative from the California State
University.
(n)
(k) A representative from the California Community
Colleges.
(l) A representative from a private postsecondary educational
institution, designated by the Superintendent.
(o)
(m) A representative from the Instructional Quality
Commission.
(p)
(n) A representative from a computer science/STEM
education and research program, appointed by the Governor.
designated by the Superintendent.
(q) A representative from a nonprofit student/school advocacy
organization, appointed by the Governor.
(r)
(o) A representative from a parent organization,
appointed by the Governor. designated by the
Superintendent.
(s)
(p) A representative representing school administrators
and superintendents, appointed by the Governor.
designated by the Superintendent.
(t)
(q) A pupil enrolled in a public school,
appointed designated by the Superintendent.
(r) A representative from a county office of education, designated
by the Superintendent.
53311. (a) On or before March
July 1, 2018, the computer science
strategic implementation advisory board
panel shall submit recommendations for a computer science
strategic implementation plan to the department and
department, the state board
board, and the Legislature that includes, at a minimum,
recommendations on all of the following:
(a)
(1) Broadening the pool of teachers to teach computer
science. These recommendations may provide, among other things, for
the following:
(1)
(A) Providing training and professional development for
education in computer science. science
pursuant to Section 60605.4.
(2)
(B) Creating a teacher certification pathway in
computer science.
(3)
(C) 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)
(2) 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.
(c)
(3) Ensuring that all pupils have access to quality
computer science courses. These recommendations may provide, among
other things, for the following:
(1)
(A) Scaling up computer science education coursework so
that all high schools teach at least one computer science course.
(2) Procuring a pathway for computer science to count toward high
school graduation and college admission requirements.
(3)
(B) Providing access to computer science in both
college and career pathways.
(4)
(C) Ensuring school districts have adequate broadband
connectivity and infrastructure and access to hardware and software.
This may include, but is not limited to, the development of
grant programs that prioritize high-need school districts.
(5)
(D) Removing local policy and regulatory
barriers that local educational agencies face when implementing
computer science education.
(6)
(E) Increasing the participation of pupils
traditionally underrepresented in computer science education.
(b) The recommendations shall be submitted to the Legislature in
conformance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
(c) Upon completion of the recommendations for a computer science
strategic implementation plan, the computer science strategic
implementation advisory panel established pursuant to Section 53310
shall cease.
53312. (a) The Governor
Superintendent shall appoint a statewide computer science
liaison within the department to serve the computer
science strategic implementation advisory board,
panel, including, but not limited to,
by coordinating in the following the actions:
(1) Coordinating the efforts of
the advisory board and ensuring panel by
writing up the recommendations of the advisory panel members and
disseminating them to all stakeholders.
(2) Soliciting input and public comments.
(3) Preparing the necessary legislative reports to share the
advisory panel's recommendations.
(4) Ensuring that the advisory
board's panel's recommendations are
implemented considered in order to
achieve the intentions of the computer science strategic
implementation plan.
(b) The duration of the liaison's role shall only be through the
implementation of the computer science content standards and
curriculum frameworks in order to ensure that the recommendations
from the computer science strategic implementation advisory panel are
considered for implementation.
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
computer science strategic implementation advisory
board panel pursuant to Section 53311
and the recommendations submitted to the state board by the
Instructional Quality Commission pursuant to Section 60605.4,
53311, shall develop and adopt a computer
science strategic implementation plan, and shall submit the plan to
the Legislature in conformance with Section 9795 of the
Government Code on or before January 1, 2019.
53314. If state or federal funds are not available or sufficient
for purposes of this chapter, the computer science strategic
implementation advisory panel may evaluate the process and ability to
accept grants and receive donations and other financial support from
public or private sources for purposes of convening the advisory
panel, preparing the computer science strategic implementation plan,
and ensuring that the recommendations are considered by the
appropriate stakeholders.
53314. 53315. 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.