Bill Text: FL S0104 | 2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Computer Coding Instruction
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2017-05-05 - Died in Rules [S0104 Detail]
Download: Florida-2017-S0104-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2017 SB 104
By Senator Brandes
24-00158-17 2017104__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to computer coding instruction;
3 amending s. 1007.2616, F.S.; authorizing high schools
4 to offer students opportunities to take specified
5 computer coding courses beginning with a specified
6 school year; providing that high schools will not be
7 required to offer such courses; requiring the
8 Commissioner of Education to identify the computer
9 coding courses that satisfy two credits of sequential
10 foreign language instruction under certain
11 circumstances; requiring Florida College System
12 institutions and state universities to recognize the
13 credits as foreign language credits; requiring each
14 student and his or her parent to sign a statement that
15 they acknowledge and accept that a computer coding
16 course taken as a foreign language may not meet
17 certain out-of-state requirements; requiring the
18 inclusion of certain computer coding courses in the
19 Course Code Directory; authorizing the Florida Virtual
20 School to offer computer coding courses identified in
21 the Course Code Directory; authorizing school
22 districts to provide students with access to such
23 courses under certain circumstances; requiring the
24 Department of Education to annually report certain
25 information to the Board of Governors and the
26 Legislature; providing an effective date.
27
28 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
29
30 Section 1. Present subsection (4) of section 1007.2616,
31 Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (5), and a new
32 subsection (4) is added to that section, to read:
33 1007.2616 Computer science and technology instruction.—
34 (4) Beginning with the 2019-2020 school year, high schools
35 may, but will not be required to, provide students with
36 opportunities to take two credits in computer coding courses of
37 sufficient rigor, as identified by the commissioner, that along
38 with the earning of a related industry certification satisfies
39 two credits of sequential foreign language instruction. Florida
40 College System institutions and state universities must
41 recognize the credits as foreign language credits; however, each
42 student and his or her parent must sign a statement that they
43 acknowledge and accept that a computer coding course taken as a
44 foreign language may not meet out-of-state college and
45 university foreign language requirements. Computer coding
46 courses identified by the commissioner and computer coding
47 courses taken to earn the related industry certification shall
48 be included in the Course Code Directory.
49 (a) The Florida Virtual School may offer computer coding
50 courses identified in the Course Code Directory. If a school
51 district does not offer an identified course, it may provide
52 students with access to the course through the Florida Virtual
53 School or through other means.
54 (b) The Department of Education shall annually report to
55 the Board of Governors and the Legislature:
56 1. The courses identified in the Course Code Directory
57 which meet the academic standards for computer coding; and
58 2. The number of students, by district, including students
59 enrolled in the Florida Virtual School, who are enrolled in a
60 course identified in the Course Code Directory which meets the
61 academic standards for computer coding.
62 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.
