| 27 | | - | Section 1. Sections 16-46B-1, 16-46B-2, and 16-46B-7, |
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| 28 | | - | Code of Alabama 1975, are amended to read as follows: |
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| 29 | | - | "§16-46B-1 |
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| 30 | | - | For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms |
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| 31 | | - | shall have the following meanings: |
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| 32 | | - | (1) BOARD. The State Board of Education. |
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| 33 | | - | (2) COMPUTER SCIENCE. The study of computers and |
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| 34 | | - | algorithmic processes, including their principles, their |
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| 35 | | - | hardware and software designs, their implementation, and their |
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| 36 | | - | impact on society , and their emerging technologies, including, |
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| 37 | | - | but not limited to, artificial intelligence . Content should |
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| 38 | | - | focus on teaching students how to create new technologies, not |
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| 39 | | - | simply how to use technology. |
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| 35 | + | Section 1. Sections 16-46B-2 and 16-46B-7, Code of |
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| 36 | + | Alabama 1975, are amended to read as follows: |
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| 37 | + | "§16-46B-2 |
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| 38 | + | (a)(1) Beginning in the 2020-2021 school year, each |
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| 69 | | - | simply how to use technology. |
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| 70 | | - | (3) COMPUTER SCIENCE COURSES AND CONTENT. Courses that |
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| 71 | | - | teach computer science either as a standalone course |
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| 72 | | - | implementation in middle and high schools, or, for elementary |
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| 73 | | - | school, integrated into other content areas. |
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| 74 | | - | (4) DEPARTMENT. The State Department of Education. |
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| 75 | | - | (5) ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. Includes grades kindergarten to |
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| 76 | | - | six, inclusive. |
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| 77 | | - | (6) HIGH QUALITY PROFESSIONAL LEARNING. Professional |
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| 78 | | - | development activities that satisfy all of the following: |
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| 79 | | - | a. Clarify the conceptual foundations of computer |
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| 80 | | - | science. |
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| 81 | | - | b. Teach research-based practices, including hands-on |
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| 82 | | - | and inquiry-based learning. |
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| 83 | | - | c. Are intended for existing teachers, with or without |
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| 84 | | - | previous exposure to computer science. |
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| 85 | | - | (7) HIGH QUALITY PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PROVIDERS. |
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| 86 | | - | Institutions of higher education, nonprofits, or private |
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| 87 | | - | entities that have successfully designed, implemented, and |
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| 88 | | - | scaled high quality, evidence-based computer science |
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| 89 | | - | professional learning for teachers and recommended by the |
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| 90 | | - | superintendent and approved by the board. |
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| 91 | | - | (8) HIGH SCHOOL. Includes grades nine to 12, inclusive. |
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| 92 | | - | (9) MIDDLE SCHOOL. Includes grades seven and eight. |
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| 93 | | - | (10) PUBLIC SCHOOL. Includes public K-12 elementary |
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| 94 | | - | schools, middle schools, and high schools. |
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| 95 | | - | (11) SUPERINTENDENT. The State Superintendent of |
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| 96 | | - | Education." |
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| 97 | | - | "§16-46B-2 |
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| 68 | + | (a)(1) Beginning in the 2020-2021 school year, each |
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| 69 | + | public high school shall offer at least one authentic computer |
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| 70 | + | science course from a department-approved list. |
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| 71 | + | (2) Beginning in the 2021-2022 school year, each public |
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| 72 | + | middle school shall offer instruction in middle school |
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| 73 | + | computer science courses approved by the department. |
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| 74 | + | (3) Beginning in the 2022-2023 school year, each public |
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| 75 | + | elementary school shall offer instruction on the basics of |
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| 76 | + | computer science and computational thinking. |
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| 77 | + | (b) A computer science course or instruction in |
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| 78 | + | computer science offered by a public school shall satisfy all |
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| 79 | + | of the following: |
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| 80 | + | (1) Be of high quality, as defined by the department. |
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| 81 | + | (2) Meet or exceed the standards and curriculum |
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| 82 | + | requirements, as they relate to authentic computer science, |
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| 83 | + | established by the board in the state course of study for |
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| 84 | + | digital literacy and computer science pursuant to Section |
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| 85 | + | 16-35-4 and be on the approved list of computer science |
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| 86 | + | courses. |
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| 87 | + | (c) A computer science course offered by a public high |
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| 88 | + | school should be offered through an in-person setting and |
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| 89 | + | shall be offered as a virtual or distance learning course |
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| 90 | + | option only when an in-person classroom setting is not |
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| 91 | + | practicable. A rationale for using the virtual or distance |
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| 92 | + | learning option shall be included in the annual report. |
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| 93 | + | (d) Beginning with public school students who will |
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| 94 | + | graduate during the 2031-2032 school year, the department |
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| 95 | + | shall ensure that all approved computer science courses and |
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| 96 | + | content that meet graduation requirements pursuant to Section |
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| 127 | | - | "§16-46B-2 |
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| 128 | | - | (a)(1) Beginning in the 2020-2021 school year, each |
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| 129 | | - | public high school shall offer at least one authentic computer |
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| 130 | | - | science course from a department-approved list. |
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| 131 | | - | (2) Beginning in the 2021-2022 school year, each public |
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| 132 | | - | middle school shall offer instruction in middle school |
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| 133 | | - | computer science courses approved by the department. |
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| 134 | | - | (3) Beginning in the 2022-2023 school year, each public |
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| 135 | | - | elementary school shall offer instruction on the basics of |
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| 136 | | - | computer science and computational thinking. |
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| 137 | | - | (b) A computer science course or instruction in |
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| 138 | | - | computer science offered by a public school shall satisfy all |
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| 139 | | - | of the following: |
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| 140 | | - | (1) Be of high quality, as defined by the department. |
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| 141 | | - | (2) Meet or exceed the standards and curriculum |
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| 142 | | - | requirements, as they relate to authentic computer science, |
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| 143 | | - | established by the board in the state course of study for |
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| 144 | | - | digital literacy and computer science pursuant to Section |
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| 145 | | - | 16-35-4 and be on the approved list of computer science |
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| 146 | | - | courses. |
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| 147 | | - | (c) A computer science course offered by a public high |
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| 148 | | - | school should be offered through an in-person setting and |
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| 149 | | - | shall be offered as a virtual or distance learning course |
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| 150 | | - | option only when an in-person classroom setting is not |
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| 151 | | - | practicable. A rationale for using the virtual or distance |
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| 152 | | - | learning option shall be included in the annual report. |
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| 153 | | - | (d) Beginning with public school students who will |
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| 154 | | - | graduate during the 2030-2031 school year, the department |
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| 155 | | - | shall ensure that all approved computer science courses and |
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| 126 | + | content that meet graduation requirements pursuant to Section |
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| 127 | + | 16-46B-7, shall include, but not be limited to, instruction in |
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| 128 | + | the following areas: |
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| 129 | + | (1) Artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, |
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| 130 | + | which is the exploration of how artificial intelligence and |
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| 131 | + | other emerging technologies work and their application to real |
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| 132 | + | world scenarios. |
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| 133 | + | (2) Computational thinking, which is the application of |
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| 134 | + | logical reasoning, problem decomposition, pattern recognition, |
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| 135 | + | and algorithm design to solve complex problems. |
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| 136 | + | (3) Data and information, which is the understanding of |
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| 137 | + | how data is collected, represented, processed, stored, and |
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| 138 | + | analyzed, and the importance of data security and privacy. |
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| 139 | + | (4) Impacts of computing, which is the examination of |
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| 140 | + | the ethical, social, and global effects of computing on |
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| 141 | + | individuals, organizations, and society. |
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| 142 | + | (5) Network and the Internet, which is the basic |
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| 143 | + | understanding of computer networks, the Internet, protocols, |
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| 144 | + | and cybersecurity principles. |
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| 145 | + | (6) Programming and coding, which is instruction in |
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| 146 | + | programming languages and coding skills to develop functional |
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| 147 | + | software and application. |
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| 148 | + | (e) The standards provided in subsection (d) shall be |
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| 149 | + | subject to the review standards set forth in Chapter 35 to |
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| 150 | + | ensure alignment with current research, best practices, and |
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| 151 | + | advancements in technology. |
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| 152 | + | (f) The enforcement of this section shall comply with |
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| 153 | + | Section 16-1-11.1." |
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| 154 | + | "§16-46B-7 |
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| 192 | 184 | | "§16-46B-7 |
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| 193 | 185 | | (a) Before June 30, 2020, and in accordance with |
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| 194 | 186 | | Section 16-35-4, the department shall identify approved |
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| 195 | 187 | | computer science courses that may fulfill one unit of academic |
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| 196 | 188 | | credit for any mathematics or science course for high school |
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| 197 | 189 | | graduation. |
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| 198 | 190 | | (b) Beginning with the graduating class of 2021, for |
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| 199 | 191 | | the purposes of high school graduation requirements and |
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| 200 | 192 | | satisfying mathematics or science freshman admission |
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| 201 | 193 | | requirements for a public institution of higher education |
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| 202 | 194 | | physically located in this state, as determined by the |
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| 203 | 195 | | institution of higher education, a computer science course |
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| 204 | 196 | | successfully completed under subsection (a) shall be |
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| 205 | 197 | | equivalent to either of the following: |
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| 206 | 198 | | (1) One mathematics course credit. |
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| 207 | 199 | | (2) One science course credit. |
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| 210 | | - | earning at least one credit in a department-approved, high |
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| 211 | | - | school level computer science course. This requirement shall |
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| 212 | | - | not result in an increase in the number of credits required |
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| 213 | | - | for graduation. |
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| 202 | + | earning at least one credit in a department approved computer |
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| 203 | + | science course or by completing a department approved course |
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| 204 | + | with embedded computer science skills and experiences. This |
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| 205 | + | requirement shall not result in an increase in the number of |
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| 206 | + | credits required for graduation. |
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| 207 | + | (2) Each computer science credit earned shall count as |
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| 208 | + | a college and career readiness indicator and may fulfill any |
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| 209 | + | one of the following, as determined by the local |
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| 210 | + | superintendent of education: |
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| 211 | + | a. One mathematics course credit. |
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| 212 | + | b. One science course credit. |
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