BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Senator Carol Liu, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular
Bill No: AB 2329
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|Author: |Bonilla |
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|Version: |June 14, 2016 Hearing |
| |Date: June 22, 2016 |
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|Urgency: |No |Fiscal: | Yes |
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|Consultant:|Lynn Lorber |
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Subject: Computer science strategic implementation plan
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction
(SPI) to convene a computer science strategic implementation
advisory panel to develop recommendations for a computer science
strategic implementation plan.
BACKGROUND
Existing law:
1) Requires the Instructional Quality Commission (IQC) to
consider developing and recommending to the State Board of
Education (SBE), by July 31, 2019, computer science content
standards based on recommendations developed by a group of
computer science experts. (Education Code § 60605.4)
2) Requires the SPI, in consultation with the SBE, to consider
convening the group of experts to develop recommendations
for computer science content standards. (EC § 60605.4)
3) Authorizes a school district to award a student up to one
mathematics course credit for successfully completing an
"a-g" approved computer science course, if the district
requires more than two courses in mathematics for
graduation from high school. (EC § 51225.3 and § 51225.35)
4) Requires the California State University, and requests the
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University of California (UC), to develop guidelines for
high school computer science courses to be approved for
admission, and encourages the UC to ensure that computer
science courses that satisfy the math subject area
requirements for admission build upon fundamental math
content in courses that align with the academic content
standards. (EC § 66205.5)
ANALYSIS
This bill requires the SPI to convene, by September 1, 2017, a
computer science strategic implementation advisory panel to
develop recommendations for a computer science strategic
implementation plan. Specifically, this bill:
1) Requires the advisory panel to consist of but not be
limited to the following members:
a) The Superintendent of Public
Instruction (SPI) or his or her designee, who is to
serve as the co-chair.
b) A representative of the Governor, who
is to serve as the co-chair.
c) A representative designated by the
Senate Rules Committee.
d) A representative designated by the
Speaker of the Assembly.
e) Six K-12 teacher representatives,
designated by the SPI. This bill states intent that
these representatives include two elementary teachers,
two middle school teachers, and two high school
teachers who are all currently teaching. This bill
further states intent that these representatives
include one teacher from a large urban school district
and one from a rural school district.
f) A representative of the Commission on
Teacher Credentialing.
g) A credentialed teacher of the Computer
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Science Teachers Association.
h) A representative of the private sector
technology industry, designated by the SPI.
i) A faculty member from the University of
California (UC).
j) A faculty member from the California
State University (CSU).
aa) A faculty member from the California
Community Colleges (CCCs).
bb) A faculty from a private postsecondary
educational institution, designated by the SPI.
cc) A credentialed teacher from the
Instructional Quality Commission.
dd) A representative from an equity-focused
organization knowledgeable of computer science/STEM
education programs, designated by the SPI.
ee) A representative from a parent
organization, designated by the SPI.
ff) A representative of school
administrators and superintendents, designated by the
SPI.
gg) A student enrolled in a public school,
designated by the SPI.
hh) A representative from a county office
of education, designated by the SPI.
2) Authorizes administrators from the University of California
(UC), California State University (CSU) and California
Community Colleges (CCCs) to serve as advisors to the
advisory panel to provide input on the computer science
strategic implementation plan.
3) Requires the advisory panel to hold public meetings, post
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the location and time of the meetings, and post agendas
online.
4) Requires the computer science strategic implementation
advisory panel to submit recommendations for a computer
science strategic implementation plan to the California
Department of Education (CDE), the State Board of Education
(SBE), and the Legislature that includes, at a minimum,
recommendations on all of the following:
a) Broadening the pool of teachers to
teach computer science. This bill authorizes these
recommendations to provide for, among other things,
the following:
i) Providing training and
professional development for education in
computer science pursuant to academic content
standards that have yet to be developed.
ii) Creating a teacher certification
pathway in computer science.
iii) 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) Defining computer science education
principles that meet the needs of K-12 students.
c) Ensuring that all students have access
to quality computer science courses. This bill
authorizes these recommendations to provide for, among
other things, the following:
i) Scaling up computer science
education coursework so that all high schools
teach at least one computer science course.
ii) Providing access to computer science in
both college and career pathways.
iii) Ensuring school districts have adequate
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broadband connectivity and infrastructure and
access to hardware and software. This bill
authorizes this to include but not be limited to
the development of grant programs that prioritize
high-need school districts.
iv) Removing local policy and regulatory
barriers that local educational agencies face
when implementing computer science education.
v) Increasing the
participation of students traditionally
underrepresented in computer science education.
5) Requires the California Department of Education (CDE) and
State Board of Education (SBE) to consider the
recommendations submitted by the computer science strategic
implementation advisory panel, and requires the CDE to
develop and adopt a computer science strategic
implementation plan, and submit the plan to the Legislature
by January 1, 2019.
6) Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to
appoint a statewide computer science liaison within the CDE
to serve the computer science strategic implementation
advisory panel, including but not limited to the following
actions:
a) Coordinating the efforts of the
advisory panel by writing up the recommendations of
the advisory panel members and disseminating them to
all stakeholders.
b) Soliciting input and public comments.
c) Preparing the necessary legislative
reports to share the advisory panel's recommendations.
d) Ensuring that the advisory panel's
recommendations are considered in order to achieve the
intentions of the computer science strategic
implementation plan.
7) Provides that the duration of the liaison's role is only
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through the implementation of the computer science content
standards and curriculum frameworks in order to ensure that
the recommendations from the advisory panel are considered
for implementation.
8) Provides that the computer science strategic implementation
advisory panel is to cease upon completion of the
recommendations for a strategic plan.
9) Authorizes the computer science strategic implementation
advisory panel, if state or federal funds are not available
or sufficient for the purposes of this bill, 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 strategic implementation plan, and
ensuring that the recommendations are considered by the
appropriate stakeholders.
10) States legislative findings and declarations relative to
the value of computer science education.
11) Sunsets the provisions of this bill on July 31, 2020.
STAFF COMMENTS
1) Need for the bill. According to the author, existing law
requires the Instructional Quality Commission (IQC) to
consider developing and recommending to the State Board of
Education K-12 computer science content standards by July
31, 2019, and requires the Superintendent of Public
Instruction (SPI) to consider convening a panel of experts
to develop recommendations on computer science standards.
However, existing law is permissive and contingent upon
funding; the Instructional Quality Commission (IQC) has not
considered developing computer science standards, nor has
the SPI convened a panel of experts. "In order to
address all of the barriers, it is necessary to have a
coordinated approach that involves all of the appropriate
stakeholders. Computer science drives job creation and
innovation throughout California's economy. Currently,
there are 86,436 computing jobs available in the state and
by 2018, 51% of all science, technology, engineering, and
math (STEM) jobs in the United States will be in computer
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science-related fields. However, California only had 3,525
students graduate with a computer science degree in 2015.
We need to increase access to computer science courses in
K-12 education, especially for underrepresented groups.
Almost 9,000 students took the advanced placement (AP)
computer science exam in California in 2015. Less than 150
were African American and less than 400 were Hispanic."
2) Advisory panel. Existing law requires the SPI to consider
convening a panel of experts to develop recommendations on
computer science standards. However, existing law is
permissive and contingent upon funding; this advisory panel
has not been convened. This bill requires the SPI to
convene, by September 1, 2017, a computer science strategic
implementation advisory panel to develop recommendations
for a computer science strategic implementation plan.
3) Liaison. This bill requires the SPI to appoint a statewide
computer science liaison within the California Department
of Education to serve the advisory panel and, pursuant to
amendments recommended in #12, provide technical assistance
and support to local educational agencies in implementing
the computer science standards and framework (assuming
standards and framework are adopted by the State Board of
Education). Staff is unaware of other measures that have
assigned an individual to staff the issue and see it
through implementation.
4) Clarifying amendments. Staff recommends the following
amendments:
On page 7, lines 18-35: (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
adopted by the state board are implemented are considered
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in order to achieve the intentions of the computer science
strategic implementation plan .
(b) The duration of the liaison's role shall only be for a
limited period of time subsequent to the adoption by the
state board of academic content standards in computer
science and the curricular framework for computer science
in order to provide technical assistance and support to
local educational agencies in commencing implementation of
the computer science standards and framework 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 .
On page 7, lines 36-40 and page 8 lines 1-2: The
department and state board shall consider the
recommendations submitted by the computer science strategic
implementation advisory panel pursuant to Section 53311 , .
The department shall develop , and the state board shall
adopt , a computer science strategic implementation plan on
or before January 1, 2019. , and The department shall submit
the plan adopted by the state board to the Legislature in
conformance with Section 9795 of the Government Code on or
before January 1, 2019.
On page 8, lines 3-10: 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 computer science
strategic implementation plan adopted by the state board is
implemented recommendations are considered by the
appropriate stakeholders .
On page 7, line 21, strike the second "the."
5) Fiscal impact. According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, this bill imposes:
a) General Fund administrative costs of
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approximately $270,000 for the California Department
of Education to staff the stakeholder group. Costs
include review of potential member applications,
arranging meeting logistics and travel for members,
preparation of meeting materials, and reports to the
Legislature. Staff notes that this estimate does not
include the three additional stakeholder members
pursuant to recent amendments.
b) Proposition 98/General Fund cost pressure, in the
millions of dollars, to implement the recommendations
of the advisory board.
6) Related legislation. AB 2275 (Dababneh, 2016) authorizes a
person who possesses a single subject teaching credential
in business, industrial and technology education,
mathematics, or science or a designated subjects career
technical education teaching credential to teach computer
science to all students, including students enrolled in a
general education or college preparatory course or a career
technical education pathway. AB 2275 was never heard.
7) Prior legislation. AB 1258 (Chau, 2015) required the
Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to establish a
computer science education grant pilot program for local
educational agencies to establish, expand and maintain
computer science courses and provide professional
development in computer science. AB 1258 was held in the
Senate Appropriations Committee.
AB 1530 (Chau, 2014) required the SPI to consider identifying,
developing or revising model curriculum on computer science
for kindergarten - 6th grade. AB 1530 was held in the
Senate Appropriations Committee.
AB 2110 (Ting, 2014) required the Instructional Quality
Commission to consider incorporating computer science
curriculum content into the mathematics, science,
history-social science, and English language arts/English
language development frameworks. AB 2110 was held in the
Senate Appropriations Committee.
SUPPORT
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Accenture, LLP
Alliance for California Computing Education for Students and
Schools (ACCESS)
Amazon
Bloom Energy
CA Technologies
California Chamber of Commerce
California School Boards Association
CALinnovates
Cisco Systems Limited
Code.org
Common Sense Kids Action
eBay Inc.
General Motors
HP Inc.
Intel
Intuit
Level Playing Field Institute
Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom
Lyft
Microsoft
Million Women Mentors
Oracle
PayPal
Qualcomm
Silicon Valley Leadership Group
SolarCity
TechNet
Yahoo!
OPPOSITION
None received.
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