NY State Senate Bill 2023-S6120

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 03, 2024	referred to education
Mar 30, 2023	referred to education

2023-S6120 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A5296
Current Committee:: Senate Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Add §817, amd §3004, Ed L

2023-S6120 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Creates a computer science course requirement for graduation from high school; directs the department of education to design and implement such program.

2023-S6120 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S6120   Revised 4/4/23

SPONSOR: MARTINEZ
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to establishing a comput-
er science graduation requirement; and providing for the repeal of
certain provisions of such law relating thereto

 
PURPOSE:

The purpose of this bill is to make computer science a required course
option for graduation from high school.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1. amends the education law by adding a new section 817 which
requires classes in computer science be taught in high school.

Section 2. amends subdivision 4 of section 3004 of the education law by
adding a new paragraph c which provides that the Commissioner shall
ensure teacher preparation instruction after July first of 2028 and any

program of teacher preparation leading to professional certification
shall include instruction in computer science and instruction in infor-
mation technology skills.

Section 3. is the enacting clause

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Computer science has become an increasingly important subject in our
modern world, and as such, it is important that it is taught in schools.
This bill, which requires a computer science course to be taught in high
school, is a necessary step in ensuring that our students are prepared
for the future.

Computer science is the study of computers and algorithmic processes,
including their principles, hardware and software designs, implementa-
tion, and impact on society. In today's technology-driven world, comput-
er science has become a critical field, with applications in almost
every industry. From finance to healthcare, from transportation to
entertainment, computer science is transforming the way we live and
work.

By requiring students to take a computer science course in high school,
we are ensuring that they are prepared for the future. This course will
teach students not only how to use existing technologies but also how to
create new ones. Students will learn how to code, how to build websites,
how to develop mobile applications, and much more.  They will also learn
about the ethical considerations that come with technology, including
issues of privacy, security, and bias.

Furthermore, by requiring a computer science course, we are also
addressing issues of equity and access. Not all students have the oppor-
tunity to learn about computer science outside of school, and as such,
this bill ensures that all students have access to this critical
subject. By making computer science a graduation requirement, we are
also signaling to students and parents that this subject is important
and should be taken seriously. In conclusion, this bill is a necessary
step in ensuring that our students are prepared for the future. By
requiring a computer science course in high school, we are giving our
students the skills they need to succeed in the 21st century.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect July 1, 2026; provided, however, that para-
graphs g and h of subdivision 2 of section 817 of the education law as
added by section one of this act shall expire and be deemed repealed on
July 1, 2030. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of
this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed
on or before such effective date.

2023-S6120 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6120
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 30, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. MARTINEZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing a comput-
   er science graduation requirement; and providing  for  the  repeal  of
   certain provisions of such law relating thereto

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 817 to
 read as follows:
   § 817. INSTRUCTION  IN  COMPUTER  SCIENCE.  1.  DEFINITIONS.  FOR  THE
 PURPOSES  OF  THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEAN-
 INGS:
   A. "COMPUTER SCIENCE" MEANS THE STUDY  OF  COMPUTERS  AND  ALGORITHMIC
 PROCESSES,  INCLUDING  THEIR  PRINCIPLES, HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE DESIGNS,
 IMPLEMENTATION, AND IMPACT ON SOCIETY.
   B. "COMPUTER SCIENCE COURSE" MEANS A COURSE  AT  THE  MIDDLE  OR  HIGH
 SCHOOL  LEVEL  THAT TEACHES COMPUTER SCIENCE AS A STANDALONE IMPLEMENTA-
 TION OR, FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL, EMBEDDED IN OTHER SUBJECTS.
   2. COMPUTER SCIENCE GRADUATION REQUIREMENT. A.  STUDENTS  ENROLLED  IN
 HIGH SCHOOL SHALL BE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE ONE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL COMPUTER
 SCIENCE  COURSE  IN  ORDER  TO RECEIVE A DIPLOMA OF GRADUATION FROM HIGH
 SCHOOL.
   B. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ADOPT A  LIST  OF  APPROVED  COMPUTER  SCIENCE
 COURSES  NO  LATER THAN JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX, WHICH SHALL
 BE MADE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE ON THE  DEPARTMENT'S  WEBSITE.  SUCH  COURSES
 SHALL  INCLUDE  INSTRUCTION  ON  COMPUTER  SCIENCE,  INCLUDING  TEACHING
 STUDENTS HOW TO USE EXISTING TECHNOLOGIES AND HOW TO CREATE NEW TECHNOL-
 OGIES. SUCH COURSES SHALL MEET OR EXCEED THE HIGH SCHOOL  STANDARDS  AND
 CURRICULUM  REQUIREMENTS  ESTABLISHED BY THE RESPECTIVE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
 SUCH COURSES SHALL BE TAKEN IN MIDDLE OR HIGH SCHOOL GRADES TO MEET  THE
 REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD08199-02-3

 S. 6120                             2
 
   C. A COMPUTER SCIENCE COURSE OFFERED BY A PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL OR PUBLIC
 CHARTER  SCHOOL  SHALL BE OFFERED IN AN IN-PERSON SETTING; PROVIDED THAT
 SUCH COURSE SHALL BE OFFERED AS A VIRTUAL OR DISTANCE COURSE OPTION ONLY
 WHEN A TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM SETTING IS NOT FEASIBLE, AS  DETERMINED  BY
 THE RESPECTIVE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
   D.  THE  COMPUTER  SCIENCE  COURSES REQUIRED BY THIS SECTION MAY ADDI-
 TIONALLY FULFILL EXISTING GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS FOR A SCHOOL DISTRICT,
 AS DETERMINED BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF SUCH SCHOOL DISTRICT.
   E. BEGINNING JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SEVEN AND  ON  OR  BEFORE
 EACH  FIRST OF JULY THEREAFTER, EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL SUBMIT TO THE
 DEPARTMENT A REPORT FOR THE PRIOR ACADEMIC YEAR WHICH SHALL INCLUDE, BUT
 NOT BE LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING:
   (I) THE NAMES AND COURSE CODES OF COMPUTER SCIENCE COURSES OFFERED  IN
 EACH  SCHOOL,  INCLUDING  COURSE  DESCRIPTIONS  AND WHICH STATE COMPUTER
 SCIENCE STANDARDS ARE COVERED, TO THE EXTENT SUCH INFORMATION IS  AVAIL-
 ABLE; AND
   (II) THE NUMBER OF COMPUTER SCIENCE INSTRUCTORS AT EACH SCHOOL, DISAG-
 GREGATED BY:
   (A) CERTIFICATION, IF APPLICABLE;
   (B) GENDER;
   (C) RACE AND ETHNICITY; AND
   (D) HIGHEST ACADEMIC DEGREE.
   F. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL POST PUBLICLY ON ITS WEBSITE ON OR BEFORE JULY
 FIRST,  TWO  THOUSAND  TWENTY-EIGHT  AND ON OR BEFORE EACH FIRST OF JULY
 THEREAFTER THE DATA RECEIVED PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH E  OF  THIS  SUBDIVI-
 SION.  THE DATA RECEIVED PURSUANT TO SUBPARAGRAPH (II) OF PARAGRAPH H OF
 THIS  SUBDIVISION SHALL BE DISAGGREGATED BY SCHOOL. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL
 PUBLISH A LIST OF COMPUTER SCIENCE COURSE  CODES  AND  NAMES,  INCLUDING
 COURSE  DESCRIPTIONS  AND  WHICH  COURSES  ALIGN  TO  THE STATE COMPUTER
 SCIENCE STANDARDS UNDER THIS SECTION.
   G. (I)  BEGINNING  JULY  FIRST,  TWO  THOUSAND  TWENTY-SIX,  A  SCHOOL
 DISTRICT  MAY SUBMIT A SIGNED NOTIFICATION TO THE DEPARTMENT THAT CERTI-
 FIES A COMPUTER SCIENCE COURSE WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR  STUDENTS  ENROLLED
 IN  SUCH  SCHOOL DISTRICT TO FULFILL THE REQUIREMENT OF THIS SECTION. IF
 SUCH SIGNED NOTIFICATION IS SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT,  SUCH  REQUIRE-
 MENT SHALL BE WAIVED FOR STUDENTS ENROLLED IN SUCH SCHOOL DISTRICT.
   (II) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL MAINTAIN A LIST OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT
 SUBMIT  SIGNED  NOTIFICATIONS PURSUANT TO SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS PARA-
 GRAPH.
   H. (I) BEGINNING JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX,  A  STUDENT  MAY
 SUBMIT  A  WAIVER,  WHICH  SHALL  BE DEVELOPED BY THE DEPARTMENT, TO THE
 SCHOOL DISTRICT IN WHICH SUCH STUDENT IS ENROLLED IN THE EVENT THAT SUCH
 STUDENT IS UNABLE TO COMPLETE THE COMPUTER  SCIENCE  COURSE  REQUIREMENT
 FOR  GRADUATION  UNDER  THIS  SECTION.  IF SUCH WAIVER IS SUBMITTED TO A
 SCHOOL DISTRICT, SUCH REQUIREMENT SHALL BE WAIVED FOR THE  STUDENT  THAT
 SUBMITTED  SUCH WAIVER. EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL SUBMIT ALL SUCH WAIV-
 ERS RECEIVED FROM STUDENTS TO THE DEPARTMENT.
   (II) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ANNUALLY PUBLISH THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS  WHO
 SUBMIT WAIVERS PURSUANT TO SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH.
   3.  STATE  COMPUTER  SCIENCE SUPERVISOR POSITION. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL
 CREATE A COMPUTER SCIENCE SUPERVISOR  POSITION  WITHIN  THE  DEPARTMENT.
 SUCH  COMPUTER SCIENCE SUPERVISOR SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE COMMISSIONER
 AND SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR EFFECTUATING THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION
 WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING THE DEVELOPMENT AND  IMPLEMENTATION  OF
 APPROVED COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION COURSES PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.
 S. 6120                             3
 
   §  2. Subdivision 4 of section 3004 of the education law is amended by
 adding a new paragraph c to read as follows:
   C. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ENSURE THAT TEACHER PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS
 ON  AND  AFTER JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-EIGHT, AND ANY PROGRAM OF
 TEACHER PREPARATION LEADING TO PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION SHALL  INCLUDE
 INSTRUCTION IN COMPUTER SCIENCE AND INSTRUCTION IN INFORMATION TECHNOLO-
 GY  SKILLS AS APPLIED TO STUDENT LEARNING AND CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION THAT
 ARE GRADE-LEVEL AND SUBJECT AREA APPROPRIATE AND THAT:
   (I) CLARIFY THE CONCEPTUAL FOUNDATIONS OF COMPUTER SCIENCE;
   (II) TEACH RESEARCH-BASED PRACTICES, INCLUDING HANDS-ON  AND  INQUIRY-
 BASED LEARNING; AND
   (III)  ARE  INTENDED FOR EXISTING TEACHERS WITH OR WITHOUT PRIOR EXPO-
 SURE TO COMPUTER SCIENCE.
   § 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026; provided, however,  that
 paragraphs  g and h of subdivision 2 of section 817 of the education law
 as added by section one of this act shall expire and be deemed  repealed
 on  July  1, 2030. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary  for  the  implementation  of
 this  act  on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed
 on or before such effective date.

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Senate Bill S6120

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

2023-S6120 (ACTIVE) - Details

2023-S6120 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2023-S6120 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S6120 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S6120

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Sponsored By

Monica R. Martinez

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

2023-S6120 (ACTIVE) - Details

2023-S6120 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2023-S6120 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S6120 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments