Florida Senate - 2023 SB 780
By Senator Calatayud
38-01832-23 2023780__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to computer science instruction in K
3 12 public schools; amending s. 1003.01, F.S.; defining
4 the terms “computational thinking” and “computer
5 science”; creating s. 1003.4202, F.S.; requiring
6 computer science courses to be included in the Course
7 Code Directory and published on the Department of
8 Education’s website; requiring the Florida Virtual
9 School to offer certain computer science courses;
10 requiring school districts to provide instruction in
11 computer science; providing requirements for the
12 instruction; requiring school districts to provide
13 students with access to computer science courses
14 through the Florida Virtual School or by other means
15 under certain circumstances; requiring high school
16 students to be provided opportunities to take certain
17 computer science courses for specified purposes;
18 authorizing elementary and middle schools to establish
19 digital classrooms for specified purposes; subject to
20 legislative appropriation, authorizing school
21 districts and consortiums of school districts to apply
22 to the department for funding for specified purposes;
23 providing requirements for such funding; defining the
24 term “instructional personnel”; subject to legislative
25 appropriation, providing for bonuses for certain
26 instructional personnel; providing requirements for
27 such bonuses; providing for the carryforward of
28 certain funds; providing for rulemaking; repealing s.
29 1007.2616, F.S., relating to computer science and
30 technology instruction; providing an effective date.
31
32 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
33
34 Section 1. Subsections (18) and (19) are added to section
35 1003.01, Florida Statutes, to read:
36 1003.01 Definitions.—As used in this chapter, the term:
37 (18) “Computational thinking” means the thought processes
38 involved in expressing solutions as computational steps or
39 algorithms that can be carried out by a computer.
40 (19) “Computer science” means the study of computers and
41 algorithmic processes, including their principles, hardware and
42 software designs, applications, implementation, and impact on
43 society, including, but not limited to, computer coding,
44 computer programming, and computational thinking.
45 Section 2. Section 1003.4202, Florida Statutes, is created
46 to read:
47 1003.4202 Computer science instruction in K-12 public
48 schools.—
49 (1) Computer science courses must be identified in the
50 Course Code Directory and published on the Department of
51 Education’s website. Additional computer science courses may be
52 subsequently identified and posted on the Department of
53 Education’s website.
54 (2)(a) The Florida Virtual School shall offer computer
55 science courses identified in the Course Code Directory pursuant
56 to subsection (1).
57 (b) School districts shall provide instruction in computer
58 science as follows:
59 1. Each public elementary school may provide computer
60 science instruction with the intent to provide a foundation for
61 future computer usage, digital literacy, and computer science
62 instruction.
63 2. Each public middle and high school shall provide
64 computer science instruction.
65 (c) If a school district does not offer a computer science
66 course identified in the Course Code Directory, the district
67 must provide students with access to the course through the
68 Florida Virtual School or through other means approved by the
69 department.
70 (d) High school students must be provided opportunities to
71 take computer science courses that lead to technology-related
72 industry certifications and satisfy high school graduation
73 requirements pursuant to s. 1003.4282(3). Computer science
74 courses and technology-related industry certifications
75 identified by the Commissioner of Education as eligible to meet
76 the mathematics or science credit graduation requirement for
77 high school graduation under s. 1003.4282(3) must be included in
78 the Course Code Directory.
79 (e) Public elementary and middle schools may establish
80 digital classrooms where students are provided opportunities to
81 improve their digital literacy and competency; learn digital
82 skills, including computer science, multimedia presentations,
83 and the manipulation of multiple digital graphic images; and
84 earn CAPE Digital Tool Certificates and CAPE industry
85 certifications pursuant to s. 1003.4203 and grade-appropriate,
86 technology-related industry certifications.
87 (3)(a) Subject to legislative appropriation, a school
88 district or consortium of school districts may apply to the
89 department, by a date and in a format prescribed by the
90 department, for funding to deliver or facilitate training for
91 instructional personnel to earn an educator certificate in
92 computer science pursuant to s. 1012.56 or a technology-related
93 industry certification associated with a course identified in
94 the Course Code Directory pursuant to subsection (1) or for
95 professional development for instructional personnel to provide
96 instruction in computer science. Such funding must be used only
97 to:
98 1. Provide training pursuant to this paragraph for
99 instructional personnel.
100 2. Pay fees for examinations that lead to a credential for
101 instructional personnel.
102 3. Provide professional development for instructional
103 personnel.
104 (b) The department shall establish a deadline for
105 submitting applications for funding. The department shall award
106 funding in an equitable manner that accounts for the unique
107 needs of small or rural school districts.
108 (c) For purposes of this section, the term “instructional
109 personnel” has the same meaning as in s. 1012.01(2)(a), (b), and
110 (c).
111 (4)(a) Subject to legislative appropriation, a member of
112 the instructional personnel who was evaluated as effective or
113 highly effective pursuant to s. 1012.34 in the previous school
114 year or who is newly hired by the district school board and has
115 not been evaluated pursuant to s. 1012.34 must receive a bonus
116 as follows:
117 1. If the member of the instructional personnel holds an
118 educator certificate in computer science pursuant to s. 1012.56
119 or if he or she has passed the computer science subject area
120 examination and holds an adjunct certificate issued by a school
121 district pursuant to s. 1012.57, he or she must receive a bonus
122 of $1,000 after each year he or she completes teaching a
123 computer science course identified in the Course Code Directory
124 pursuant to subsection (1) at a public elementary, middle, high,
125 or combination school for up to 3 years.
126 2. If the member of the instructional personnel holds an
127 industry certification associated with a course identified in
128 the Course Code Directory pursuant to subsection (1), he or she
129 must receive a bonus of $500 after each year he or she completes
130 teaching the identified course at a public elementary, middle,
131 high, or combination school for up to 3 years.
132 (b) A school district shall report a member of the
133 instructional personnel who is eligible for a bonus under this
134 subsection to the department by a date and in a format
135 established by the department. An eligible member of the
136 instructional personnel shall receive his or her bonus upon
137 completion of the school year in which he or she taught the
138 computer science course. A member of the instructional personnel
139 may not receive more than one bonus per year under this
140 subsection.
141 (5) Any unexpended balance of funds appropriated pursuant
142 to this section shall be carried forward to the next fiscal year
143 for the same purpose.
144 (6) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to
145 administer this section.
146 Section 3. Section 1007.2616, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
147 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.