HLS 25RS-496 ENGROSSED
2025 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 372
BY REPRESENTATIVE HUGHES
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
CURRICULA: Provides relative to computer science as a high school graduation
requirement
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 17:5025.7(introductory paragraph) and 5026(F)(introductory
3 paragraph) and to repeal Section 6(A) and (D) of Act No. 211 of the 2024 Regular
4 Session of the Legislature of Louisiana, relative to curricula; to provide relative to
5 Computer Science as a required high school course; to provide for alignment with
6 the core curriculum requirements for qualifications for TOPS awards; to provide for
7 applicability; and to provide for related matters.
8Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1. R.S. 17:5025.7(introductory paragraph) and 5026(F)(introductory
10paragraph) are hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
11 §5025.7. High school core curriculum requirements; Opportunity, Performance, and
12 Honors Awards; students graduating in the 2027-2028 school year through
13 2029-2030 school years
14 To be eligible for an Opportunity, Performance, or Honors Award pursuant
15 to this Chapter, a student who graduated during or after the 2027-2028 school year
16 but not later than the 2029-2030 school year shall have successfully completed a core
17 curriculum which consists of twenty units of high school course work as follows:
18 * * *
19 §5026. High school core curriculum requirements; TOPS-Tech
20 * * *
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HB NO. 372
1 F. For a student graduating during or after the 2027-2028 school year but
2 prior to the 2030-2031 school year to be eligible for a TOPS-Tech Award pursuant
3 to this Chapter, the student shall have successfully completed the core curriculum
4 requirements of R.S. 17:5025 or the core curriculum defined as follows:
5 * * *
6 Section 2. Section 6.(A) and (D) of Act No. 211 of the 2024 Regular Session of the
7Legislature of Louisiana are hereby repealed in their entirety.
8 Section 3. The provisions of R.S. 17:183.3(B)(2)(b), (c), and (f) as amended by
9Section 2 of Act No. 211 of the 2024 Regular Session of the Legislature of Louisiana shall
10apply as follows:
11 (A) R.S. 17:183.3(B)(2)(b) and (c), relative to the authorization that computer
12science may count as math and science credits for a high school career major, shall apply to
13students who enter the ninth grade during the 2025-2026 school year and thereafter.
14 (B) R.S. 17:183.3(B)(2)(f), relative to the requirement that one of the nine Jump
15Start courses required for a high school career major be computer science unless computer
16science is taken to fulfill a math or science credit, shall apply to students who enter the ninth
17grade during the 2027-2028 school year and thereafter.
18 Section 4. The provisions of R.S. 17:280.3(A), as enacted by Section 4 of Act No.
19211 of the 2024 Regular Session of the Legislature of Louisiana, shall be implemented as
20follows:
21 (A) R.S. 17:280.3(A)(1), relative to the requirement that each public high school
22provide computer science instruction to its students, shall initially be implemented beginning
23with the 2026-2027 school year.
24 (B) R.S. 17:280.3(A)(1), relative to the requirement that each public high school
25student successfully complete a one-credit computer science course to qualify for high
26school graduation, shall apply to students who enter the ninth grade during the 2027-2028
27school year and thereafter.
28 (C) R.S. 17:280.3(A)(2) shall initially be implemented beginning with the 2026-
292027 school year.
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HB NO. 372
1 (D) R.S. 17:280.3(A)(3)) shall initially be implemented beginning with the 2027-
22028 school year.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 372 Engrossed 2025 Regular Session Hughes
Abstract: Provides relative to computer science as a requirement for high school
graduation.
Relative to the requirement of completion of a one unit Computer Science course for:
(1)Graduation from a public high school, including charter schools. Present law applies
to students who enter the ninth grade during the 2026-2027 school year and
thereafter. Proposed law (R.S. 17:280.3(A)(1)) changes this requirement to apply
to students who enter the ninth grade during the 2027-2028 school year and
thereafter.
(2)A high school career diploma. Present law requires a student to complete one
mathematics elective course, one science elective course, and nine credits in Jump
Start courses to be eligible for a career diploma. Further requires that one of these
11 credits be Computer Science for students who enter the ninth grade during the
2025-2026 school year and thereafter. Proposed law (R.S. 17:183.3(B)(2)(f))
changes this requirement to apply to students who enter the ninth grade during the
2027-2028 school year and thereafter.
(3)A TOPS award. Present law (R.S. 17:5025) requires a student to complete one
mathematics elective course, two science elective courses, and two units in either
Foreign Language or Computer Science to be eligible for a TOPS award. Further
requires that one of these five credits be Computer Science for students graduating
in the 2028-2029 school year and thereafter. Proposed law changes this requirement
to apply to students who graduate during the 2030-2031 school year and thereafter.
(4)A TOPS-Tech award. Present law (R.S. 17:5026(A)) requires a student to complete
one mathematics elective course, one science elective course, and nine credits in
Jump Start courses to be eligible for a TOPS-Tech award. Further requires that one
of these 11 credits be Computer Science for students graduating in the 2028-2029
school year and thereafter. Proposed law changes this requirement to apply to
students who graduate during the 2030-2031 school year and thereafter.
Present law requires each public school, including charter schools, to provide instruction in
computer science as follows:
(1)Elementary school: prior to the 2027-2028 school year.
(2)Middle school: prior to the 2026-2027 school year.
(3)High school: prior to the 2026-2027 school year.
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HB NO. 372
Proposed law (R.S. 17:280.3) changes the timing of this requirement to the beginning of
such school years.
(Amends R.S. 17:5025.7(intro. para.) and 5026(F)(intro. para); Repeals Section 6(A) and (D)
of Act No. 211 of the 2024 R.S.)
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