Relating to computer science instruction, including by modifying provisions related to the graduation requirements, the computer science instruction provided by students enrolled in grades nine through twelve, computer science instruction endorsements and authorizations issued by the board of educational examiners, and the computer science professional development incentive fund

Current law provides that the graduation requirements applicable to students enrolled in school districts and accredited nonpublic schools shall include, at a minimum, satisfactory completion of four years of English and language arts, three years of mathematics, three years of science, and three years of social studies. The bill provides that such graduation requirements shall also include, beginning with students in the 2029-2030 school year graduating class, satisfactory completion of one semester of computer science, or the trimester or quarter equivalent, which may include computer science instruction provided in grade eight. Current law requires school districts and accredited nonpublic schools to offer and teach to students enrolled in grades through five units of science and two additional units of mathematics. The bill provides that the five units of science may include up to one unit of instruction related to computer science, and the two additional units of mathematics may include up to one unit of instruction related to computer science. Current law requires school districts and accredited nonpublic schools to offer and teach to students enrolled in grades through one-half unit of computer science. The bill modifies provisions related to how the computer science instruction is offered and taught by allowing the instruction to be offered and taught through blended learning, or through instruction that is delivered primarily over the internet, when it is not possible to provide such instruction in a traditional classroom setting. Current law allows school districts to, by agreement, provide for attendance of pupils residing in one district in the schools of another district for the purpose of taking courses not offered in the district of their residence. The bill provides that such courses may include computer science courses. The bill modifies provisions related to the career and technical education instruction provided to students enrolled in grades through to provide that instruction provided under either the arts, communications, and information systems or applied sciences, technology, engineering, and manufacturing service areas may include up to one unit of instruction related to computer science, if the teacher has either an initial career and technical education authorization or a career and technical education authorization issued by the BOEE. The bill requires all students, beginning with students in the 2029-2030 school year graduating class, to complete one-half unit of computer science as a condition of graduation. The bill provides that the condition of graduation shall not apply to a student who enrolls in a school district or an accredited nonpublic school in grade immediately after being enrolled in a school located outside of this state. The bill authorizes school districts and accredited nonpublic schools to apply to the department of education (DE) for a one-time waiver of the implementation of the graduation requirement. The bill requires the state board of education to adopt rules establishing standards for the submission of applications for waivers of the implementation of the condition of graduation and DE’s consideration and approval of waivers. The bill requires DE to publish on DE’s internet site certain information related to computer science courses that satisfy DE’s requirements and courses that may be used to satisfy the computer science graduation requirement. The bill requires school districts to report annually to DE specified information related to teachers providing computer science instruction and students involved in computer science courses. The bill requires that the rules adopted by the BOEE establishing nontraditional pathways for obtaining endorsements and authorizations for computer science instruction also include opportunities to obtain such endorsements or authorizations through instruction that is delivered primarily over the internet that may be used to demonstrate competence in computer science instruction for teachers under an initial or conditional license. Current law establishes a computer science professional development incentive fund in the state treasury under the control of DE. Current law authorizes DE to disburse moneys contained in the fund to a school district or accredited nonpublic school to provide tuition reimbursement for Iowa teachers seeking endorsements or authorizations for computer science from the BOEE. The bill modifies this provision to allow such tuition reimbursement to be provided to Iowa teachers under an initial or conditional license.3.16.2. The inclusion of this specification is intended to reinstate the requirement of political subdivisions to comply with any state mandates included in the bill.