Amended in Assembly March 25, 2014

California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 2110

Introduced by Assembly Member Ting

(Coauthors: Assembly Members Ammiano begin delete and end delete begin insert , end insert Brown begin insert , and Gonzalez end insert )

February 20, 2014

An act to add Section 51211 to the Education Code, relating to pupil instruction.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2110, as amended, Ting. Pupil instruction: computer science.

Existing law requires the Instructional Quality Commission to recommend, and the State Board of Education to adopt, curriculum frameworks, as provided. Existing law defines “curriculum framework” as an outline of the components of a given course of study designed to provide state direction to school districts in the provision of instructional programs. Existing law prohibits the state board from adopting instructional materials until the 2015-16 school year, except as provided.

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The

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begin insert This end insert bill would require the state board to incorporate computer science curriculum content into the mathematics, science, history-social science, and language arts curriculum frameworks, as it deems appropriate, when those frameworks are next revised. The bill would require computer science curriculum to begin insert be consistent with recognized computer science standards and end insert focus on foundational concepts in computer science by integrating basic skills in technology with simple ideas about computational thinking, communication, and collaboration, and being responsible citizens in a changing digital world, as specified. The bill would require the state board to consult begin insert with end insert classroom begin delete instructors end delete begin insert teachers end insert to ensure the age-appropriateness of instructional material. The bill would, upon the incorporation of computer science curriculum content into the curriculum frameworks, require the Superintendent of Public begin delete Intervention end delete begin insert Instruction end insert to identify and post on the State Department of Education’s Internet Web site professional development resources for teaching computer science curriculum content. The bill would require its provisions to be implemented in a manner that does not result in new duties or programs being imposed on local educational agencies, as specified.

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.  

Section 51211 is added to the Education Code,
to read:

51211.  

(a) The state board shall incorporate computer science
curriculum content into the mathematics, science, history-social
science, and language arts curriculum frameworks, as it deems
appropriate, when those frameworks are next revised. This
curriculum begin insert shall be consistent with recognized computer science
standards and end insert shall focus on foundational concepts in computer
science by integrating basic skills in technology with simple ideas
about computational thinking, communication, and collaboration,
and being responsible citizens in a changing digital world.

(b) Computer science instruction shall be designed to help pupils
learn all of the following:

(1) Computational thinking, including, but not limited to, using
technology resources to solve age-appropriate problems,
understanding and using basic steps of algorithmic problem solving
with computer-free exercises, demonstrating that a string of bits
can be used to represent alphanumeric information, recognizing
that software is created to control computer operations, and
understanding the connections between computer science and other
fields.

(2) Collaboration, including, but not limited to, gathering
information and communicating electronically, and using
age-appropriate technology resources and tools to participate in
collaborative problem-solving activities for the purpose of
developing solutions or products.

(3) Computer practice, including, but not limited to, using
age-appropriate technology resources to gather, organize, and
manipulate data, using technology tools for individual and
collaborative writing, communication, and publishing activities,
constructing a set of step-by-step instructions to be acted out, and
identifying a wide range of jobs that require knowledge or use of
computing.

(4) Computers and communication devices, including, but not
limited to, demonstrating an appropriate level of proficiency with
input and output devices, understanding the pervasiveness of
computers in daily life, and identifying factors that distinguish
humans from machines.

(5) Community, global, and ethical impacts, including, but not
limited to, practicing responsible digital citizenship in the use of
technology, identifying the social and ethical impacts of technology
on personal life and society, and evaluating the accuracy, relevance,
and biases of electronic information sources.

(c) In implementing this section, the state board shall consult
begin insert with end insert classroom begin delete instructors end delete begin insert teachers end insert to ensure the
age-appropriateness of instructional material.

(d) Upon incorporating computer science curriculum content
into the mathematics, science, history-social science, and language
arts curriculum frameworks at their next revision, the
Superintendent shall identify and post on the department’s Internet
Web site professional development resources for teaching computer
science curriculum content.

(e) This section shall be implemented in a manner that does not
result in new duties or programs being imposed on local
educational agencies. In that regard, the Legislature finds and
declares that this section does not mandate costs to local
educational agencies, and that materials used to comply with this
subdivision shall be part of the normal instructional materials
purchased by local educational agencies in their normal course of
business and purchasing cycles.