Amended in Senate June 14, 2016

Amended in Assembly May 27, 2016

Amended in Assembly April 13, 2016

Amended in Assembly March 28, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 2329

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 Superintendent to convene, on or before September 1, 2017, a computer science strategic implementation advisory panel composed of begin delete 20 end delete begin insert 23 end insert members, as specified, to develop and submit recommendations for a computer science strategic implementation plan to the State Department of Education, the state board, and the Legislature on or before July 1, 2018. The bill would require the department and the state board to consider the advisory 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 The bill’s provisions would be repealed on January 1, 2021.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.  

begin insert (a) end insert begin insert   end insert On or before September 1, 2017, the
Superintendent shall convene a computer science strategic
implementation advisory 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. begin delete The end delete

begin insert (b) end insert begin insert   end insert begin insert The end insert advisory panel shall consist of, but not necessarily be
limited to, the following members:

begin delete

(a)

end delete

begin insert (1) end insert  The Superintendent or his or her designee, who shall serve
as the cochair of the advisory panel.

begin delete

(b)

end delete

begin insert (2) end insert  A representative of the Governor, who shall serve as the
cochair of the advisory panel.

begin delete

(c)

end delete

begin insert (3) end insert  A representative designated by the Senate Committee on
Rules.

begin delete

(d)

end delete

begin insert (4) end insert  A representative designated by the Speaker of the Assembly.

begin delete

(e) (1)  Three

end delete

begin insert (5) end insert begin insert   end insert begin insert (A) end insert begin insert   end insert begin insert Six end insert K-12 teacher representatives, designated by the
Superintendent.

begin delete

(2)

end delete

begin insert (B) end insert  It is the intent of the Legislature that these representatives
include begin delete one end delete begin insert two end insert elementary begin delete teacher, one end delete begin insert teachers, two end insert middle
school begin delete teacher, end delete begin insert teachers, end insert and begin delete one end delete begin insert two end insert high school begin delete teacher. end delete begin insert teachers
who are all currently teaching. end insert

begin delete

(3)

end delete

begin insert (C) end insert  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.

begin delete

(f)

end delete

begin insert (6) end insert  A representative representing the Commission on Teacher
Credentialing.

begin delete

(g)

end delete

begin insert (7) end insert  A begin delete representative end delete begin insert credentialed teacher end insert representing the
Computer Science Teachers Association.

begin delete

(h)

end delete

begin insert (8) end insert  A representative of the private sector technology industry,
designated by the Superintendent.

begin delete

(i)

end delete

begin insert (9) end insert  A begin delete representative end delete begin insert faculty member end insert from the University of
California.

begin delete

(j)

end delete

begin insert (10) end insert  A begin delete representative end delete begin insert faculty member end insert from the California State
University.

begin delete

(k)

end delete

begin insert (11) end insert  A begin delete representative end delete begin insert faculty member end insert from the California
Community Colleges.

begin delete

(l)

end delete

begin insert (12) end insert  A begin delete representative end delete begin insert faculty member end insert from a private
postsecondary educational institution, designated by the
Superintendent.

begin delete

(m)

end delete

begin insert (13) end insert  A begin delete representative end delete begin insert credentialed teacher end insert from the Instructional
Quality Commission.

begin delete

(n)

end delete

begin insert (14) end insert  A representative from begin delete a end delete begin insert an equity-focused organization
knowledgeable of end insert computer science/STEM education begin delete and research
program, end delete begin insert programs, end insert designated by the Superintendent.

begin delete

(o)

end delete

begin insert (15) end insert  A representative from a parent organization, designated by
the Superintendent.

begin delete

(p)

end delete

begin insert (16) end insert  A representative representing school administrators and
superintendents, designated by the Superintendent.

begin delete

(q)

end delete

begin insert (17) end insert  A pupil enrolled in a public school, designated by the
Superintendent.

begin delete

(r)

end delete

begin insert (18) end insert  A representative from a county office of education,
designated by the Superintendent.

begin insert

(c) Administrators from the University of California, the
California State University, and the California Community
Colleges may serve as advisors to the advisory panel to provide
input on the computer science strategic implementation plan.

end insert

53311.  

(a) On or before July 1, 2018, the computer science
strategic implementation advisory panel shall submit
recommendations for a computer science strategic implementation
plan to the department, the state board, and the Legislature that
includes, at a minimum, recommendations on all of the following:

(1) Broadening the pool of teachers to teach computer science.
These recommendations may provide, among other things, for the
following:

(A) Providing training and professional development for
education in computer science pursuant to Section 60605.4.

(B) Creating a teacher certification pathway in computer science.

(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.

(2) Defining computer science education principles that meet
the needs of pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive.

(3) Ensuring that all pupils have access to quality computer
science courses. These recommendations may provide, among
other things, for the following:

(A) Scaling up computer science education coursework so that
all high schools teach at least one computer science course.

(B) Providing access to computer science in both college and
career pathways.

(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.

(D) Removing local policy and regulatory barriers that local
educational agencies face when implementing computer science
education.

(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 Superintendent shall appoint a statewide
computer science liaison within the department to serve the
computer science strategic implementation advisory panel,
including, but not limited to, in the following the actions:

(1) Coordinating the efforts of the advisory 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 panel’s recommendations are
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.  

The department and state board shall consider the
recommendations submitted by the computer science strategic
implementation advisory panel pursuant to Section 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.

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.