OHIO LEGISLATIVE SERVICE COMMISSION
Office of Research Legislative Budget
www.lsc.ohio.gov and Drafting Office
H.B. 623 Bill Analysis
135th General Assembly
Click here for H.B. 623’s Fiscal Note
Version: As Introduced
Primary Sponsors: Reps. Dobos and Jones
Effective date:
Holly Gilman, Attorney
SUMMARY
Computer science as a graduation requirement
▪ Generally requires public school students that first enter 9th grade on or after July 1,
2028, to complete one unit of instruction in computer science to graduate.
▪ Requires the Department of Education and Workforce to adopt a list of computer
science courses that can be used to satisfy the graduation requirement by July 1, 2028.
Computer science as a required course offering
▪ For the 2026-2027 through 2031-2032 school years, requires school districts,
community schools, STEM schools, and college-preparatory boarding schools to offer at
least 1⁄2 unit of computer science in each high school building and increases that
requirement to one full unit beginning with the 2032-2033 school year.
▪ Requires that each computer science course be of “high quality” and meet or exceed
state curriculum requirements and standards.
▪ Prohibits completion of prerequisites as a condition of enrolling in a computer science
course.
▪ Requires that each computer science course be offered in an in-person traditional
classroom setting but establishes a method by a which a district or school may request
to temporarily offer a virtual or distance course.
▪ Beginning July 1, 2027, requires each district and school to collect and annually submit
to the Department information related to each computer science course which the
Department must post on its website by June 30 of each school year.
▪ Requires the Department to publish an annual report on computer science education in
the state.
December 2, 2024
Office of Research and Drafting LSC Legislative Budget Office
▪ Permits a student to participate in the Computer Science Promise Program if the
student wishes to take additional computer science courses beyond those offered
through the student’s resident district or school.
Computer science educator licensure
▪ Extends through the 2031-2032 school year an exemption that permits a public school
to permit a licensed teacher to teach computer science in any of grades K-12, provided
the teacher completes a specific professional development course.
DETAILED ANALYSIS
Computer science as a graduation requirement
The bill requires a student who enters 9th grade for the first time on or after July 1, 2028,
to complete one unit of computer science instruction, taken in any of grades 8-12. The course
must be completed as one of the following:
1. For a student that does not take advance computer science in lieu of Algebra II, one unit
of Mathematics that is not Algebra II;
2. One science unit; or
3. One elective unit.1
Under current law, computer science is not considered a core subject. Rather, it is an
elective and may be used to satisfy only one Algebra II/Math III or equivalent, or an advanced
science credit. A computer science course cannot satisfy any of the physical science or life
science requirements.
Exemption
The bill specifically exempts from the computer science course graduation requirement
(1) a student enrolled in a chartered nonpublic school and (2) a student who was enrolled in
high school in a different state but transfers to an Ohio high school as a senior.2
List of satisfactory courses
By July 1, 2028, the Department of Education and Workforce must adopt a list of
courses that satisfy the new computer science requirement. In doing so, it must (1) use the
recommendations of the State Committee on Computer Science as guidance and (2) include
any course that contains at least 20 hours of programming and satisfies the bill’s other
requirements. Under the bill, the Department must make the list available on its publicly
accessible website and update the list on a regular basis to respond to new course offerings
established by schools. The Department may only include courses that meet or exceed the
1 R.C. 3313.603(C)(10)(a).
2 R.C. 3313.603(C)(10)(c).
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As Introduced
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Department’s adopted standards and curriculum for instruction in Computer Science on the list.
For each approved course, the Department must include the course name, description, and
corresponding course code.3
Computer science as a required course offering
The bill requires each school district and other public school to offer at least 1⁄2 unit of
computer science instruction in each school building that enrolls students in any of grades 9-12
for the 2026-2027 through 2031-2032 school years.4 Beginning with the 2032-2033 school year,
the bill increases that requirement to at least one unit of computer science.5
Each offered computer science course must (1) be of “high quality” as determined by
the Department and (2) meet or exceed the Department’s Computer Science standards and
curriculum.6 The bill prohibits the Department, a school district, or a school from requiring a
student to complete a prerequisite course to enroll in the bill’s newly required computer
science course.7
Each district or school must list the course as an option in the school’s course catalog.
Those offering computer science courses for the first time must proactively notify parents of
the new course offering.8
In-person setting and action plan
The bill requires courses to be offered in an in-person, traditional classroom setting but
provides a method by which a district or school that is unable to do so may offer a virtual or
distance course. A district or school that makes every effort to offer an in-person course but is
unable to obtain the teacher capacity or resources to do so effectively, may offer a virtual or
distance course option by submitting an alternate plan (or action plan) for approval to the
Department prior to the start of the school year.
The bill requires any district or school that is unable to offer an in-person course by the
2026-2027 school year to submit an action plan outlining how it plans to meet the bill’s
requirements. The action plan may include offering a virtual course either through the district
or school or through a regional partnership such as through an educational service center. A
school that submits a plan to offer only a virtual course must describe why it was not feasible to
offer the course in person. The plan may address how the school will adjust planning or
resources to successfully comply with the bill’s requirements by the 2032-2033 school year.
3 R.C. 3313.603(C)(10)(b).
4 R.C. 3313.6030(B)(1), 3314.03, 3326.15, and 3328.22.
5 R.C. 3313.6030(B)(2).
6 R.C. 3313.6030(E).
7 R.C. 3313.6030(I).
8 R.C. 3313.6030(C).
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Plans must be submitted to the Department not later than 120 days after the bill’s
effective date. The bill requires the Department to review the plan and either approve it or
request additional changes.9
Data collection by schools
Beginning July 1, 2027, the bill requires each district and school to submit an annual
report to the Department that includes the following for the prior academic year:
1. The names and course codes of computer science courses offered in each school,
including course description and which state computer science standards are covered;
2. The number and percentage of students who enrolled in each computer science course,
disaggregated by gender, race and ethnicity, special education status, English learner
status, free and reduced-price meals eligibility, and grade level (except where a category
contains fewer than five students);
3. The number of computer science course instructors at each school, disaggregated by
certification or license as applicable, gender, race and ethnicity, and highest academic
degree completed.
Not later than June 30 of each school year, the Department must post the data received
in accordance with this requirement on its website, disaggregated by school and aggregated at
the state level.10
Annual computer science education report
The bill requires the Department to publish a report on computer science education in
the state for the 2026-2027 school year. For that year only, the report must use any data the
Department has collected in the usual course of operations. The report must include
information on student enrollment and teachers teaching the courses. Beginning with the
2027-2028 school year, the bill requires the Department to annually publish a report on
computer science education in the state, containing, at a minimum the data received by
districts and schools (see “Data collection by schools” above) disaggregated by school
and aggregated at the state level. The report must also provide the number of online and in
person computer science offerings and any identified correlation between course format and
student participation in courses.11
Computer Science Promise Program
The bill permits a student enrolled in a school district or school to participate in the
Computer Science Promise Program if the student wishes to take additional computer science
9 R.C. 3313.6030(C) and (D).
10 R.C. 3313.6030(G).
11 R.C. 3313.6030(F).
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As Introduced
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courses beyond those offered through the student’s resident district or school in compliance
with the bill’s requirements.12
Computer science educator licensure
The bill extends through the 2031-2032 school year an existing temporary exception to
the general requirement that an individual must be licensed in computer science to teach
computer science courses. Under current law, through the 2024-2025 school year, a school
district, community school, or STEM school may permit an individual who holds a valid teaching
license to teach computer science in any of grades K-12, if, prior to teaching the course each
school year, the individual completes a professional development course that provides
computer science content knowledge. The superintendent or principal must approve any
professional development program endorsed by the College Board, the organization that
creates and administers the national Advanced Placement examinations, as appropriate for the
course the individual will teach. The individual may not teach a computer science course in a
school district or school other than the one that employed the individual when the individual
completed the professional development program.13
Beginning July 1, 2032, a district or school may permit an individual to teach a computer
science course only if the individual meets one of the following continuing law requirements:
1. Holds a valid license in computer science;
2. Has a licensure endorsement in computer technology and a passing score in a computer
science content exam; or
3. Has an industry professional teaching license to teach computer science for up to 40
hours per week.14
HISTORY
Action Date
Introduced 06-03-24
ANHB0623IN-135/ts
12 R.C. 3313.6030(H).
13Section 733.61 of H.B. 166 of the 133rd General Assembly (as amended by H.B. 33 of the 135th General
Assembly) codified by the bill as R.C. 3313.6031.
14 See R.C. 3319.236, not in the bill.
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As Introduced
Statutes affected: As Introduced: 3313.603, 3314.03, 3326.15, 3328.22, 733.61, H.B, 3313.6031