HB 1601 2023
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A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to computer science instruction in K -2
12 public schools; amending s. 1003.01, F.S.; defining 3
the terms "computational thinking" and "computer 4
science"; creating s. 1003.4202, F.S.; requiring 5
computer science courses to be included in the Cou rse 6
Code Directory and published on the Department of 7
Education's website; requiring the Florida Virtual 8
School to offer certain computer science courses; 9
requiring school districts to provide instruction in 10
computer science; providing requirements for the 11
instruction; requiring school districts to provide 12
students with access to computer science courses 13
through the Florida Virtual School or by other means 14
under certain circumstances; requiring high school 15
students to be provided opportunities to take certa in 16
computer science courses for specified purposes; 17
authorizing elementary and middle schools to establish 18
digital classrooms for specified purposes; subject to 19
legislative appropriation, authorizing school 20
districts and consortiums of school districts to apply 21
to the department for funding for specified purposes; 22
providing requirements for such funding; defining the 23
term "instructional personnel"; subject to legislative 24
appropriation, providing for bonuses for certain 25
HB 1601 2023
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instructional personnel; providing req uirements for 26
such bonuses; providing for the carryforward of 27
certain funds; providing for rulemaking; repealing s. 28
1007.2616, F.S., relating to computer science and 29
technology instruction; providing an effective date. 30
31
Be It Enacted by the Legislatu re of the State of Florida: 32
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Section 1. Subsections (18) and (19) are added to section 34
1003.01, Florida Statutes, to read: 35
1003.01 Definitions. —As used in this chapter, the term: 36
(18) "Computational thinking" means the thought processes 37
involved in expressing solutions as computational steps or 38
algorithms that can be carried out by a computer. 39
(19) "Computer science" means the study of computers and 40
algorithmic processes, including their principles, hardware and 41
software designs, applications, imp lementation, and impact on 42
society, including, but not limited to, computer coding, 43
computer programming, and computational thinking. 44
Section 2. Section 1003.4202, Florida Statutes, is created 45
to read: 46
1003.4202 Computer science instruction in K -12 public 47
schools.— 48
(1) Computer science courses must be identified in the 49
Course Code Directory and published on the Department of 50
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Education's website. Additional computer science courses may be 51
subsequently identified and posted on the Department of 52
Education's website. 53
(2)(a) The Florida Virtual School shall offer computer 54
science courses identified in the Course Code Directory pursuant 55
to subsection (1). 56
(b) School districts shall provide instruction in computer 57
science as follows: 58
1. Each public elementary school may provide computer 59
science instruction with the intent to provide a foundation for 60
future computer usage, digital literacy, and computer science 61
instruction. 62
2. Each public middle and high school shall provide 63
computer science instructi on. 64
(c) If a school district does not offer a computer science 65
course identified in the Course Code Directory, the district 66
must provide students with access to the course through the 67
Florida Virtual School or through other means approved by the 68
department. 69
(d) High school students must be provided opportunities to 70
take computer science courses that lead to technology -related 71
industry certifications and satisfy high school graduation 72
requirements pursuant to s. 1003.4282(3). Computer science 73
courses and technology-related industry certifications 74
identified by the Commissioner of Education as eligible to meet 75
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the mathematics or science credit graduation requirement for 76
high school graduation under s. 1003.4282(3) must be included in 77
the Course Code Directory. 78
(e) Public elementary and middle schools may establish 79
digital classrooms where students are provided opportunities to 80
improve their digital literacy and competency; learn digital 81
skills, including computer science, multimedia presentations, 82
and the manipulation of multiple digital graphic images; and 83
earn CAPE Digital Tool Certificates and CAPE industry 84
certifications pursuant to s. 1003.4203 and grade -appropriate, 85
technology-related industry certifications. 86
(3)(a) Subject to legislative appropriation, a school 87
district or consortium of school districts may apply to the 88
department, by a date and in a format prescribed by the 89
department, for funding to deliver or facilitate training for 90
instructional personnel to earn an educator certificate in 91
computer science pursuant to s. 1012.56 or a technology -related 92
industry certification associated with a course identified in 93
the Course Code Directory pursuant to subsection (1) or for 94
professional development for instructional personnel to provide 95
instruction in computer science. Such funding must be used only 96
to: 97
1. Provide training pursuant to this paragraph for 98
instructional personnel. 99
2. Pay fees for examinations that lead to a credential for 100
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instructional personnel. 101
3. Provide professional development f or instructional 102
personnel. 103
(b) The department shall establish a deadline for 104
submitting applications for funding. The department shall award 105
funding in an equitable manner that accounts for the unique 106
needs of small or rural school districts. 107
(c) For purposes of this section, the term "instructional 108
personnel" has the same meaning as in s. 1012.01(2)(a), (b), and 109
(c). 110
(4)(a) Subject to legislative appropriation, a member of 111
the instructional personnel who was evaluated as effective or 112
highly effective pursuant to s. 1012.34 in the previous school 113
year or who is newly hired by the district school board and has 114
not been evaluated pursuant to s. 1012.34 must receive a bonus 115
as follows: 116
1. If the member of the instructional personnel holds an 117
educator certificate in computer science pursuant to s. 1012.56 118
or if he or she has passed the computer science subject area 119
examination and holds an adjunct certificate issued by a school 120
district pursuant to s. 1012.57, he or she must receive a bonus 121
of $1,000 after each year he or she completes teaching a 122
computer science course identified in the Course Code Directory 123
pursuant to subsection (1) at a public elementary, middle, high, 124
or combination school for up to 3 years. 125
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2. If the member of the instructional pe rsonnel holds an 126
industry certification associated with a course identified in 127
the Course Code Directory pursuant to subsection (1), he or she 128
must receive a bonus of $500 after each year he or she completes 129
teaching the identified course at a public eleme ntary, middle, 130
high, or combination school for up to 3 years. 131
(b) A school district shall report a member of the 132
instructional personnel who is eligible for a bonus under this 133
subsection to the department by a date and in a format 134
established by the depa rtment. An eligible member of the 135
instructional personnel shall receive his or her bonus upon 136
completion of the school year in which he or she taught the 137
computer science course. A member of the instructional personnel 138
may not receive more than one bonus p er year under this 139
subsection. 140
(5) Any unexpended balance of funds appropriated pursuant 141
to this section shall be carried forward to the next fiscal year 142
for the same purpose. 143
(6) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to 144
administer this sectio n. 145
Section 3. Section 1007.2616, Florida Statutes, is 146
repealed. 147
Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023. 148