HB487: HB487 Quality Basic Education Act; computer science course shall be a high school graduation requirement beginning in 2031; provide

25 LC 49 2261 House Bill 487 By: Representatives Ballard of the 147th, Dubnik of the 29th, Thomas of the 21st, Jones of the 25th, and Hilton of the 48th A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Part 2 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Of ficial Code of Georgia1 Annotated, relating to competencies and core curriculum under the "Quality Basic Education2 Act," so as to provide that, beginning in the 2031-2032 school year, a computer science3 course shall be a high school graduation requirement; to provide for certain computer science4 courses to be substituted for units of credit graduation requirements in certain other subject5 areas; to provide for such exception; to revise legislative fin dings; to provide for related6 matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.7 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:8 SECTION 1.9 Part 2 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Co de of Georgia Annotated,10 relating to competencies and core curriculum under the "Quality Basic Education Act," is11 amended by revising Code Section 20-2-149.3, relating to requirements for computer science12 education, as follows:13 "20-2-149.3.14 (a) The General Assembly finds that:15 (1) Education in computer science is a critical need for the students of Georgia for the16 twenty-first century; and17 H. B. 487 - 1 - 25 LC 49 2261 (2) Less than 0.5 percent of high school graduates have taken a computer science course;18 (3) There are thousands of unfulfilled computer science jobs in the state; and19 (4) The logical critical thinking skills taught by computer science are now very valuable20 in many noncomputer science jobs, as technology has become embe dded in most21 professions.22 (b) As used in this Code section, the term:23 (1) 'Computer science' means the study of computers, algorithm ic processes, coding,24 artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, and logical critical thinking, including25 computer principles, their hardware and software designs, their implementation, and their26 impact on society.27 (2) 'Computer science courses and content' means high school c ourses that teach28 computer science as stand-alone implementations and middle school courses that provide29 instruction in computer science in stand-alone implementations or by being embedded30 in other subjects and focus on how to create and understand technology, rather than by31 simply using technology.32 (3) 'High-quality professional learning' means professional development activities that:33 (A) Clarify the conceptual foundations of computer science;34 (B) Teach research based practices, including hands-on and inquiry based learning; and35 (C) Are intended for teachers with or without prior exposure to computer science.36 (4) 'High-quality professional learning providers' means institutions of higher education37 in this state, local school systems, nonprofit organizations, o r private entities that have38 successfully designed, implemented, and scaled high-quality pro fessional learning for39 teachers and are approved or recommended by the State Board of Education in40 coordination with the Department of Education.41 (5) 'Offer' means providing a course taught by a computer science teacher:42 (A) Who is onsite at the physical location of the school; or43 H. B. 487 - 2 - 25 LC 49 2261 (B) Who is not onsite at the physical location of the school b ut conducts the course44 through virtual means with a proctor onsite at the physical location of the school.45 (c)(1) Beginning in the 2022-2023 school year:46 (A) Each local school system shall provide that at least one high school in its school47 system offer a course in computer science;48 (B) Each local school system shall provide that all middle schools in its school system49 offer instruction in exploratory computer science;50 (C) Each state charter school that serves high school students shall offer a course in51 computer science;52 (D) Each state charter school that serves middle school students shall offer instruction53 in exploratory computer science;54 (E) Each local school system may provide that all elementary s chools in its school55 system offer instruction in exploratory computer science; and56 (F) Each state charter school that serves elementary school st udents may offer57 instruction in exploratory computer science.58 (2) Beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, each local school system shall provide that59 at least 50 percent of the high schools in its school system of fer a course in computer60 science.61 (3) Beginning in the 2024-2025 school year, each local school system shall provide that62 all high schools in its school system offer a course in computer science.63 (4)(A) Beginning in the 2031-2032 school year, each local boar d of education shall64 require all students, as a condition of graduation from high school, to complete a course65 in computer science or a career, technical, and agricultural education (CTAE) course66 embedded with computer science which meets the requirements pro vided in67 subparagraph (B) of this paragraph.68 (B) The course required in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph may be earned by69 students in any of grades eight through 12 and shall:70 H. B. 487 - 3 - 25 LC 49 2261 (i) Meet or exceed the content standards and any other require ments prescribed by71 the State Board of Education for such courses;72 (ii) Be made available in a traditional classroom setting, a b lended learning73 environment, or an online or other technology based format that is tailored to meet the74 needs of each participating student; and75 (iii) Not increase the number of credits required for graduation.76 (C)(i) Except as provided in division (ii) of this subparagraph, a full-credit computer77 science course that meets the requirements provided in subparag raph (B) of this78 paragraph shall be eligible to satisfy the course required in subparagraph (A) of this79 paragraph and one unit of credit graduation requirement for one of the following:80 (I) One unit of math credit; provided, however, that such unit of credit shall not be81 a substitute for Algebra: Concepts and Connections or its equiv alent, Geometry:82 Concepts and Connections or its equivalent, or Advanced Algebra : Concepts and83 Connections or its equivalent;84 (II) One unit of science credit; provided, however, that such unit of credit shall not85 be a substitute for any biology or physical science requirements;86 (III) One unit of CTAE credit;87 (IV) One unit of Modern Language or Latin credit;88 (V) One unit of Fine Arts credit; or89 (VI) One unit of elective credit.90 (ii) A student may be permitted to earn more than one unit of credit graduation91 requirement by completing more than one computer science course that implements92 a minimum course of instruction based on content standards prescribed by the State93 Board of Education and which is separate and distinct from such other computer94 science course completed by such student, and such student may be permitted to use95 multiple units of credit to offset other graduation requirement s as provided in this96 subparagraph; provided, however, that a student shall not be permitted to offset more97 H. B. 487 - 4 - 25 LC 49 2261 than one unit of math credit and one unit of science credit; and, provided further, that98 there shall be no limit to the number of offsets permitted for units of CTAE or elective99 credits.100 (D)(i) Except as provided in division (ii) of this subparagrap h, a full-credit CTAE101 course embedded with computer science that meets the requiremen ts provided in102 subparagraph (B) of this paragraph shall be eligible to satisfy the full-credit course103 required in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph and one unit of credit graduation104 requirement for one of the following:105 (I) One unit of CTAE credit; or106 (II) One unit of elective credit.107 (ii) A student may be permitted to earn more than one unit of credit graduation108 requirement by completing more than one CTAE course embedded wi th computer109 science that implements a minimum course of instruction based on content standards110 prescribed by the State Board of Education and which is separat e and distinct from111 such other computer science course completed by such student, and such student may112 be permitted to use multiple units of credit to offset other graduation requirements as113 provided in this subparagraph.114 (E) The Department of Education shall establish, and the State Board of Education115 shall approve, the minimum criteria by with a CTAE course embedded with computer116 science may be approved.117 (d) The Department of Education shall ensure that the Georgia Virtual School operated118 pursuant to Code Section 20-2-319.1 has sufficient capacity to enable schools to utilize119 computer science courses to meet the needs of such schools as a result of this Code section.120 (e)(1) Subject to appropriations, grants shall be provided to eligible entities to deliver121 professional development programs for teachers providing instru ction in computer122 science courses and content.123 H. B. 487 - 5 - 25 LC 49 2261 (2) Eligible entities shall include local school systems, consortia of local school systems,124 local charter schools, state charter schools, and high-quality professional learning125 providers working in partnership with local school systems.126 (3) Criteria for grant awards to eligible entities pursuant to this subsection shall include:127 (A) The number of teachers in a local school system that requi re training and the128 number of teachers in a local school system that have already received training; and129 (B) The willingness of local school systems to make available their teachers who have130 received training in computer science courses and content to provide computer science131 instruction in another local school system or systems.132 (4) The Department of Education shall submit a report on Decem ber 1 of each year to133 the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the134 chairperson of the Senate Education and Youth Committee, and th e chairperson of the135 House Committee on Education. Such report shall include the nu mber of teachers136 trained, the number of schools offering training, the number of students served and the137 demographics of such students, and a list of the eligible entit ies that provided the138 training."139 SECTION 2.140 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.141 H. B. 487 - 6 -