Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
                                           Act 414 of the Regular Session
 1   State of Arkansas                As Engrossed:    S1/20/21 S2/23/21
 2   93rd General Assembly                        A Bill
 3   Regular Session, 2021                                                             SENATE BILL 107
 4
 5   By: Senators J. English, Irvin
 6   By: Representative Vaught
 7
 8                                      For An Act To Be Entitled
 9                     AN ACT TO CREATE THE COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION
10                     ADVANCEMENT ACT OF 2021; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
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13                                                 Subtitle
14                           TO CREATE THE COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION
15                           ADVANCEMENT ACT OF 2021.
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18   BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
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20            SECTION 1.      Arkansas Code Title 6, Chapter 16, Subchapter 1, is amended
21   to add an additional section to read as follows:
22            6-16-152.      Computer Science Education Advancement Act of 2021.
23            (a)   This section shall be known and may be cited as the Computer
24   Science Education Advancement Act of 2021".
25            (b)(1)     Beginning with the entering ninth grade class of 2022-2023, a
26   public high school student shall be required to earn one (1) unit of credit
27   in a Department of Education-approved high school computer science course
28   before the student graduates.
29                     (2)   The one (1) unit required in subdivision (b)(1) of this
30   section may be earned in grades eight through twelve (8-12).
31                     (3)   A computer science course offered by a public high school
32   shall:
33                            (A)     Be of high quality;
34                            (B)     Meet or exceed the curriculum standards and
35   requirements established by the State Board of Education; and
36                            (C)     Be made available in a traditional classroom setting,
     *JNL097*                                                                     02-23-2021 10:13:46 JNL097
     As Engrossed:           S1/20/21 S2/23/21                                         SB107
 1   a blended learning environment, an online-based or other technology-based
 2   format that is tailored to meet the needs of each participating student.
 3            (c)(1)     The department shall designate at least four state board-
 4   approved computer science courses that students in grade eight (8) may take
 5   for high school credit.
 6                     (2)    If a student in grade eight (8) wishes to take a course not
 7   designated, a school district must comply with any existing course approval
 8   requirements.
 9            (d)   Beginning in August 2022, the department shall make available to
10   all public schools high-quality digital content aligned to state board-
11   approved computer science courses.
12            (e)(1)     Beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, a public school
13   district shall employ a computer science teacher at each high school in the
14   public school district.
15                     (2)    A computer science teacher employed in accordance with
16   subdivision (e)(1) of this section shall hold a license approved by the state
17   board.
18            (f)   The state board may adopt rules to administer this section,
19   including rules for flexible options to license computer science teachers,
20   which may include without limitation, approval codes, technical permits,
21   ancillary licenses, and standard licenses.
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24                                               /s/J. English
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27                                          APPROVED: 3/23/21
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