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Senate File 274 - ReprintedA 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. A computer science professional development incentive
5fund is established in the state treasury under the control
6of the department. The department may accept gifts, grants,
7bequests, and other private contributions, as well as state or
8federal moneys, for deposit in the fund. If state, federal,
9or private moneys deposited in the fund are sufficient, the
10department may disburse moneys contained in the fund for
11professional development activities or tuition reimbursement
12as follows:
13a. A school district or accredited nonpublic school, or
14a collaborative of one or more school districts, accredited
15nonpublic schools, and area education agencies, may apply to
16the department, in the manner prescribed by the department, to
17receive moneys from the fund to provide proven professional
18development activities for Iowa teachers in the area of
19computer science education.
20b. A school district or accredited nonpublic school
21may apply to the department, in the manner prescribed by
22the department, to receive moneys from the fund to provide
23tuition reimbursement for Iowa teachers seeking endorsements
24or authorizations for computer science under section 272.2,
25subsection 20.
263. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys in the computer
27science professional development incentive fund that remain
28unencumbered or unobligated at the close of the fiscal year
29shall not revert but shall remain available for expenditure
30for the purposes designated until the close of the succeeding
31fiscal year.
32 Sec. 4. COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION WORK GROUP.
331. The director of the department of education shall
34convene a computer science education work group to identify
35and recommend measures for incentivizing school districts and
-2-1accredited nonpublic schools to meet the following goals by the
2school year beginning July 1, 2019:
3a. Offer at least one high-quality computer science course
4in each high school.
5b. Offer instruction in exploratory computer science in
6each middle school.
7c. Offer instruction in the basics of computer science in
8each elementary school.
92. The work group shall also develop recommendations that,
10at a minimum, address or identify the following:
11a. How one or more high-quality computer science courses can
12satisfy high school graduation requirements for mathematics or
13science.
14b. How one or more high-quality computer science courses can
15be integrated into a career and technical education pathway.
16c. Multiple settings for the delivery of high-quality high
17school computer science courses, including traditional high
18school classes, concurrent enrollment classes, and online
19learning classes that include the opportunity for students to
20collaborate within a classroom setting.
21d. Guidelines for creating a kindergarten through grade
22twelve career pathway in computer science, with an appropriate
23scope and sequence for high-quality computer science
24instruction at each such grade level.
25e. How the computer science professional development
26incentive fund established under section 284.6A, if enacted
27by this Act, could be used to meet the goals set forth in
28subsection 1.
293. a. The membership of the work group shall represent
30kindergarten through grade twelve school districts and
31accredited nonpublic schools, higher education, business,
32labor, and other appropriate stakeholders.
33b. The membership of the work group shall also include
34four members of the general assembly. The legislative members
35shall serve as ex officio, nonvoting members of the work group,
-3-1with one member to be appointed by each of the following: the
2majority leader of the senate, the minority leader of the
3senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the
4minority leader of the house of representatives.
54. The work group shall submit its findings and
6recommendations, including any proposed legislation, in a
7report to the governor, the state board of education, and the
8general assembly by November 1, 2017.
9 Sec. 5. DIRECTIVE TO STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION. The state
10board of education shall submit a notice of intended action to
11the administrative rules coordinator and the administrative
12code editor pursuant to section 17A.4, subsection 1, paragraph
13“a”, not later than December 13, 2017, for the adoption of
14rules to implement section 256.7, subsection 26, paragraph “a”,
15subparagraph (4), as enacted in this Act.
kh/sc/jh
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. A computer science professional development incentive
5fund is established in the state treasury under the control
6of the department. The department may accept gifts, grants,
7bequests, and other private contributions, as well as state or
8federal moneys, for deposit in the fund. If state, federal,
9or private moneys deposited in the fund are sufficient, the
10department may disburse moneys contained in the fund for
11professional development activities or tuition reimbursement
12as follows:
13a. A school district or accredited nonpublic school, or
14a collaborative of one or more school districts, accredited
15nonpublic schools, and area education agencies, may apply to
16the department, in the manner prescribed by the department, to
17receive moneys from the fund to provide proven professional
18development activities for Iowa teachers in the area of
19computer science education.
20b. A school district or accredited nonpublic school
21may apply to the department, in the manner prescribed by
22the department, to receive moneys from the fund to provide
23tuition reimbursement for Iowa teachers seeking endorsements
24or authorizations for computer science under section 272.2,
25subsection 20.
263. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys in the computer
27science professional development incentive fund that remain
28unencumbered or unobligated at the close of the fiscal year
29shall not revert but shall remain available for expenditure
30for the purposes designated until the close of the succeeding
31fiscal year.
32 Sec. 4. COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION WORK GROUP.
331. The director of the department of education shall
34convene a computer science education work group to identify
35and recommend measures for incentivizing school districts and
-2-1accredited nonpublic schools to meet the following goals by the
2school year beginning July 1, 2019:
3a. Offer at least one high-quality computer science course
4in each high school.
5b. Offer instruction in exploratory computer science in
6each middle school.
7c. Offer instruction in the basics of computer science in
8each elementary school.
92. The work group shall also develop recommendations that,
10at a minimum, address or identify the following:
11a. How one or more high-quality computer science courses can
12satisfy high school graduation requirements for mathematics or
13science.
14b. How one or more high-quality computer science courses can
15be integrated into a career and technical education pathway.
16c. Multiple settings for the delivery of high-quality high
17school computer science courses, including traditional high
18school classes, concurrent enrollment classes, and online
19learning classes that include the opportunity for students to
20collaborate within a classroom setting.
21d. Guidelines for creating a kindergarten through grade
22twelve career pathway in computer science, with an appropriate
23scope and sequence for high-quality computer science
24instruction at each such grade level.
25e. How the computer science professional development
26incentive fund established under section 284.6A, if enacted
27by this Act, could be used to meet the goals set forth in
28subsection 1.
293. a. The membership of the work group shall represent
30kindergarten through grade twelve school districts and
31accredited nonpublic schools, higher education, business,
32labor, and other appropriate stakeholders.
33b. The membership of the work group shall also include
34four members of the general assembly. The legislative members
35shall serve as ex officio, nonvoting members of the work group,
-3-1with one member to be appointed by each of the following: the
2majority leader of the senate, the minority leader of the
3senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the
4minority leader of the house of representatives.
54. The work group shall submit its findings and
6recommendations, including any proposed legislation, in a
7report to the governor, the state board of education, and the
8general assembly by November 1, 2017.
9 Sec. 5. DIRECTIVE TO STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION. The state
10board of education shall submit a notice of intended action to
11the administrative rules coordinator and the administrative
12code editor pursuant to section 17A.4, subsection 1, paragraph
13“a”, not later than December 13, 2017, for the adoption of
14rules to implement section 256.7, subsection 26, paragraph “a”,
15subparagraph (4), as enacted in this Act.
kh/sc/jh