California Assembly Bill AB1530 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 1530AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 28, 2014 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Chau JANUARY 17, 2014 An act  to add Article 7 (commencing with Section 51300) to Chapter 2 of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code,  relating to school curriculum. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1530, as amended, Chau.  School   Model  curriculum:  courses of study:  computer science. Existing law requires the adopted course of study for grades 1 to  6,   12,  inclusive, to include  instruction, beginning in grade 1 and continuing through grade 6,  in  the following   various  areas of  study:   study, including, but not limited to,  English, mathematics,  and  social  sciences, science, visual and performing arts, health, and physical education, and other studies that may be prescribed by the governing board, as defined.   sciences. Existing law requires the State Department of Education to adopt model curricula in certain areas of instruction, including, among others, driver   's education and training, gang violence suppression, and substance abuse prevention.  This bill would  state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would add computer science to the adopted course of study for grades 1 to 6, inclusive.   encourage the Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop or, as needed, revise a model curriculum on computer science, and to submit the model curriculum to the State Board of Education for adoption. The bill, in addition to funds that may be appropriated by the Legislature for purposes of implementing the provisions of the bill, would authorize the Superintendent to seek out alternative nonstate funding sources to defray the cost of developing the model curriculum, as specified.  Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  no   yes  . State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:  SECTION 1.   Article 7 (commencing with Section 51300) is added to Chapter 2 of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the   Education Code   , to read:   Article 7. Model Curriculum for Computer Science 51300. It is the intent of the Legislature to encourage the establishment of programs of instruction in computer science, with instruction beginning as early as feasible for each school district. 51301. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) Computer science is an established discipline at the collegiate and postgraduate levels, but the integration of computer science concepts into kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, curriculum has not kept pace in the United States. (b) Computer science education is not just about access to computers or about preparing pupils to be passive users of technology, it is about preparing pupils to be innovative creators of new technologies. (c) Our educational system should prepare our pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 6, inclusive, with the fundamental computer science knowledge, skills, insights, and perspectives they need for future success and for a world in which computing is everywhere. While computer usage in classrooms is increasing, knowledge and familiarity about computing is not keeping pace. (d) The goal of the computer science curriculum in kindergarten and grades 1 to 6, inclusive, should be to introduce the fundamental concepts of computer science, including instruction on computational thinking, algorithmic processes and principles, hardware and software design, computer applications, and the impact of computers on society, and to increase the knowledge of computer science for all pupils, especially those pupils who are members of underrepresented groups. 51302. The Superintendent is encouraged to develop or, as needed, revise a model curriculum on computer science, and to submit the model curriculum to the state board for adoption. Upon adoption, the Superintendent shall make the model curriculum available on the department's Internet Web site. 51303. In addition to any funds that may be appropriated by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act or another statute for purposes of implementing this article, the Superintendent may seek out, apply for, and accept nonstate funding sources to defray the cost of developing a model curriculum pursuant to this article, including, but not limited to, federal funds, grant programs, and private funds.   SECTION 1.   It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would add computer science to the adopted course of study for grades 1 to 6, inclusive.