House File 253 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 253 BY INGELS A BILL FOR An Act relating to computer science instruction, including by 1 modifying provisions related to the graduation requirements, 2 the computer science instruction provided by students 3 enrolled in grades nine through twelve, computer science 4 instruction endorsements and authorizations issued by the 5 board of educational examiners, and the computer science 6 professional development incentive fund. 7 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 8 TLSB 1134HH (6) 91 jda/jh

H.F. 253 Section 1. Section 256.7, subsection 26, paragraph a, 1 unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2025, is amended to read as 2 follows: 3 Adopt a core curriculum and adopt rules that establish high 4 school graduation requirements for all students in school 5 districts and accredited nonpublic schools that include at a 6 minimum satisfactory completion of four years of English and 7 language arts, three years of mathematics, three years of 8 science, and three years of social studies , and, beginning 9 with students in the 2029-2030 school year graduating class, 10 one semester of computer science, or the trimester or quarter 11 equivalent, which may include computer science instruction 12 provided in grade eight pursuant to section 256.11, subsection 13 4 . 14 Sec. 2. Section 256.11, subsection 5, paragraph a, Code 15 2025, is amended by adding the following new subparagraph: 16 NEW SUBPARAGRAPH . (3) The five units of science may include 17 up to one unit of instruction related to computer science. 18 Sec. 3. Section 256.11, subsection 5, paragraphs e and l, 19 Code 2025, are amended to read as follows: 20 e. Two additional units of mathematics. 21 (1) The two additional units of mathematics may include 22 instruction related to applied sciences, technology, 23 engineering, or manufacturing, including transportation, 24 distribution, logistics, architecture, and construction, which 25 may be offered and taught through dedicated units of coursework 26 or through units of coursework that also meet the requirements 27 of the coursework required under paragraph “h” , subparagraph 28 (1), subparagraph division (c). The state board shall adopt 29 rules pursuant to chapter 17A to implement this paragraph 30 subparagraph . 31 (2) The two additional units of mathematics may include up 32 to one unit of instruction related to computer science. 33 l. (1) One-half unit of computer science commencing with 34 the school year beginning July 1, 2022 . The one-half unit of 35 -1- LSB 1134HH (6) 91 jda/jh 1/ 8

H.F. 253 computer science shall incorporate the standards established 1 pursuant to section 256.7, subsection 26 , paragraph “a” , 2 subparagraph (4) , and may be offered online in accordance 3 with rules adopted pursuant to section 256.7, subsection 32 , 4 paragraph “a” . The one-half unit of computer science shall 5 satisfy all of the following requirements: 6 (a) Be of high quality. 7 (b) Meet or exceed the curriculum standards and 8 requirements established by the state board. 9 (c) Be offered and taught in a traditional classroom 10 setting; provided, however, that if a traditional classroom 11 setting is not feasible, the one-half unit of computer science 12 may be offered and taught in any of the following ways: 13 (i) Through a combination of instruction that is delivered 14 in a traditional classroom setting and instruction that is 15 delivered primarily over the internet. 16 (ii) Through instruction that is delivered primarily over 17 the internet in accordance with rules adopted by the state 18 board pursuant to section 256.7, subsection 32, paragraph 19 “a” , and is tailored to meet the needs of each participating 20 student. 21 (2) (a) All students, beginning with students in the 22 2029-2030 school year graduating class, shall complete one-half 23 unit of computer science as a condition of graduation, which 24 may include computer science instruction provided in grade 25 eight pursuant to section 256.11, subsection 4. The condition 26 of graduation shall not apply to a student who enrolls in a 27 school district or an accredited nonpublic school in grade 28 twelve immediately after being enrolled in a school located 29 outside of this state. 30 (b) On or before July 1, 2029, a school district or 31 accredited nonpublic school may apply to the department of 32 education for a one-time waiver of the implementation of the 33 condition of graduation described in this subparagraph. The 34 waiver shall be for a period not longer than one school year. 35 -2- LSB 1134HH (6) 91 jda/jh 2/ 8

H.F. 253 (c) The state board shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 1 17A establishing standards for the submission of applications 2 for waivers of the implementation of the condition of 3 graduation described in this subparagraph and the department’s 4 consideration and approval of waivers. 5 (3) The department shall publish on the department’s 6 internet site a list of computer science courses that satisfy 7 the rules adopted by the state board pursuant to section 256.7, 8 subsection 32, paragraph “c” , and that a school district or 9 accredited nonpublic school may use to implement the graduation 10 requirement described in subparagraph (2). The list shall 11 include the names of the computer science courses and the 12 course codes associated with each computer science course. 13 (4) Each school district shall report annually to the 14 department all of the following: 15 (a) To the extent such information is available, the course 16 names and course codes associated with all computer science 17 courses offered and taught in the school district pursuant to 18 this paragraph and a description of format in which each course 19 is offered and taught. 20 (b) The number of teachers employed by the school district 21 who teach computer science instruction, sortable by the 22 endorsements and authorizations held by each teacher and the 23 highest academic degree attained by each teacher. The report 24 shall not include any personally identifiable information 25 related to the teachers employed by the school district who 26 teach computer science instruction. 27 (c) The number of students enrolled in a computer science 28 course offered and taught by the school district pursuant to 29 this paragraph, sortable by the grade level of each student. 30 The report shall not include any personally identifiable 31 information related to the students enrolled in a computer 32 science course offered and taught by the school district. 33 Sec. 4. Section 256.11, subsection 5, paragraph h, Code 34 2025, is amended by adding the following new subparagraph: 35 -3- LSB 1134HH (6) 91 jda/jh 3/ 8

H.F. 253 NEW SUBPARAGRAPH . (04) Units of instruction provided 1 under subparagraph (1), subparagraph division (b) or (c), may 2 include up to one unit of instruction related to computer 3 science, if the teacher providing such instruction has either 4 an initial career and technical education authorization issued 5 by the board of educational examiners or a career and technical 6 education authorization issued by the board of educational 7 examiners. 8 Sec. 5. Section 256.13, Code 2025, is amended to read as 9 follows: 10 256.13 Nonresident pupils. 11 The boards of directors of two or more school districts may 12 by agreement provide for attendance of pupils residing in one 13 district in the schools of another district for the purpose of 14 taking courses not offered in the district of their residence , 15 including computer science courses described in section 256.11, 16 subsection 5, paragraph “l” . The boards may also provide by 17 agreement that the districts will combine their enrollments 18 for one or more grades. Courses and grades made available to 19 students in this manner shall be considered as complying with 20 any standards or laws requiring the offering of such courses 21 and grades. The boards of directors of districts entering into 22 such agreements may provide for sharing the costs and expenses 23 of the courses. If the agreement provides for whole grade 24 sharing, the costs and expenses shall be paid as provided in 25 sections 282.10 through 282.12 . 26 Sec. 6. Section 256.146, subsection 19, Code 2025, is 27 amended to read as follows: 28 19. Adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A establishing 29 endorsements and authorizations for computer science 30 instruction , including . The rules shall include traditional 31 and nontraditional pathways for obtaining such endorsements or 32 authorizations , including through instruction that is delivered 33 primarily over the internet that may be used to demonstrate 34 competence in computer science instruction for teachers under 35 -4- LSB 1134HH (6) 91 jda/jh 4/ 8

H.F. 253 an initial or conditional license . 1 Sec. 7. Section 284.6A, subsection 1, Code 2025, is amended 2 by adding the following new paragraph: 3 NEW PARAGRAPH . 0c. In order to provide students with the 4 competencies to compete in a twenty-first century workforce, 5 develop skills that translate into high-wage jobs, develop 6 problem solving and critical thinking skills, and encourage 7 the creation and retention of new, high-wage jobs in this 8 state, all high school students enrolled in school districts 9 or accredited nonpublic schools, beginning with the 2029-2030 10 school year graduating class, students should complete one 11 semester of computer science as a condition of graduation as 12 required by section 256.7, subsection 26, paragraph “a” . 13 Sec. 8. Section 284.6A, subsection 2, paragraph b, Code 14 2025, is amended to read as follows: 15 b. A school district or accredited nonpublic school may 16 apply to the department, in the manner prescribed by the 17 department, to receive moneys from the fund to provide tuition 18 reimbursement for Iowa teachers , including Iowa teachers under 19 an initial or conditional license, seeking endorsements or 20 authorizations for computer science under section 256.146, 21 subsection 19 . 22 Sec. 9. STATE MANDATE FUNDING SPECIFIED. In accordance 23 with section 25B.2, subsection 3, the state cost of requiring 24 compliance with any state mandate included in this Act shall 25 be paid by a school district from state school foundation aid 26 received by the school district under section 257.16. This 27 specification of the payment of the state cost shall be deemed 28 to meet all of the state funding-related requirements of 29 section 25B.2, subsection 3, and no additional state funding 30 shall be necessary for the full implementation of this Act 31 by and enforcement of this Act against all affected school 32 districts. 33 EXPLANATION 34 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 35 -5- LSB 1134HH (6) 91 jda/jh 5/ 8

H.F. 253 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 1 This bill relates to computer science instruction, 2 including by modifying provisions related to the graduation 3 requirements, the computer science instruction provided to 4 students enrolled in grades 9 through 12, computer science 5 instruction endorsements and authorizations issued by the board 6 of educational examiners (BOEE), and the computer science 7 professional development incentive fund. 8 Current law provides that the graduation requirements 9 applicable to students enrolled in school districts and 10 accredited nonpublic schools shall include, at a minimum, 11 satisfactory completion of four years of English and language 12 arts, three years of mathematics, three years of science, 13 and three years of social studies. The bill provides that 14 such graduation requirements shall also include, beginning 15 with students in the 2029-2030 school year graduating class, 16 satisfactory completion of one semester of computer science, or 17 the trimester or quarter equivalent, which may include computer 18 science instruction provided in grade eight. 19 Current law requires school districts and accredited 20 nonpublic schools to offer and teach to students enrolled in 21 grades 9 through 12 five units of science and two additional 22 units of mathematics. The bill provides that the five units of 23 science may include up to one unit of instruction related to 24 computer science, and the two additional units of mathematics 25 may include up to one unit of instruction related to computer 26 science. 27 Current law requires school districts and accredited 28 nonpublic schools to offer and teach to students enrolled in 29 grades 9 through 12 one-half unit of computer science. The 30 bill modifies provisions related to how the computer science 31 instruction is offered and taught by allowing the instruction 32 to be offered and taught through blended learning, or through 33 instruction that is delivered primarily over the internet, when 34 it is not possible to provide such instruction in a traditional 35 -6- LSB 1134HH (6) 91 jda/jh 6/ 8

H.F. 253 classroom setting. Current law allows school districts to, by 1 agreement, provide for attendance of pupils residing in one 2 district in the schools of another district for the purpose of 3 taking courses not offered in the district of their residence. 4 The bill provides that such courses may include computer 5 science courses. 6 The bill modifies provisions related to the career and 7 technical education instruction provided to students enrolled 8 in grades 9 through 12 to provide that instruction provided 9 under either the arts, communications, and information systems 10 or applied sciences, technology, engineering, and manufacturing 11 service areas may include up to one unit of instruction related 12 to computer science, if the teacher has either an initial 13 career and technical education authorization or a career and 14 technical education authorization issued by the BOEE. 15 The bill requires all students, beginning with students 16 in the 2029-2030 school year graduating class, to complete 17 one-half unit of computer science as a condition of graduation. 18 The bill provides that the condition of graduation shall not 19 apply to a student who enrolls in a school district or an 20 accredited nonpublic school in grade 12 immediately after being 21 enrolled in a school located outside of this state. The bill 22 authorizes school districts and accredited nonpublic schools 23 to apply to the department of education (DE) for a one-time 24 waiver of the implementation of the graduation requirement. 25 The bill requires the state board of education to adopt rules 26 establishing standards for the submission of applications for 27 waivers of the implementation of the condition of graduation 28 and DE’s consideration and approval of waivers. 29 The bill requires DE to publish on DE’s internet site certain 30 information related to computer science courses that satisfy 31 DE’s requirements and courses that may be used to satisfy the 32 computer science graduation requirement. The bill requires 33 school districts to report annually to DE specified information 34 related to teachers providing computer science instruction and 35 -7- LSB 1134HH (6) 91 jda/jh 7/ 8

H.F. 253 students involved in computer science courses. 1 The bill requires that the rules adopted by the BOEE 2 establishing nontraditional pathways for obtaining endorsements 3 and authorizations for computer science instruction also 4 include opportunities to obtain such endorsements or 5 authorizations through instruction that is delivered primarily 6 over the internet that may be used to demonstrate competence 7 in computer science instruction for teachers under an initial 8 or conditional license. 9 Current law establishes a computer science professional 10 development incentive fund in the state treasury under the 11 control of DE. Current law authorizes DE to disburse moneys 12 contained in the fund to a school district or accredited 13 nonpublic school to provide tuition reimbursement for Iowa 14 teachers seeking endorsements or authorizations for computer 15 science from the BOEE. The bill modifies this provision 16 to allow such tuition reimbursement to be provided to Iowa 17 teachers under an initial or conditional license. 18 The bill may include a state mandate as defined in Code 19 section 25B.3. The bill requires that the state cost of 20 any state mandate included in the bill be paid by a school 21 district from state school foundation aid received by the 22 school district under Code section 257.16. The specification 23 is deemed to constitute state compliance with any state mandate 24 funding-related requirements of Code section 25B.2. The 25 inclusion of this specification is intended to reinstate the 26 requirement of political subdivisions to comply with any state 27 mandates included in the bill. 28 -8- LSB 1134HH (6) 91 jda/jh 8/ 8