BILL REQ. #: H-0927.1
State of Washington | 63rd Legislature | 2013 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/28/13. Referred to Committee on Education.
AN ACT Relating to initiatives to improve and expand access to computer science education; amending RCW 28A.230.097 and 28A.250.030; adding a new section to chapter 28A.630 RCW; and creating new sections.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 (1) The legislature finds that:
(a) Through such initiatives as grants for high-demand career and
technical education programs and participation in the microsoft IT
academy, the state has previously supported K-12 computer science
education;
(b) However, even though there were nearly sixty-five thousand
student enrollments in high school computer science courses in the
2011-12 school year, more than half of those enrollments were in
beginning or exploratory courses. Fewer than twelve hundred students
enrolled in AP computer science courses;
(c) National studies of K-12 computer science education indicate
that, in part because computer science is not treated as an academic
subject, students may not perceive advanced computer science as
relevant to their future academic or career success; and
(d) Strategies are needed to support additional opportunities for
Washington students to have careers in the innovative, technology-based
industries located in our state.
(2) Therefore the legislature intends to take additional steps to
improve and expand access to computer science education, particularly
in advanced courses that could prepare students for careers in the
field.
Sec. 2 RCW 28A.230.097 and 2008 c 170 s 202 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) Each high school or school district board of directors shall
adopt course equivalencies for career and technical high school courses
offered to students in high schools and skill centers. A career and
technical course equivalency may be for whole or partial credit. Each
school district board of directors shall develop a course equivalency
approval procedure. Boards of directors must approve AP computer
science courses as equivalent to high school mathematics, including for
purposes of meeting the third credit of mathematics required for
graduation.
(2) Career and technical courses determined to be equivalent to
academic core courses, in full or in part, by the high school or school
district shall be accepted as meeting core requirements, including
graduation requirements, if the courses are recorded on the student's
transcript using the equivalent academic high school department
designation and title. Full or partial credit shall be recorded as
appropriate. The high school or school district shall also issue and
keep record of course completion certificates that demonstrate that the
career and technical courses were successfully completed as needed for
industry certification, college credit, or preapprenticeship, as
applicable. The certificate shall be either part of the student's high
school and beyond plan or the student's culminating project, as
determined by the student. The office of the superintendent of public
instruction shall develop and make available electronic samples of
certificates of course completion.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 A new section is added to chapter 28A.630
RCW to read as follows:
Subject to funds appropriated specifically for the purpose of this
section, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall
allocate, on a competitive basis, grants to school districts that
establish partnerships with technology businesses, business
organizations, or other nonprofit organizations to support computer
science professionals from private industry serving on a voluntary
basis as coinstructors along with a certificated teacher for high
school computer science and computer programming courses. In making
grant awards, the office must take steps to assure that the funds are
used to increase the number of courses coinstructed by computer science
professionals and are not used to supplant funding for courses
coinstructed under partnerships established before the effective date
of this section.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 (1) The workforce training and education
coordinating board shall convene and provide staff support for a
computer science professional shortage task force as provided in this
section. The task force must include representatives from technology
businesses and business organizations; state education agencies
including the office of the superintendent of public instruction, the
Washington student achievement council, and the state board for
community and technical colleges; education providers such as school
districts, skill centers, colleges and universities, and technical
schools; and computer science teachers and faculty.
(2) The purpose of the task force is to develop a strategic plan
with specific short and longer-term strategies to increase the number
of graduates from high schools, colleges, and universities who are
prepared to enter the workforce or continue their education in computer
science.
(3) The task force must consider at least the following issues:
(a) The status and potential for improvement of computer science
education at the secondary and postsecondary level, including issues of
capacity and barriers for increased numbers of students to enroll in
advanced courses;
(b) Strategies to increase access to and success in computer
science education and careers for disadvantaged students and students
living in rural communities; and
(c) Opportunities for collaboration among education providers,
public agencies, and businesses at the local, regional, and state
level.
(4) The task force must submit a report with recommendations to the
education, higher education, and labor and workforce committees of the
legislature by September 15, 2014.
Sec. 5 RCW 28A.250.030 and 2011 1st sp.s. c 34 s 7 are each
amended to read as follows:
The superintendent of public instruction shall create an office of
online learning. In the initial establishment of the office, the
superintendent shall hire staff who have been employed by the digital
learning commons to the extent such hiring is in accordance with state
law and to the extent funds are available. The office shall:
(1) Develop and maintain a web site that provides objective
information for students, parents, and educators regarding online
learning opportunities offered by online providers that have been
approved in accordance with RCW 28A.250.020. The web site shall
include information regarding the online course provider's overall
instructional program, specific information regarding the content of
individual online courses and online school programs, a direct link to
each online course provider's web site, how to register for online
learning programs and courses, teacher qualifications, student-to-teacher ratios, course completion rates, and other evaluative and
comparative information. The web site shall also provide information
regarding the process and criteria for approving online providers. To
the greatest extent possible, the superintendent shall use the
framework of the course offering component of the web site developed by
the digital learning commons;
(2) Develop model agreements with approved online providers that
address standard contract terms and conditions that may apply to
contracts between a school district and the approved provider. The
purpose of the agreements is to provide a template to assist individual
school districts, at the discretion of the district, in contracting
with online providers to offer the online provider's courses and
programs to students in the district. The agreements may address
billing, fees, responsibilities of online course providers and school
districts, and other issues; ((and))
(3) Actively seek additional providers of online computer science
courses, including advanced courses, to be made available through the
office of online learning, and publicize the availability of such
courses to high schools;
(4) Actively seek funding from private or federal sources to offset
the costs to school districts and students of offering and enrolling in
online computer science courses made available through the office of
online learning; and
(5) In collaboration with the educational service districts:
(a) Provide technical assistance and support to school district
personnel through the educational technology centers in the development
and implementation of online learning programs in their districts; and
(b) To the extent funds are available, provide online learning
tools for students, teachers, administrators, and other educators.