Florida House Bill H0365

Florida 2022 Regular Session

• Introduced: 10/20/21
• Refer: 11/5/21
• Failed: 3/14/22

Caption

Computer Science Instruction in K-12 Public Schools

Impact

The implementation of HB 0365 is expected to make significant changes to existing educational protocols. It requires school districts to ensure access to computer science courses either through direct offerings or through the Florida Virtual School. This initiative aims to bridge the digital divide by enabling students from all geographic locations, including rural areas, to gain access to essential computer science education, aligning with the broader goals of improving digital literacy across the state.

Summary

House Bill 0365 aims to enhance computer science education within Florida's K-12 public schools by mandating the inclusion of computer science courses in the Course Code Directory. This bill defines key terms such as 'computational thinking' and 'computer science' and establishes requirements for the provision of computer science instruction across various grade levels. It specifically mandates that all public middle and high schools provide computer science courses, ensuring that elementary schools introduce foundational digital literacy and computer science education.

Contention

Moreover, the bill incorporates provisions for bonuses to be awarded to instructional personnel who effectively teach these identified computer science courses. These bonuses are designed to incentivize qualified teachers, as they will receive monetary awards based on their performance and the volume of courses taught. However, the provision for bonuses may generate discussion around budget allocations and the effectiveness of such incentives in attracting and retaining quality educators in the field of computer science.