Florida Senate - 2018 CS for CS for SB 1056
By the Committees on Appropriations; and Education; and Senator
Passidomo
576-04118-18 20181056c2
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to computer science instruction;
3 amending s. 1007.2616, F.S.; providing a definition;
4 providing requirements for specified instruction
5 relating to computer science; requiring certain
6 computer science courses to be included in the Course
7 Code Directory and published on the Department of
8 Education’s website by a specified date; requiring the
9 Florida Virtual School to offer certain computer
10 science courses; requiring school districts to provide
11 access to computer science courses offered by the
12 Florida Virtual school or by other means under certain
13 circumstances; providing funds for school districts to
14 provide professional development for classroom
15 teachers; providing Department of Education
16 responsibilities for the distribution of such funds;
17 requiring that high school students be provided
18 opportunities to take certain courses to meet certain
19 graduation requirements; providing funds for bonuses
20 for certain classroom teachers; requiring, rather than
21 authorizing, the State Board of Education to adopt
22 rules; providing an effective date.
23
24 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
25
26 Section 1. Section 1007.2616, Florida Statutes, is amended
27 to read:
28 1007.2616 Computer science and technology instruction.—
29 (1) For the purposes of this section, the term “computer
30 science” means the study of computers and algorithmic processes,
31 including their principles, hardware and software designs,
32 applications, and their impact on society, and includes computer
33 coding and computer programming.
34 (2)(a)(1) Public schools shall provide students in grades
35 K-12 opportunities for learning computer science, including, but
36 not limited to, computer coding and computer programming. Such
37 opportunities may include coding instruction in elementary
38 school and middle school and, instruction to develop students’
39 computer usage and digital literacy skills in middle school, and
40 must include courses in computer science, computer coding, and
41 computer programming in middle school and high school, including
42 earning-related industry certifications. Such courses must be
43 integrated into each school district’s middle and high schools,
44 including combination schools in which any of grades 6 through
45 12 are taught.
46 (b) Computer science courses must be identified in the
47 Course Code Directory and published on the Department of
48 Education’s website no later than July 1, 2018. Additional
49 computer science courses may be subsequently identified and
50 posted on the department’s website.
51 (3) The Florida Virtual School shall offer computer science
52 courses identified in the Course Code Directory pursuant to
53 paragraph (2)(b). If a school district does not offer an
54 identified course, the district must provide students access to
55 the course through the Florida Virtual School or through other
56 means.
57 (4)(a) Subject to legislative appropriation, a school
58 district or a consortium of school districts may apply to the
59 department, in a format prescribed by the department, for
60 funding to deliver or facilitate training for classroom teachers
61 to earn an educator certificate in computer science pursuant to
62 s. 1012.56 or an industry certification associated with a course
63 identified in the Course Code Directory pursuant to paragraph
64 (2)(b). Such funding shall only be used to provide training for
65 classroom teachers and to pay fees for examinations that lead to
66 a credential pursuant to this paragraph.
67 (b) Once the department has identified courses in the
68 Course Code Directory pursuant to paragraph (2)(b), the
69 department shall establish a deadline for submitting
70 applications. The department shall award funding to school
71 districts in a manner that allows for an equitable distribution
72 of funding statewide based on student population.
73 (5)(2) Elementary schools and middle schools may establish
74 digital classrooms in which students are provided opportunities
75 to improve digital literacy and competency; to learn digital
76 skills, such as coding, multiple media presentation, and the
77 manipulation of multiple digital graphic images; and to earn
78 digital tool certificates and certifications pursuant to s.
79 1003.4203 and grade-appropriate, technology-related industry
80 certifications.
81 (6)(3) High school students must be provided schools may
82 provide students opportunities to take computer science courses
83 to satisfy high school graduation requirements, including, but
84 not limited to, the following:
85 (a) High school computer science courses of sufficient
86 rigor, as identified by the commissioner, such that one credit
87 in computer science and the earning of related industry
88 certifications constitute the equivalent of up to one credit of
89 the mathematics requirement, with the exception of Algebra I or
90 higher-level mathematics, or up to one credit of the science
91 requirement, with the exception of Biology I or higher-level
92 science, for high school graduation. Computer science courses
93 and technology-related industry certifications that are
94 identified as eligible for meeting mathematics or science
95 requirements for high school graduation shall be included in the
96 Course Code Directory.
97 (b) High school computer technology courses in 3D rapid
98 prototype printing of sufficient rigor, as identified by the
99 commissioner, such that one or more credits in such courses and
100 related industry certifications earned may satisfy up to two
101 credits of mathematics required for high school graduation with
102 the exception of Algebra I. Computer technology courses in 3D
103 rapid prototype printing and related industry certifications
104 that are identified as eligible for meeting mathematics
105 requirements for high school graduation shall be included in the
106 Course Code Directory.
107 (7) Subject to legislative appropriation, a classroom
108 teacher who was evaluated as effective or highly effective
109 pursuant to s. 1012.34 in the previous school year or who is
110 newly hired by the district school board and has not been
111 evaluated pursuant to s. 1012.34 must receive a bonus as
112 follows:
113 (a) If the classroom teacher holds an educator certificate
114 in computer science pursuant to s. 1012.56 or if he or she has
115 passed the computer science subject area examination and holds
116 an adjunct certificate issued by a school district pursuant to
117 s. 1012.57, he or she shall receive a bonus of $1,000 after each
118 year the individual completes teaching a computer science course
119 identified in the Course Code Directory pursuant to paragraph
120 (2)(b) at a public middle, high, or combination school in the
121 state, for up to 3 years.
122 (b) If the classroom teacher holds an industry
123 certification associated with a course identified in the Course
124 Code Directory pursuant to paragraph (2)(b), he or she shall
125 receive a bonus of $500 after each year the individual completes
126 teaching the identified course at a public middle, high, or
127 combination school in the state, for up to 3 years.
128
129 A school district shall report a qualifying classroom teacher to
130 the department by a date and in a format established by the
131 department. An eligible classroom teacher shall receive his or
132 her bonus upon completion of the school year in which he or she
133 taught the course. A teacher may not receive more than one bonus
134 per year under this subsection.
135 (8)(4) The State Board of Education shall may adopt rules
136 to administer this section.
137 Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.