H-0793.1

HOUSE BILL 1577

State of Washington

66th Legislature

2019 Regular Session

ByRepresentatives Callan, Stonier, Steele, Vick, Bergquist, Senn, Slatter, Jenkin, Goodman, Pettigrew, Ybarra, Dent, Harris, Tarleton, Dolan, and Lekanoff

Read first time 01/24/19.Referred to Committee on Education.

AN ACT Relating to addressing data gathering of student participation in K-12 computer science education; adding a new section to chapter 28A.300 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that to close the gender gap in computer science fields, it is important that computer science student participation rates are incorporated into the existing reporting infrastructure at the office of the superintendent of public instruction. The legislature finds that it is critical to track the gender and demographic composition of computer science course takers as well as the specific courses that they are taking. Grade level, socioeconomic, and distinctive factors should be included to establish a clear baseline of current student participation and identify areas for student participation improvement.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:

Beginning April 30, 2019, and by each April 30th thereafter, each school district shall submit to the office of the superintendent of public instruction, and the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall post conspicuously on its web site, a report for the preceding academic year that must include, but is not limited to, the following:

(1) 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;

(2)(a) The number and percentage of students who enrolled in a computer science program, disaggregated by:

(i) Gender;

(ii) Race and ethnicity;

(iii) Special education status;

(iv) English language learner status;

(v) Eligibility for the free and reduced-price lunch program; and

(vi) Grade level;

(b) If a category in (a)(i) through (vi) of this subsection 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 shall be replaced with a symbol; and

(3) The number of computer science instructors at each school, disaggregated by:

(a) Certification, if applicable;

(b) Gender; and

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