Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

Legislative Analysis
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REQUIRE COMPUTER SCIENCE COURSE OFFERING
                                                                                   http://www.house.mi.gov/hfa
House Bill 5649 (H-1) as reported from committee                                   Analysis available at
Sponsor: Rep. Carol Glanville                                                      http://www.legislature.mi.gov
Committee: Education
Complete to 6-13-24
SUMMARY:
          House Bill 5649 would amend the Revised School Code to require a public high school to
          offer at least one computer science course starting with the 2027-2028 school year.
                   Public high school would mean a public school that offers at least one of grades 9 to
                   12.
                   Computer science would mean the study of computers and algorithmic processes,
                   including their principles, hardware and software designs, implementation, and impact
                   on society, that focuses on teaching students how to create new technologies and not
                   solely on the use of technology.
          The computer science course would have to meet both of the following:
             • Meet or exceed standards established by the State Board of Education. 1
             • Be listed as an option on the school’s catalog of courses, as confirmed by the district,
                intermediate school district (ISD), or public school academy (PSA).
          Except for a public high school that operates entirely virtually, the public high school would
          have to make a good-faith effort to offer the course in an in-person setting. However, if an in-
          person setting is not feasible for purposes of this requirement, the school could offer the course
          through a virtual or distance-based option.
          Proposed MCL 380.1166c
BRIEF DISCUSSION:
          Supporters of the bill say that increasing access to computer science courses for students in
          schools should be a priority of the state in order to ensure that students can compete for the
          types of jobs that have good pay and will be needed in the coming decades. Ensuring access
          and opportunity for all students in high school will allow them to explore their interest prior to
          pursuing a college degree, and even if a student ultimately decides against pursuing a degree
          related to computer science, proponents say that the skills developed through a computer
          science class, such as problem-solving and critical thinking, will aid the student in other
          endeavors.
1
    https://www.michigan.gov/mde/services/academic-standards/michigan-k-12-computer-science-standards
House Fiscal Agency                                                                                 Page 1 of 2
FISCAL IMPACT:
       The bill would have no fiscal impact on the state and could increase costs for certain local
       school districts, intermediate school districts, and public school academies.
       The Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI) notes that of the 1,265 high
       schools that reported students in the MSDS Teacher Student Data Link Collection in the 2022-
       2023 school year, 864 high schools (68%) had students who took at least one computer
       science–related course and 401 high schools (32%) did not report any students taking computer
       science–related courses. According to CEPI, these counts should be considered a rough
       approximation, since they are produced using a methodology that considers school course
       classification codes and key words in course names.
       School districts, ISDs, and PSAs that do not currently offer a qualifying computer science
       course in each high school would incur costs to meet that requirement under the bill. These
       costs would vary depending on local factors.
POSITIONS:
       Representatives of the following entities testified in support of the bill (5-14-24):
          • Michigan Department of Education
          • Code.org
          • Mackinac City Public Schools
        The following entities indicated support for the bill:
           • Amazon and Amazon Web Services (5-14-24)
           • The College Board (5-14-24)
           • Computer Science Teachers Association (5-14-24)
           • Education Advocates of West Michigan (6-4-24)
           • ExcelInEd in Action (5-14-24)
           • Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance (5-14-24)
           • Lutheran High School Association (5-14-24)
           • Mason County Promise Board (5-14-24)
           • Tech Net (5-14-24)
           • West Michigan Tech Talent (5-14-24)
       The following entities indicated a neutral position on the bill:
          • Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals (6-4-24)
          • Michigan Association of School Administrators (5-14-24)
                                                           Legislative Analyst: Josh Roesner
                                                              Fiscal Analysts: Jacqueline Mullen
                                                                                Noel Benson
■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House Fiscal Agency staff for use by House members in their
deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.
House Fiscal Agency                                                HB 5649 (H-1) as reported   Page 2 of 2
Statutes affected: 
Substitute (H-1): 380.1, 380.1852
House Introduced Bill: 380.1, 380.1852
As Passed by the House: 380.1, 380.1852
As Passed by the Senate: 380.1, 380.1852
House Concurred Bill: 380.1, 380.1852
House Enrolled Bill: 380.1, 380.1852