HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STAFF ANALYSIS
BILL #: CS/HB 483 Computer Science Education
SPONSOR(S): Choice & Innovation Subcommittee, Gonzalez Pittman
TIED BILLS: None. IDEN./SIM. BILLS: CS/SB 1344
REFERENCE ACTION ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR or
BUDGET/POLICY CHIEF
1) Choice & Innovation Subcommittee 15 Y, 0 N, As CS Dixon Sleap
2) Appropriations Committee
3) Education & Employment Committee
SUMMARY ANALYSIS
The bill establishes the Artificial Intelligence in Education Task Force (task force), within the Department of
Education (DOE) to evaluate the current state of artificial intelligence (AI) technology and its potential
applications in K-12 and higher education and assess the ethical, legal, and data privacy implications of AI
usage in education.
The bill requires the Commissioner of Education to serve as the chair of the task force, and the Governor will
appoint members with expertise in various fields relevant to education, technology, AI, ethics, data privacy,
industry demands, state and local policy, and procurement. The task force must include representatives from
school boards, superintendents, faculty, and teachers.
The bill requires the task force to meet, beginning in January 2025, at least 4 times per year and to complete
its work within 1 year. Upon completion, the task force must submit recommendations to the Governor, the
President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Additionally, the bill requires the DOE to adopt and publish a strategic plan for a statewide computer science
education program by February 28, 2026. The bill requires the strategic plan, to among other things, include a
timeline for implementing objectives or goals in the plan, a summary of the current K-12 computer science
state landscape, a plan for expanding flexible options to license computer science teachers, and a plan for
expanding computer science education opportunities to every school in the state.
The bill may have a fiscal impact to the state. See Fiscal Comments.
The bill has an effective date of July, 1, 2024.
This docum ent does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill sponsor or House of Representatives .
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FULL ANALYSIS
I. SUBSTANTIVE ANALYSIS
A. EFFECT OF PROPOSED CHANGES:
Present Situation
Computer Science Courses and Instruction
Florida law defines computer science as the study of computers and algorithmic processes, including
their principles, hardware and software designs, applications, and their impact on society. 1 Computer
science also includes computer coding and computer programming.
Computer science is a foundational subject for students’ education and their future careers and
interest. It necessitates the development of robust computational thinking skills, that extend beyond the
fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to encompass the arts and humanities. 2
Computational thinking refers to the thought processes involved in expressing solutions as
computational steps or algorithms that can be carried out by a computer. This problem-solving process,
although commonly associated with computer science, is versatile and finds intentional connections
across multiple educational disciplines within the classroom settings. 3
Florida public schools are required to provide students in grades K-12 opportunities for learning
computer science including computer coding and computer programing. 4 Opportunities for computer
science learning may include:5
instruction on computer coding in elementary and middle school;
instruction to develop computer usage and digital literacy skills in middle school; and
must include courses in computer science in middle and high school, including earning related
industry certifications.
Elementary and middle schools may establish digital classrooms in which students are provided
opportunities to improve digital literacy and competency; to learn digital skills, such a coding, multiple
media presentation, and the manipulation of multiple digital graphic images. Students may also have
the opportunity to earn digital tool certificates and certifications. 6
Computer science courses must be offered to students in high school, including opportunities to earn
industry certifications to satisfy high school graduation requirements. 7 Computer science courses and
technology-related industry certifications that are identified as meeting mathematics or science
requirements for high school graduation must be included in the Course Code Directory (CCD). 8 There
1 Section 1007.2616(1), F.S.
2 K-12 Computer Instructional Framework Steering Committee, K-12 Computer Science Framework , available at
https://k12cs.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/K%E2%80%9312-Co mputer-Science-Framework-handout-one-page.pdf.; see also K12
CS, K-12 Computer Science Framework, https://k12cs.org/ (last visited Jan. 26, 2024). The K-12 Computer Instructional Framework
Steering Committee consists of the Association for Computing Machinery, Code.org, Computer Science Teachers Association, Cybe r
Innovation Center, National Math and Science Initiative.
3 K-12 Computer Instruction Framework Steering Committee, K-12 Computer Instructional Framework , at 68, 69, and 127, available
at https://k12cs.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/K%E2%80%9312-Co mputer-Science-Framework.pdf.
4 Section 1007.2616(2)(a), F.S.
5 Id.
6 Section 1007.2616(5), F.S.; see s. 1003.4203, F.S.
7 Section 1007.2616(6), F.S.; see s. 1003.4282(3), F.S.
8 Section 1007.2616(2)(b) and (6), F.S.; see also Florida Department of Education, 2023-2024 Course Directory,
https://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-15909. The Course Code Directory (CCD) lists all public pre-K-12 and
postsecondary career and technical education courses available for use by school districts. Programs and courses funded throu gh the
Florida Education Finance Program and courses or programs for which students may earn credit toward high school graduation must
be listed in the CCD. The CCD maintains course listings for administration and service assignments, K-12 education, exceptional
student education, career and technical education, and adult
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are 72 middle and high school, as well as two elementary school, computer science courses currently
identified in the CCD.9
The Florida Virtual School (FLVS) must offer computer science courses identified in the CCD. If a
school district does not offer an identified course, the district must provide students access to the
course through FLVS or through other means.10
Classroom Teacher Bonuses and Training
Subject to legislative appropriation, a classroom teacher who was evaluated as effective or highly
effective in the previous school year or who is newly hired by the school board and has not been
evaluated, must receive a bonus as follows:
If the classroom teacher holds an educator certificate in computer science or if he or she has
passed the computer science subject area examination and holds an adjunct certificate, the
teacher must receive a bonus of $1,000 after each year the teacher completes teaching a
computer science course identified in the CCD at a public middle or high school, for up to three
years.11
If the classroom teacher holds an industry certification associated with a course identified in the
CCD, the teacher will receive a bonus of $500 after each year the teacher completes teaching
the course at a public middle or high school, for up to three years. 12
Additionally, subject to legislative appropriation, a school district or a consortium of school districts may
apply to the Department of Education (DOE) for funding to deliver or facilitate training sessions for
classroom teachers in obtaining either an educator certificate in computer science, an industry
certification associated with an identified course, or for professional development providing instruction
in computer science courses and content. The funding may only be used to provide training for
classroom teachers and to pay fees for examinations that lead to a qualifying credential, or to provide
professional development.13
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the theory and development of computer systems capable of performing tasks
that historically required human intelligence, such as recognizing speech, making decisions, and
identifying patterns. Some of the most common examples of AI in use today include chatbots like
ChatGPT, recommendation systems used in streaming platforms such as Netflix, and self-driving
vehicles, such as Tesla.14
The Use of AI in Education
Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to improve K-12 education in the United States. For students,
AI can provide them a personalized learning experience tailored to their individual preferences and
needs, immediate feedback on their work and answers to their questions, and increased access to
tutoring and other educational materials. For teachers, it can help automate some of their workload,
design better interventions, and reduce burnout. And for administrators, AI can monitor the student
body and provide preemptive interventions with the help of predictive analytics. But while there are
many benefits to AI in schools, there are a number of technical, operational, and social challenges
that limit AI-driven innovation in the education sector.15
9 Id.
10 Section 1007.2616(3), F.S.
11 Section 1007.2616(7)(a), F.S.
12 Section 1007.2616(7)(b), F.S.
13 Section 1007.2616(4)(a), F.S.
14 Coursera, What is Artificial Intelligence? Definitions, Uses, and Types, https://www.coursera.org/articles/what-is-artificial-
intelligence (last visited Jan. 26, 2024).
15 Gillian Diebol and Chelsea Han, How AI Can Improve K-12 Education in the United States (April 2020), available at
https://www2.datainnovation.org/2022-ai-education.pdf.
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Developed Guidelines Related to AI in Education
The recent surge in the use of generative AI applications has prompted discussions about the role of
this technology in the field of education. In fall 2022, the White House Office of Science and
Technology announced16 a series of steps to address the rise of AI-driven tools across a variety of
sectors.17 The United States Department of Education (USDOE) was charged with developing
guidance and recommendations for the use of AI in teaching and learning. The USDOE published the
report18 in May 2023 with guidance and recommendations focused on the use of AI to: 19
leverage automation;
support education systems, teachers, and classroom planning;
interrogate data and examine inequities; and
protect student privacy and assess student learning.
The report notes several desired national research and design (R&D) objectives, such as, “creating and
studying effective programs for AI literacy for students, teachers and educational constituents in
general, including literacy with regard to the ethics and equity issues specific to AI in educational
settings.”20
A few states are in the early stages of developing policies and guidance related to AI in education. 21 In
January 2024, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction became the fourth state education
department to issue guidance to its schools on the use of AI technology. 22 Executive orders have been
signed by the Governors in seven states 23 to establish task forces to recommend or establish standards
and policies regarding the use of AI in education.24
Effect of Proposed Changes
The bill establishes the Artificial Intelligence in Education Task Force (task force), within the DOE. The
purpose of the task force is to:
Evaluate the potential applications of AI in K-12 and higher education.
Develop policy recommendations for responsible and effective uses of AI by students and
educators.
Create a definition for the term “artificial intelligence”.
Identify workforce needs related to AI, computational thinking, and computer science.
Provide policy recommendations to ensure that the state develops education and workforce
training programs that align with changing industry needs.
The bill defines the following terms:
“Computational thinking” to mean the thought process involved in expressing solutions as
computational steps or algorithms that can be carried out by a computer.
“Computer science” to mean the study of computers and algorithmic processes, including their
principles, hardware and software designs, applications, implementation, and impact on society,
16 The White House, Fact Sheet: Biden-Harris Administration Announces Key Actions to Advance Tech Accountability and Protect the
Rights of the American Public, https://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/news -updates/2022/10/04/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-
announces-key-actions-to-advance-tech-accountability-and-protect-the-rights-of-the-american-public/ (last visited Jan. 26, 2024).
17 Education Commission of the States, State Information Request AI Regulation Policies (Dec. 12 2023), available at
https://www.ecs.org/wp-content/uploads/State-Information-Request_AI-Regulation-Policies.pdf.
18 United States Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology, Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Teaching and
Learning: Insights and Recommendations (May 2023), available at https://www2.ed.gov/documents/ai-report/ai-report.pdf.
19 Id., at 5.
20 Id., at 51.
21 Education Commission of the States, State Information Request AI Regulation Policies (Dec. 12 2023), available at
https://www.ecs.org/wp-content/uploads/State-Information-Request_AI-Regulation-Policies.pdf.
22 EdNC, N.C. DPI releases guidebook on the use of AI in schools, https://www.ednc.org/n-c-dpi-releases-guidebook-on-the-use-of-ai-
in-schools/ (last visited Jan. 26, 2024).
23 See Education Commission of the State; supra note 21. The seven states are California, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Oregon,
Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
24 Id.
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and includes computer coding, computer programming, computational thinking, robotics,
cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer networking, and physical
computing.
The bill establishes the Commissioner of Education as the chair of the task force. Other members of
the task force must be appointed by the Governor by October 1, 2024. The members must include, at a
minimum:
A representative from the State Board of Education;
A representative from the Board of Governors;
A representative of the State Workforce Development Board;
A representative from the Division of State Purchasing within the Department of Management
Services with expertise in technology procurement and data privacy standards;
A representative from the Office of the Attorney General;
One school board member and one district school superintendent, each representing a rural
school district, a suburban school district, and an urban school district, respectively;
A school district educational technology director;
Faculty in this state with expertise on AI, educational technology, or ethics from a public college,
a private college, and a community or technical college, respectively;
Educators from one public school, one public charter school, and one private school in this
state; and
Leaders from three industry sectors in this state directly affected by developments in AI.
The bill requires the task force to meet at least 4 times per year beginning January 1, 2025, and to
complete its work within 1 year. Upon completion, the task force must submit recommendations to the
Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The bill
specifies that all meetings must be open to the public.
The bill specifies that the DOE must provide administrative support for the task force, including, but not
limited to, developing agendas, coordinating meetings, and drafting reports for task force feedback.
The bill requires the task force to do all of the following:
Evaluate the current state of AI technology and its potential applications in K-12 and higher
education.
Assess the ethical, legal, and data privacy implications of AI usage in education.
Additionally, the bill requires the DOE to adopt and publish a strategic plan for a statewide computer
science education program by February 28, 2026, which must include, at a minimum, all of the
following:
A statement of purpose describing the objectives or goals the DOE will accomplish by
implementing a computer s