Bill Text: HI HB1222 | 2021 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Relating To Education.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 9-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-02-18 - Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Gates excused (1). [HB1222 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2021-HB1222-Amended.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
1222 |
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THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021 |
H.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO EDUCATION.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
PART I
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the economic disruption caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated a need to diversify Hawaii's economy beyond tourism. The pandemic has also shown the importance of digital literacy, particularly as applied to distance learning, tele-health appointments, and working from home.
The legislature further finds that the economic disruption has increased the focus on computer science education as a key driver of economic growth and digital literacy. A computer science pipeline can help to diversify Hawaii's economy away from tourism and into cybersecurity, green energy, robotics, and other technology-based fields. Previously, the legislature passed Act 51, Session Laws of Hawaii 2018, which prioritized statewide computer science education by:
(1) Requiring the department of education to develop and implement a statewide computer science curriculum plan for public school students in kindergarten through twelfth grade that may include design thinking as part of the curriculum; and
(2) Beginning with the 2021-2022 school year, ensuring that each public high school offers at least one computer science course during each school year.
According to a June 2020 report from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Act 51, Session laws of Hawaii 2018, was one of several initiatives that led to a rapid increase in computer science activities in education between 2017 and 2020. These activities have resulted in thirty-three public high schools and eleven combination schools now offering computer science courses. The number of students who took the Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles test and the Advanced Placement Computer Science A test increased 89.6 per cent and 28.7 per cent from the 2017-2018 school year to the 2018-2019 school year, respectively. Further, the percentage of schools offering Advanced Placement Computer Science courses have increased from 6.8 per cent during the 2017-2018 school year to 22.7 per cent during the 2019-2020 school year.
The purpose of this Act is to improve digital literacy throughout the State by further increasing computer science education offerings at public schools.
PART II
SECTION 2. Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part III, subpart C, to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§302A- Computer
science education special fund; established. (a) There is established the computer science special
fund into which shall be deposited:
(1) Appropriations by
the legislature to the special fund; and
(2) Gifts,
donations, and grants from public agencies and private persons for computer science
training and computer science pathways.
(b) The computer
science special fund shall be administered by the department to provide grants to eligible entities
to:
(1) Deliver
professional development programs for teachers providing instruction in
computer science courses and computer science content; and
(2) Support computer
science pathways in kindergarten through twelfth grade, including work-based
learning partnerships.
(c) By December 1, 2022, and each December
1 thereafter, the department shall submit to the board and the legislature a
report summarizing the grant program, including recipients of grants, uses of grant
funds, and the amounts of each grant provided during the previous year."
SECTION 3. Section 302A-101, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding three new definitions to be appropriately inserted and to read as follows:
""Computer science"
means the study of computers and algorithmic processes, including their principles,
their hardware and software designs, their implementation, and their impact on
society.
"Computer science content"
means courses of instruction that provide:
(1) Computer
science instruction that is integrated with another subject; and
(2) A
final grade to each student.
"Computer science courses"
means courses of instruction that provide:
(1) Computer
science instruction in standalone implementations; and
(2) A final grade to
each student."
SECTION 4. Section 302A-323, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"[[]§302A-323[]]
Computer science; curricula plan;
public schools. (a) The department shall:
(1) Develop and implement a statewide computer science curricula plan for public school students in kindergarten through twelfth grade that may include design thinking as part of the curricula; and
(2) Beginning with the 2021-2022 school year, ensure that each public high school offers at least one computer science course during each school year.
(b) Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, at least
one public elementary school and one public middle or intermediate school in each
complex area shall offer computer science courses or computer science content.
(c) Beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, no less
than fifty per cent of public elementary schools and no less than fifty per cent
of public middle and intermediate schools in each complex area shall offer
computer science courses or computer science content.
(d) Beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, all public
elementary, middle, and intermediate schools shall offer computer science courses
or computer science content.
(e) By June 30, 2022, and by each June 30 thereafter,
each complex area shall submit to the superintendent a report of the computer science
courses and computer science content offered during the previous school year at
the schools in that complex area. The report
shall include:
(1) The names and
course codes of the computer science courses offered at each school;
(2) The number and
percentage of students enrolled in each computer science course and computer science
content, disaggregated by:
(A) Gender;
(B) Race
and ethnicity;
(C) Special
education status, including students eligible for special education under the federal
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, as amended, or section 504 of the federal
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended;
(D) English
language learner status;
(E) Eligibility
for the free and reduced price lunch program; and
(F) Grade
level;
provided that if a category
contains one to five students, or contains an amount that would allow the amount
of another category that contains one to five students to be determined, the
number of students shall be replaced with a symbol indicating that one to five students
fulfilled that particular category;
(3) The names and
course codes of the courses containing computer science content and a description
of the computer science standards and content that are covered by those courses;
and
(4) The number of
computer science instructors at each school, disaggregated by:
(A) Any
applicable certification;
(B) Gender;
and
(C) Race
and ethnicity.
(f) The superintendent shall compile the information
received pursuant to subsection (e) and, by December 1, 2022, and each December
1 thereafter, shall submit a summary of the previous school year to the board and
the legislature.
(g) For the purposes of this section, "offer"
means to provide a computer science course or computer science content taught in
the English or Hawaiian language by a teacher:
(1) Who is physically
located at the school; or
(2) Who is not physically
located at the school but provides instruction through virtual means with the assistance
of a proctor who is physically located at the school."
PART III
SECTION 5. Chapter 302D, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§302D- Computer
science. (a) Beginning
with the 2024-2025 school year, each public charter school that serves
elementary, middle, intermediate, or high school students shall offer computer
science courses or computer science content at a frequency that allows a student
to enroll in a computer science course or receive computer science content at least
once while the student is at each of the elementary school, middle or intermediate
school, and high school levels.
(b) For the purpose of this section, "offer" shall have the same meaning as in section 302A-323."
SECTION 6. Section 302D-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding three new definitions to be appropriately inserted and to read as follows:
""Computer science"
shall have the same meaning as in section 302A-101.
"Computer science content"
shall have the same meaning as in section 302A-101.
"Computer science courses"
shall have the same meaning as in section 302A-101."
PART IV
SECTION 7. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 8. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050.
Report Title:
Education; Department of Education; Public Schools; Charter Schools; Computer Science
Description:
Requires public
and charter schools to offer education in computer science. Requires annual reports. Effective 7/1/2050. (HD1)
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
