Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
Education Committee |
HB 1577
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent. |
Brief Description: Concerning K-12 computer science education data.
Sponsors: Representatives Callan, Stonier, Steele, Vick, Bergquist, Senn, Slatter, Jenkin, Goodman, Pettigrew, Ybarra, Dent, Harris, Tarleton, Dolan and Lekanoff.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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Hearing Date: 2/14/19
Staff: Megan Wargacki (786-7194).
Background:
Data Collection. The Comprehensive Education Data and Research System (CEDARS) is a longitudinal data system managed by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to collect, store and report data related to students, courses, and teachers. The data collected is either mandated by state or federal law, or approved by the Data Governance Group at the OSPI.
There is a course catalog in CEDARS for all courses for all grades offered at each public school.
Student related information in CEDARS includes each students' gender, grade level, demographics, eligibility for certain education programs, and a record of all courses attempted by the student. For students in grades 9 through 12, there is also a record of the final grades and credit information for each course attempted and earned by the student.
There is also information in CEDARS about the staff teaching each course or assigned to a homeroom, including each staff member's gender, academic degrees, and certification.
Student Privacy. In order to balance student privacy with displaying student data for accountability purposes, the OSPI displays three years of combined student data on its state, school district, and school-level reports. For each set of data, if there are fewer than 20 students in a particular subgroup or school across a three-year period, then the data set for that group or school is not displayed.
Summary of Bill:
Beginning April 30, 2019, and by April 30 annually thereafter, school districts must submit to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), and the OSPI must post conspicuously on its website, a report for the preceding academic year that must include the following data:
the total number of computer science and related math programs offered in each school, including information regarding the nature of the computer science programs and whether these programs are advanced placement computer science classes, to the extent such information is available;
the number and percentage of students who enrolled in a computer science program, disaggregated by: gender; race and ethnicity; special education status; English learner status; eligibility for the free and reduced-price lunch program; and grade level. If one of these categories contains between one and five students, or contains an amount that would allow the amount of another category that is five or less to be deduced, the number must be replaced with a symbol; and
the number of computer science instructors at each school, disaggregated by: certification, if applicable; gender; and highest academic degree.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on February 5, 2019.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.