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Senate File 274 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to computer science education by providing
2for education standards by the state board of education,
3for instructor endorsements and authorizations issued by
4the board of educational examiners, for establishment of a
5computer science professional development incentive fund,
6and for the establishment of a computer science education
7work group.
8BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 256.7, subsection 26, paragraph a, Code
22017, is amended by adding the following new subparagraph:
3 NEW SUBPARAGRAPH. (4) The rules shall provide for the
4establishment of high-quality standards for computer science
5education taught by elementary, middle, and high schools,
6in accordance with the goal established under section
7284.6A, subsection 1, setting a foundation for personal and
8professional success in a high-technology, knowledge-based
9Iowa economy. Such rules shall be applicable only to school
10districts and accredited nonpublic schools receiving moneys
11from the computer science professional development incentive
12fund under section 284.6A, or from other funds administered by
13the department for the same purposes as specified in section
14284.6A, subsection 2.
15 Sec. 2. Section 272.2, Code 2017, is amended by adding the
16following new subsection:
17 NEW SUBSECTION. 20. Establish by rule endorsements and
18authorizations for computer science instruction, including
19traditional and nontraditional pathways for obtaining such
20endorsements or authorizations.
21 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 284.6A Computer science professional
22development incentive fund — legislative findings.
231. The general assembly finds and declares all of the
24following:
25a. That instruction in high-quality computer science for
26elementary, middle school, and high school students establishes
27a foundation for personal and professional success in a
28high-technology, knowledge-based Iowa economy.
29b. It is the goal of the general assembly that by July
301, 2019, each accredited high school offer at least one
31high-quality computer science course, each accredited middle
32school offer instruction in exploratory computer science, and
33each accredited elementary school offer instruction in the
34basics of computer science.
35c. It is the intent of the general assembly to appropriate
-1-1moneys for purposes of the computer science professional
2development incentive fund for the fiscal year beginning July
31, 2018.
42. Subject to an appropriation of sufficient funds by the
5general assembly, the computer science professional development
6incentive fund is established in the state treasury under the
7control of the department. The department may disburse moneys
8contained in the fund for professional development activities
9or tuition reimbursement as follows:
10a. A school district or accredited nonpublic school, or
11a collaborative of one or more school districts, accredited
12nonpublic schools, and area education agencies, may apply to
13the department, in the manner prescribed by the department, to
14receive moneys from the fund to provide proven professional
15development activities for Iowa teachers in the area of
16computer science education.
17b. A school district or accredited nonpublic school
18may apply to the department, in the manner prescribed by
19the department, to receive moneys from the fund to provide
20tuition reimbursement for Iowa teachers seeking endorsements
21or authorizations for computer science under section 272.2,
22subsection 20.
233. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys in the computer
24science professional development incentive fund that remain
25unencumbered or unobligated at the close of the fiscal year
26shall not revert but shall remain available for expenditure
27for the purposes designated until the close of the succeeding
28fiscal year.
29 Sec. 4. COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION WORK GROUP.
301. The director of the department of education shall
31convene a computer science education work group to identify
32and recommend measures for incentivizing school districts and
33accredited nonpublic schools to meet the following goals by the
34school year beginning July 1, 2019:
35a. Offer at least one high-quality computer science course
-2-1in each high school.
2b. Offer instruction in exploratory computer science in
3each middle school.
4c. Offer instruction in the basics of computer science in
5each elementary school.
62. The work group shall also develop recommendations that,
7at a minimum, address or identify the following:
8a. How one or more high-quality computer science courses can
9satisfy high school graduation requirements for mathematics or
10science.
11b. How one or more high-quality computer science courses can
12be integrated into a career and technical education pathway.
13c. Multiple settings for the delivery of high-quality high
14school computer science courses, including traditional high
15school classes, concurrent enrollment classes, and online
16learning classes that include the opportunity for students to
17collaborate within a classroom setting.
18d. Guidelines for creating a kindergarten through grade
19twelve career pathway in computer science, with an appropriate
20scope and sequence for high-quality computer science
21instruction at each such grade level.
22e. How the computer science professional development
23incentive fund established under section 284.6A, if enacted
24by this Act, could be used to meet the goals set forth in
25subsection 1.
263. The membership of the work group shall represent
27kindergarten through grade twelve school districts and
28accredited nonpublic schools, higher education, business,
29labor, and other appropriate stakeholders.
304. The work group shall submit its findings and
31recommendations, including any proposed legislation, in a
32report to the governor, the state board of education, and the
33general assembly by November 1, 2017.
34 Sec. 5. DIRECTIVE TO STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION. The state
35board of education shall submit a notice of intended action to
-3-1the administrative rules coordinator and the administrative
2code editor pursuant to section 17A.4, subsection 1, paragraph
3“a”, not later than December 13, 2017, for the adoption of
4rules to implement section 256.7, subsection 26, paragraph “a”,
5subparagraph (4), as enacted in this Act.
6EXPLANATION
7The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
8the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
9This bill requires the state board of education to adopt
10computer science education standards, requires the board of
11educational examiners to establish computer science instructor
12endorsements and authorizations and alternative pathways to
13obtain such endorsements and authorizations, establishes a
14computer science professional development incentive fund in
15the state treasury, and directs the department of education to
16convene a computer science education work group.
17The bill directs the state board of education to adopt rules
18providing for the establishment of high-quality standards
19for computer science education taught by elementary, middle,
20and high schools. The rules shall be applicable only to
21those school districts and schools that receive moneys from
22the incentive fund or from other funds administered by the
23department for the same purposes as specified for the incentive
24fund. The state board must submit notice of intended action as
25provided in Code section 17A.4(1)(a) by December 13, 2017.
26The board of educational examiners is directed to establish
27by rule endorsements and authorizations for computer science
28instruction, including traditional and nontraditional pathways
29for obtaining such endorsements or authorizations.
30Under the bill, the general assembly finds and declares
31that instruction in high-quality computer science for
32elementary, middle school, and high school students establishes
33a foundation for personal and professional success in a
34high-technology, knowledge-based Iowa economy. The goal of
35the general assembly is for each accredited high school to
-4-1offer at least one high-quality computer science course, each
2accredited middle school to offer instruction in exploratory
3computer science, and each accredited elementary school to
4offer instruction in the basics of computer science.
5It is the intent of the general assembly to appropriate
6moneys for purposes of the computer science professional
7development incentive fund for the fiscal year beginning July
81, 2018. The fund is established by the bill in the state
9treasury under the control of the department, subject to an
10appropriation of sufficient funds by the general assembly.
11Moneys from the fund can be disbursed to a school district
12or accredited nonpublic school, or a collaborative of one
13or more school districts, accredited nonpublic schools,
14and area education agencies, to provide proven professional
15development activities for Iowa teachers in the area of
16computer science education. Moneys from the fund can also be
17disbursed to a school district or accredited nonpublic school
18to provide tuition reimbursement for Iowa teachers seeking
19endorsements or authorizations for computer science. A school
20district, accredited nonpublic school, or a collaborative,
21as appropriate, must apply to the department in the manner
22prescribed by the department in order to receive moneys from
23the fund. Moneys in the fund that remain unencumbered or
24unobligated at the close of the fiscal year shall not revert
25but shall remain available for expenditure for the purposes
26designated until the close of the succeeding fiscal year.
27The bill requires the director of the department of
28education to convene a computer science education work group
29to identify and recommend measures for incentivizing school
30districts and accredited nonpublic schools to meet, by the
31school year beginning July 1, 2019, the goals of offering at
32least one high-quality computer science course in each high
33school, offering instruction in exploratory computer science in
34each middle school, and offering instruction in the basics of
35computer science in each elementary school.
-5- 1The work group must also develop recommendations that, at
2a minimum, address or identify how one or more high-quality
3computer science courses can satisfy high school graduation
4requirements for mathematics or science; how one or more
5high-quality computer science courses can be integrated into
6a career and technical education pathway; multiple settings
7for the delivery of high-quality high school computer science
8courses, including traditional high school classes, concurrent
9enrollment classes, and online learning classes that include
10the opportunity for students to collaborate within a classroom
11setting; guidelines for creating a kindergarten through grade
1212 career pathway in computer science, with an appropriate
13scope and sequence for high-quality computer science
14instruction at each such grade level; and how the computer
15science professional development incentive fund could be used
16to meet the computer science instruction goals.
17The work group’s membership must represent kindergarten
18through grade 12 school districts and accredited nonpublic
19schools, higher education, business, labor, and other
20appropriate stakeholders. The work group must submit
21its findings and recommendations, including any proposed
22legislation, in a report to the governor, the state board of
23education, and the general assembly by November 1, 2017.
-6-kh/sc
2for education standards by the state board of education,
3for instructor endorsements and authorizations issued by
4the board of educational examiners, for establishment of a
5computer science professional development incentive fund,
6and for the establishment of a computer science education
7work group.
8BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 256.7, subsection 26, paragraph a, Code
22017, is amended by adding the following new subparagraph:
3 NEW SUBPARAGRAPH. (4) The rules shall provide for the
4establishment of high-quality standards for computer science
5education taught by elementary, middle, and high schools,
6in accordance with the goal established under section
7284.6A, subsection 1, setting a foundation for personal and
8professional success in a high-technology, knowledge-based
9Iowa economy. Such rules shall be applicable only to school
10districts and accredited nonpublic schools receiving moneys
11from the computer science professional development incentive
12fund under section 284.6A, or from other funds administered by
13the department for the same purposes as specified in section
14284.6A, subsection 2.
15 Sec. 2. Section 272.2, Code 2017, is amended by adding the
16following new subsection:
17 NEW SUBSECTION. 20. Establish by rule endorsements and
18authorizations for computer science instruction, including
19traditional and nontraditional pathways for obtaining such
20endorsements or authorizations.
21 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 284.6A Computer science professional
22development incentive fund — legislative findings.
231. The general assembly finds and declares all of the
24following:
25a. That instruction in high-quality computer science for
26elementary, middle school, and high school students establishes
27a foundation for personal and professional success in a
28high-technology, knowledge-based Iowa economy.
29b. It is the goal of the general assembly that by July
301, 2019, each accredited high school offer at least one
31high-quality computer science course, each accredited middle
32school offer instruction in exploratory computer science, and
33each accredited elementary school offer instruction in the
34basics of computer science.
35c. It is the intent of the general assembly to appropriate
-1-1moneys for purposes of the computer science professional
2development incentive fund for the fiscal year beginning July
31, 2018.
42. Subject to an appropriation of sufficient funds by the
5general assembly, the computer science professional development
6incentive fund is established in the state treasury under the
7control of the department. The department may disburse moneys
8contained in the fund for professional development activities
9or tuition reimbursement as follows:
10a. A school district or accredited nonpublic school, or
11a collaborative of one or more school districts, accredited
12nonpublic schools, and area education agencies, may apply to
13the department, in the manner prescribed by the department, to
14receive moneys from the fund to provide proven professional
15development activities for Iowa teachers in the area of
16computer science education.
17b. A school district or accredited nonpublic school
18may apply to the department, in the manner prescribed by
19the department, to receive moneys from the fund to provide
20tuition reimbursement for Iowa teachers seeking endorsements
21or authorizations for computer science under section 272.2,
22subsection 20.
233. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys in the computer
24science professional development incentive fund that remain
25unencumbered or unobligated at the close of the fiscal year
26shall not revert but shall remain available for expenditure
27for the purposes designated until the close of the succeeding
28fiscal year.
29 Sec. 4. COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION WORK GROUP.
301. The director of the department of education shall
31convene a computer science education work group to identify
32and recommend measures for incentivizing school districts and
33accredited nonpublic schools to meet the following goals by the
34school year beginning July 1, 2019:
35a. Offer at least one high-quality computer science course
-2-1in each high school.
2b. Offer instruction in exploratory computer science in
3each middle school.
4c. Offer instruction in the basics of computer science in
5each elementary school.
62. The work group shall also develop recommendations that,
7at a minimum, address or identify the following:
8a. How one or more high-quality computer science courses can
9satisfy high school graduation requirements for mathematics or
10science.
11b. How one or more high-quality computer science courses can
12be integrated into a career and technical education pathway.
13c. Multiple settings for the delivery of high-quality high
14school computer science courses, including traditional high
15school classes, concurrent enrollment classes, and online
16learning classes that include the opportunity for students to
17collaborate within a classroom setting.
18d. Guidelines for creating a kindergarten through grade
19twelve career pathway in computer science, with an appropriate
20scope and sequence for high-quality computer science
21instruction at each such grade level.
22e. How the computer science professional development
23incentive fund established under section 284.6A, if enacted
24by this Act, could be used to meet the goals set forth in
25subsection 1.
263. The membership of the work group shall represent
27kindergarten through grade twelve school districts and
28accredited nonpublic schools, higher education, business,
29labor, and other appropriate stakeholders.
304. The work group shall submit its findings and
31recommendations, including any proposed legislation, in a
32report to the governor, the state board of education, and the
33general assembly by November 1, 2017.
34 Sec. 5. DIRECTIVE TO STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION. The state
35board of education shall submit a notice of intended action to
-3-1the administrative rules coordinator and the administrative
2code editor pursuant to section 17A.4, subsection 1, paragraph
3“a”, not later than December 13, 2017, for the adoption of
4rules to implement section 256.7, subsection 26, paragraph “a”,
5subparagraph (4), as enacted in this Act.
6EXPLANATION
7The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
8the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
9This bill requires the state board of education to adopt
10computer science education standards, requires the board of
11educational examiners to establish computer science instructor
12endorsements and authorizations and alternative pathways to
13obtain such endorsements and authorizations, establishes a
14computer science professional development incentive fund in
15the state treasury, and directs the department of education to
16convene a computer science education work group.
17The bill directs the state board of education to adopt rules
18providing for the establishment of high-quality standards
19for computer science education taught by elementary, middle,
20and high schools. The rules shall be applicable only to
21those school districts and schools that receive moneys from
22the incentive fund or from other funds administered by the
23department for the same purposes as specified for the incentive
24fund. The state board must submit notice of intended action as
25provided in Code section 17A.4(1)(a) by December 13, 2017.
26The board of educational examiners is directed to establish
27by rule endorsements and authorizations for computer science
28instruction, including traditional and nontraditional pathways
29for obtaining such endorsements or authorizations.
30Under the bill, the general assembly finds and declares
31that instruction in high-quality computer science for
32elementary, middle school, and high school students establishes
33a foundation for personal and professional success in a
34high-technology, knowledge-based Iowa economy. The goal of
35the general assembly is for each accredited high school to
-4-1offer at least one high-quality computer science course, each
2accredited middle school to offer instruction in exploratory
3computer science, and each accredited elementary school to
4offer instruction in the basics of computer science.
5It is the intent of the general assembly to appropriate
6moneys for purposes of the computer science professional
7development incentive fund for the fiscal year beginning July
81, 2018. The fund is established by the bill in the state
9treasury under the control of the department, subject to an
10appropriation of sufficient funds by the general assembly.
11Moneys from the fund can be disbursed to a school district
12or accredited nonpublic school, or a collaborative of one
13or more school districts, accredited nonpublic schools,
14and area education agencies, to provide proven professional
15development activities for Iowa teachers in the area of
16computer science education. Moneys from the fund can also be
17disbursed to a school district or accredited nonpublic school
18to provide tuition reimbursement for Iowa teachers seeking
19endorsements or authorizations for computer science. A school
20district, accredited nonpublic school, or a collaborative,
21as appropriate, must apply to the department in the manner
22prescribed by the department in order to receive moneys from
23the fund. Moneys in the fund that remain unencumbered or
24unobligated at the close of the fiscal year shall not revert
25but shall remain available for expenditure for the purposes
26designated until the close of the succeeding fiscal year.
27The bill requires the director of the department of
28education to convene a computer science education work group
29to identify and recommend measures for incentivizing school
30districts and accredited nonpublic schools to meet, by the
31school year beginning July 1, 2019, the goals of offering at
32least one high-quality computer science course in each high
33school, offering instruction in exploratory computer science in
34each middle school, and offering instruction in the basics of
35computer science in each elementary school.
-5- 1The work group must also develop recommendations that, at
2a minimum, address or identify how one or more high-quality
3computer science courses can satisfy high school graduation
4requirements for mathematics or science; how one or more
5high-quality computer science courses can be integrated into
6a career and technical education pathway; multiple settings
7for the delivery of high-quality high school computer science
8courses, including traditional high school classes, concurrent
9enrollment classes, and online learning classes that include
10the opportunity for students to collaborate within a classroom
11setting; guidelines for creating a kindergarten through grade
1212 career pathway in computer science, with an appropriate
13scope and sequence for high-quality computer science
14instruction at each such grade level; and how the computer
15science professional development incentive fund could be used
16to meet the computer science instruction goals.
17The work group’s membership must represent kindergarten
18through grade 12 school districts and accredited nonpublic
19schools, higher education, business, labor, and other
20appropriate stakeholders. The work group must submit
21its findings and recommendations, including any proposed
22legislation, in a report to the governor, the state board of
23education, and the general assembly by November 1, 2017.
-6-kh/sc