HOUSE BILL NO. 1576 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE SMITH (68).
3130H.02I JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk
AN ACT To repeal section 170.018, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof one new section relating to computer science courses in schools.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Section 170.018, RSMo, is repealed and one new section enacted in lieu 2 thereof, to be known as section 170.018, to read as follows: 170.018. 1. (1) For purposes of this section, "computer science course" means a 2 course in which students study computers [and], algorithmic processes, cybersecurity, social 3 media training, and artificial intelligence including their principles, hardware and software 4 designs, implementation, and impact on society. The term shall include, but not be limited to, 5 a stand-alone course at any elementary, middle, or high school or a course at any elementary 6 or middle school that embeds computer science content within other subjects. 7 (2) The department of elementary and secondary education shall, before July 1, 2019, 8 develop a high school graduation policy that allows a student to fulfill one unit of academic 9 credit with a district-approved computer science course meeting the standards of subsection 2 10 of this section for any mathematics, science, or practical arts unit required for high school 11 graduation. The policy shall require that all students have either taken all courses that require 12 end-of-course examinations for math and science or are on track to take all courses that 13 require end-of-course examinations for math and science under the Missouri school 14 improvement program in order to receive credit toward high school graduation under this 15 subsection. 16 (3) A school district shall communicate to students electing to use a computer science 17 course for a mathematics unit that some institutions of higher education may require four
EXPLANATION — Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is intended to be omitted from the law. Matter in bold-face type in the above bill is proposed language. HB 1576 2
18 units of academic credit in mathematics for college admission. The parent, guardian, or legal 19 custodian of each student who chooses to take a computer science course to fulfill a unit of 20 academic credit in mathematics shall sign and submit to the school district a document 21 containing a statement acknowledging that taking a computer science course to fulfill a unit 22 of academic credit in mathematics may have an adverse effect on college admission 23 decisions. 24 (4) The department of elementary and secondary education and the department of 25 higher education and workforce development shall cooperate in developing and implementing 26 academic requirements for computer science courses offered in any grade or grades not lower 27 than the ninth nor higher than the twelfth grade. 28 2. (1) The department of elementary and secondary education shall convene a work 29 group to develop and recommend rigorous academic performance standards relating to 30 computer science for students in kindergarten and in each grade not higher than the twelfth 31 grade. The work group shall include, but not be limited to, educators providing instruction in 32 kindergarten or in any grade not higher than the twelfth grade and representatives from the 33 department of elementary and secondary education, the department of higher education and 34 workforce development, business and industry, and institutions of higher education. The 35 department of elementary and secondary education shall develop written curriculum 36 frameworks relating to computer science that may be used by school districts. The 37 requirements of section 160.514 shall not apply to this section. 38 (2) The state board of education shall adopt and implement academic performance 39 standards relating to computer science beginning in the 2019-20 school year. 40 3. Before July 1, 2019, the department of elementary and secondary education shall 41 develop a procedure by which any teacher who holds a certificate of license to teach under 42 section 168.021 and demonstrates sufficient content knowledge of computer science shall 43 receive a special endorsement on the teacher's license signifying the teacher's specialized 44 knowledge in computer science. 45 4. (1) For purposes of this subsection, "eligible entity" means: 46 (a) A local educational agency, or a consortium of local educational agencies, in the 47 state, including charter schools that have declared themselves local educational agencies; 48 (b) An institution of higher education in the state; or 49 (c) A nonprofit or private provider of nationally recognized and high-quality 50 computer science professional development, as determined by the department of elementary 51 and secondary education. 52 (2) There is hereby created in the state treasury the "Computer Science Education 53 Fund". The fund shall consist of all moneys that may be appropriated to it by the general 54 assembly and any gifts, contributions, grants, or bequests received from private or other HB 1576 3
55 sources for the purpose of providing teacher professional development programs relating to 56 computer science. The state treasurer shall be custodian of the fund. In accordance with 57 sections 30.170 and 30.180, the state treasurer may approve disbursements. The fund shall be 58 a dedicated fund and, upon appropriation, moneys in the fund shall be used solely for the 59 administration of grants to eligible entities as described in this section. Notwithstanding the 60 provisions of section 33.080 to the contrary, any moneys remaining in the fund at the end of 61 the biennium shall not revert to the credit of the general revenue fund. The state treasurer 62 shall invest moneys in the fund in the same manner as other funds are invested. Any interest 63 and moneys earned on such investments shall be credited to the fund. 64 (3) The state board of education shall award grants from the computer science 65 education fund to eligible entities for the purpose of providing teacher professional 66 development programs relating to computer science. An eligible entity wishing to receive 67 such a grant shall submit an application to the department of elementary and secondary 68 education addressing how the entity plans to: 69 (a) Reach new and existing teachers with little computer science background; 70 (b) Use effective practices for professional development; 71 (c) Focus the training on the conceptual foundations of computer science; 72 (d) Reach and support historically underrepresented students in computer science; 73 (e) Provide teachers with concrete experience with hands-on, inquiry-based practices; 74 and 75 (f) Accommodate the particular needs of students and teachers in each district and 76 school. 77 5. (1) For all school years beginning on or after July 1, 2023, each public high school 78 and charter high school shall offer at least one computer science course in an in-person setting 79 or as a virtual or distance course option. 80 (2) Any computer science course or instruction offered under this subsection shall: 81 (a) Be of high quality as defined by the state board of education; 82 (b) Meet or exceed the computer science performance standards developed and 83 adopted by the department of elementary and secondary education under this section; and 84 (c) For any computer science course offered by a public high school or charter high 85 school, be offered in such school's course catalog. 86 (3) On or before June thirtieth of each school year, each school district shall submit to 87 the department of elementary and secondary education a report for the current school year 88 which shall include, but not be limited to: 89 (a) The names and course codes of computer science courses offered in each school in 90 the district with a course description and which computer science performance standards are 91 covered, to the extent such information is available; HB 1576 4
92 (b) The number and percentage of students who enrolled in each computer science 93 course, listed by the categories in subparagraphs a. to f. of this paragraph. If a category 94 contains one to five students or contains a quantity of students that would allow the quantity 95 of another category that contains five or fewer to be deduced, the number shall be replaced 96 with a symbol: 97 a. Sex; 98 b. Race and ethnicity; 99 c. Special education status including, but not limited to, students receiving services 100 under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (20 U.S.C. Section 1400 101 et seq., as amended) or Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 102 Section 794), as amended; 103 d. English language learner status; 104 e. Eligibility for free or reduced price meals; and 105 f. Grade level; and 106 (c) The number of computer science instructors at each school, listed by the following 107 categories: 108 a. Applicable certifications; 109 b. Sex; 110 c. Race and ethnicity; and 111 d. Highest academic degree. 112 (4) On or before September thirtieth of each school year, the department of 113 elementary and secondary education shall post the following on the department's website: 114 (a) Data received under paragraphs (a) and (b) of subdivision (3) of this subsection, 115 disaggregated by school and aggregated statewide; and 116 (b) Data received under paragraph (c) of subdivision (3) of this subsection, 117 aggregated statewide. 118 (5) On or before June thirtieth of each school year, the department of elementary and 119 secondary education shall publish a list of computer science course codes and names with a 120 course description and an indication of which courses meet or exceed the department of 121 elementary and secondary education's computer science performance standards. 122 6. The department of elementary and secondary education shall appoint a computer 123 science supervisor. The computer science supervisor shall be responsible for implementing 124 the provisions of this section. 125 7. For all school years beginning on or after July 1, 2023, a computer science course 126 successfully completed and counted toward state graduation requirements shall be equivalent 127 to one science course or one practical arts credit for the purpose of satisfying any admission 128 requirements of any public institution of higher education in this state. HB 1576 5
129 8. (1) The workgroup established under subsection 2 of this section shall develop 130 additional academic performance standards for computer science courses that 131 incorporate academic requirements related to cybersecurity, social media training, 132 and artificial intelligence. 133 (2) The state board of education shall adopt and implement such academic 134 performance standards beginning in the 2026-27 school year. 135 (3) For the 2026-27 school year and all subsequent school years: 136 (a) Each pupil who receives a high school diploma or certificate of graduation 137 shall have satisfactorily completed one-half unit of academic credit with a computer 138 science course before the end of grade twelve; and 139 (b) Before a pupil may substitute a course that fulfills any mathematics, science, 140 or practical arts unit required for high school graduation, the pupil shall satisfactorily 141 complete one-half unit of academic credit with a computer science course. 142 [8.] 9. The department of elementary and secondary education shall promulgate rules 143 to implement the provisions of this section. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is 144 defined in section 536.010, that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall 145 become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 146 and, if applicable, section 536.028. This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any 147 of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the 148 effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then 149 the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after December 18, 2018, 150 shall be invalid and void. ✔
Statutes affected: