HB2202--COMPUTERSCIENCECOURSES(Fitzwater)
COMMITTEEOFORIGIN:StandingCommitteeonWorkforceDevelopment
Thisbillmodifiesthedefinitionof"computersciencecourse"by
includinganyelementary,middle,orhighschoolcoursethatembeds
computersciencecontentwithinothersubjects.
Thisbillrequires,forallschoolyearsonorafterJuly1,2023,
certaincourseworkandinstructionincomputerscienceinpublic
andcharterhighschools.Coursesandinstructionofferedunder
thisbillmustmeetcertainstandardsestablishedbytheState
BoardofEducationandtheDepartmentofElementaryandSecondary
Education(DESE).
ThisbillrequiresschooldistrictstosubmittoDESEcertain
informationrelatedtoitscomputersciencecoursesanddemographic
enrollmentinformationforsuchcourses.
OnorbeforeJune30thannually,DESEshallpublishalistof
computersciencecoursecodesandnameswithacoursedescription,
aswellasotherinformationspecifiedinthebill.DESEshall
appointacomputerscienceadvisortoimplementtheseprovisionsof
thebill.
BeginningJuly1,2023,computersciencecoursessuccessfully
completedandcountedtowardstategraduationrequirementsshallbe
equivalenttoonescienceorpracticalartscreditforthepurpose
ofsatisfyingadmissionrequirementsatanypublicinstitutionof
highereducationinthestate.
Thebillestablishesthe"ComputerScienceEducationTaskForce".
ThemembershipoftheTaskForceincludestwomembersoftheHouse
ofRepresentatives, oneappointedbytheSpeakeroftheHouseand
onebytheMinorityLeader;twomembersoftheSenatewithone
appointedbythePresidentProTemoftheSenateandoneappointed
bytheMinorityLeader;theGovernororhisdesignee;the
CommissionerofEducationandtheCommissionerofHigherEducation
ortheirdesignee;andsixmembersasappointedbytheCommissioner
ofEducationrepresentingvariousinterestedgroupsasspecified.
ThemissionoftheTaskForceistodevelopastatestrategicplan
forexpansionofcomputerscienceeducationprogramsstatewideand
thedetailsofthecomponentsofthatplanareoutlinedinthe
bill.
TheTaskForcewillholditsfirstmeetingwithinonemonthfrom
theeffectivedateofthebillandsubmitareportoutlining
activitiesandrecommendations forlegislationtotheGeneral AssemblybeforeJune30,2023.TheTaskForcewilldissolveon
June30,2024.