BILL ANALYSIS Ó SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair 2015 - 2016 Regular Session AB 2329 (Bonilla) - Computer science strategic implementation plan ----------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Version: June 29, 2016 |Policy Vote: ED. 9 - 0 | | | | |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Urgency: No |Mandate: No | | | | |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Hearing Date: August 1, 2016 |Consultant: Jillian Kissee | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File. Bill Summary: This bill requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction (Superintendent) to convene a computer science strategic implementation advisory panel (panel) to develop recommendations for a computer science strategic implementation plan. Fiscal Impact: One-time cost of $237,000 to support the 23 member panel and to appoint a statewide computer science liaison to serve the panel. These costs include travel, materials, and recording contracts for the panel public meetings as well as costs to AB 2329 (Bonilla) Page 1 of ? support the liaison. Ongoing costs to the California Department of Education (CDE) are unknown, but funding of about $150,000 is likely needed to continue to support the liaison for a period of time after the adoption of the computer science content standards and the associated curriculum framework. See staff comments. (General Fund) Unknown cost pressure, likely in the millions to implement suggested recommendations included in this bill. Costs will depend on the actual recommendations of the panel. See staff comments. (Proposition 98) Background: Existing law requires the Instructional Quality Commission to consider developing and recommending to the State Board of Education (Board), by July 31, 2019, computer science content standards based on recommendations developed by a group of computer science experts. (Education Code § 60605.4) Existing law authorizes a school district to award a student up to one mathematics course credit for successfully completing an approved computer science course for University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) admittance, if the district requires more than two courses in mathematics for graduation from high school. (EC § 51225.3 and § 51225.35) Existing law also requires the CSU, and requests the UC, to develop guidelines for high school computer science courses to be approved for admission. (EC § 66205.5) Proposed Law: This bill requires the Superintendent to convene a computer science strategic implementation advisory panel to develop recommendations for a computer science strategic implementation plan. The requirements of this bill are scheduled to sunset July 31, 2020. Specifically, this bill requires: By September 1, 2017, the Superintendent to convene a panel to develop recommendations for a computer science strategic AB 2329 (Bonilla) Page 2 of ? implementation plan. The panel to consist of, but not be limited to, 23 members which include representatives of the Governor, Legislature, Superintendent, K-12 teachers, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, the Computer Science Teachers Association, private sector technology industry, public and private postsecondary education, the Instructional Quality Commission, various organizations, a student, and a county office of education. By July 1, 2018, the panel to submit recommendations for a computer science strategic implementation plan to the CDE, the State Board of Education, and the Legislature. Recommendations to include: (1) broadening the pool of teachers to teach computer science; (2) defining computer science education principles that meet the needs of students in kindergarten and grades one through 12; and (3) ensuring that all students have access to quality computer science courses. The Superintendent to appoint a statewide computer science liaison to serve the panel, in such activities as: coordinating the efforts of the panel, soliciting public comment, preparing reports, and ensuring that the panel's recommendations are implemented. That the duration of the liaison's role is to be for a limited period of time after the adoption of academic content standards in computer science and the curriculum framework is to provide technical assistance to local educational agencies in implementing the standards and curriculum. This bill also provides that if state or federal funds are not sufficient, the panel is authorized to evaluate the ability to accept financial support from public or private sources to implement this bill. AB 2329 (Bonilla) Page 3 of ? Staff Comments: This bill requires that the duration of the liaison's role only be for a limited time subsequent to the adoption of the computer science standards and associated curriculum framework by the Board, to provide technical assistance and support to local educational agencies. The Instructional Quality Commission is required to consider developing and recommending to the Board content standards by July 31, 2019. Existing law provides that this activity is permissive and is contingent upon an appropriation for this purpose in the annual budget act. Assuming an appropriation is provided, developing the content standards and associated curriculum framework (contingent upon another appropriation and authorizing legislation), support for the liaison would likely continue for a period of time to enable him or her to support the local standards and curriculum framework implementation. This bill also creates significant cost pressures to implement the recommendations of the panel. The suggested recommendations included in this bill would require substantial resources to implement. For example, scaling up computer science education coursework so that all high schools teach at least one computer science course would result in costs in the hundreds of millions. This assumes an average teacher salary and benefit package of $100,000. According to the CDE's DataQuest, over 1,600 schools are offering computer education courses but only several hundred of the schools offer computer science, specifically. There are about 2,500 high schools (including charter schools) in the state. If 2,000 high schools need to hire a computer science teacher, costs would be $200 million. To ensure that all roughly 10,000 schools have access to computer science courses, costs would increase substantially. Other suggested recommendations in the bill include providing training and professional development, creating a teacher certification pathway in computer science, expanding scholarship eligibility and loan forgiveness programs for computer science teachers, and ensuring school districts have adequate broadband connectivity and access to hardware and software. AB 2329 (Bonilla) Page 4 of ? -- END --