BILL NUMBER: AB 1258 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE JULY 8, 2015
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 6, 2015
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 21, 2015
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 26, 2015
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Chau
FEBRUARY 27, 2015
An act to add and repeal Chapter 13.5 (commencing with Section
52975) of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code,
relating to elementary and secondary education.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1258, as amended, Chau. Elementary and secondary education:
Computer Science Education Grant Pilot Program.
Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and
secondary schools in this state, and authorizes school districts and
other local educational agencies to provide instruction to pupils in
kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive. Existing law establishes
a course of study for pupils in these grades.
This bill would establish the Computer Science Education Grant
Pilot Program under the administration of the Superintendent of
Public Instruction. Under the program, eligible school
districts local educational agencies, as defined,
could apply to receive one-year grants under either or
both of the 2 competitive grant pilot programs. One pilot program,
the Computer Science Start-Up Courses Grant Pilot Program, would
provide grants grants, not to exceed 2 years, to
establish and maintain computer science courses in underserved areas
and among pupils from groups historically underrepresented in the
field of computer science, and the other grant pilot
program, the Computer Science Educator Training Grant Pilot Program,
would to provide professional development for
educators teachers to teach computer
science, either as a stand-alone course or as integrated into other
courses.
The bill would authorize any school district
local educational agency in the state to apply for
participation in the pilot programs. program.
The bill would specify minimum criteria to be applied by the
Superintendent in evaluating applicant school districts
local educational agencies for possible
participation in the pilot programs, program,
and authorize the Superintendent to convene an
advisory group of consult with computer science
experts to discuss and refine these criteria, as specified.
The bill would establish the Computer Science Education Grant
Matching Account in the State Treasury. The bill would authorize the
State Treasury to receive, and deposit into the account, any gifts,
grants, or donations received for purposes of the bill from
the federal government or private persons or entities. The
bill would require school districts local
educational agencies receiving grants under the bill to provide
local matching resources, which may include in-kind donations,
constituting an amount equaling the amount that would be allocated to
the school district local educational agency
from the Computer Science Education Grant Matching Account.
The bill would express the intent of the Legislature that no moneys
from the state General Fund be used to fund the grant pilot
programs program established by the bill.
The bill would provide that the funds deposited in the account
would be available, upon appropriation in the annual Budget Act or in
another statute, to the Superintendent for purposes of the bill,
provided that the Superintendent certifies, in writing, to the
Director of Finance that there are sufficient funds, as defined, in
the account to implement the bill. The bill would limit expenditures
from the account to cover administrative costs to the State
Department of Education to no more than 5% of the allocations
made from the account in any fiscal year. The bill would authorize
the Superintendent to refund to the donor all or a portion of any
gift, grant, or donation made to the account by that donor if the
funds received from that donor have not been encumbered because there
are surplus funds in the account or because this provision has not
become operative.
The bill would require the Superintendent to submit an annual
report, containing specified data about the grant program, to the
Governor and the Legislature on or before January 10, 2018, and on or
before January 10 in 2019, 2020, and 2021.
The provisions of the bill would become inoperative on July 1,
2021, and would be repealed as of January 1, 2022.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all
of the following:
(a) Computing is truly a 21st century skill; computer science
exposure, when rooted in culturally relevant instruction and rigorous
standards, has the potential to foster critical inquiry and develop
problem-solving abilities that transcend the study of computer
science and are highly relevant for all fields of study.
(1) Broad and coordinated efforts are needed to reverse
disparities in computer science access, particularly for
underrepresented pupils across the State of California.
(2) Reducing disparities in access to computer science coursework
requires state-, district-, school-, and community-level funding and
policy commitments.
(3) Computer science course availability is also low within the
largest California school districts, most of which serve high
populations of pupils of color and low-income pupils. According to a
report issued in May 2015:
(A) Ten out of the largest 20 school districts in California do
not offer Advanced Placement computer science.
(B) Five out of the largest 20 school districts in California do
not offer any computer science courses.
(C) Of the 560,874 high school pupils in the largest 20 California
school districts, less than 2 percent (8,136 pupils) are enrolled in
any computer science course.
(b) The local control funding formula was enacted in July 2013
(Chapter 47 of the Statutes of 2013).
(1) Previously, more than 40 state categorical programs provided
restricted state dollars that school districts could use for only
certain activities.
(2) The local control funding formula removed spending
restrictions and established grade span-specific base rates.
(3) School districts also receive supplemental and concentration
funding for unduplicated counts of pupils who are classified as being
English learners or low-income, based on eligibility for a free or
reduced-price meal, or foster youths.
(c) For the reasons indicated above, this act keeps with the
spirit of local control by developing state-level and district-level
funding strategies to increase access to both introductory and
advanced placement computer science coursework across all California
local educational agencies. Further, it expands and strengthens the
state's computing teacher workforce by providing funds for
professional development on this subject.
(d) This act tries to remedy these inequities by allowing, but not
requiring, local educational agencies to use their local control
funding formula allocations so they can receive matching grant funds
to establish, maintain, and expand computer science courses, and to
provide professional development for these purposes under the
Computer Science Education Grant Pilot Program. These matching grant
funds will be supplied by private contributions and donations,
specifically from technology industries.
SECTION 1. SEC. 2. Chapter 13.5
(commencing with Section 52975) is added to Part 28 of Division 4 of
Title 2 of the Education Code, to read:
CHAPTER 13.5. COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION GRANT PILOT PROGRAM
Article 1. General Provisions
52975. (a) (1) The Superintendent shall
establish a public-private computer science education grant pilot
program program, the Computer Science
Education Grant Pilot Program, through which a participating
school district local educational agency
may receive funding to establish and maintain
expand computer science courses
courses, to maintain computer science courses
previously established or expanded under this program, and
to provide professional development for educators
teachers to teach computer science, either as a
stand-alone course or as integrated into other courses. Any
school district local educational agency may
apply for participation in this grant pilot program. The
grant pilot program shall consist of two parts, the Computer Science
Start-Up Courses Grant Pilot Program and the Computer Science
Educator Training Grant Pilot Program, and school districts may apply
for participation in either or both of those two pilot programs.
(2) For purposes of this chapter, "local educational agency" shall
have the same meaning as in Section 421, as that section read on
July 1, 2015.
(b) The Superintendent shall provide notice of this pilot program
to all school districts local educational
agencies throughout the state, and encourage them to apply for
participation in this grant pilot program.
(c) The Superintendent shall award one-year grants
grants, not to exceed two years in duration, to
school districts local educational agencies
under this chapter to applicants he or she deems to be
eligible. A school district local educational
agency that receives a grant under this chapter may apply for a
grant in a subsequent year, but grants under this chapter shall not
be automatically renewed for an additional year.
year or years. The Superintendent shall not award any
grant under this chapter unless the Superintendent determines that
there are sufficient moneys in the Computer Science Education Grant
Matching Account established under Article 3 (commencing with Section
52978) to fund that grant. In order to be deemed eligible for the
grant pilot program, a school district, local
educational agency, at a minimum, shall meet all
at least two of the following criteria:
(1) Demonstrate engaged and committed leadership in support of
introducing pupils who would not otherwise have these opportunities
to study computer science.
(2) Demonstrate a plan to engage these pupils with the subject
matter of computer science.
(3) Demonstrate that school district
certificated staff of the local educational agency
are appropriately trained to carry out the plan.
(4) Demonstrate the capacity to maximize the use of grant
resources by addressing the availability of appropriate physical
space and technology, projected enrollment, and other specific
requirements set forth by the Superintendent.
(5) Demonstrate a history of successful partnerships within the
community and partner support for computer science. Partnership
support may include, but is not necessarily limited to, supplying
materials or technology, instruction support, internships,
mentorships, and apprenticeships.
(6) Demonstrate the capacity to continue in the school years
succeeding the initial grant year. year or
years.
(d) The Superintendent may convene an advisory group of
consult with computer science experts to discuss
and refine the eligibility criteria listed in subdivision (c). For
purposes of this subdivision, the Superintendent may use the same
group of computer science experts selected pursuant to Section
60605.4.
52975.5. This chapter shall become inoperative on July 1, 2021,
and, as of January 1, 2022, is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that becomes operative on or before January 1, 2022, deletes
or extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is
repealed.
Article 2. Computer Science Start-Up Courses Grant
and Computer Science Educator Training Education
Grant Pilot Programs Program Provisions
52976. (a) The Computer Science Start-up Courses
Education Grant Pilot Program is a competitive
grant program that is intended to support innovative
both of the following:
(1) Innovative ways to introduce
pupils in underserved areas and pupils from groups historically
underrepresented in the field of computer science who would not
otherwise have those opportunities to study computer
science and inspire them to enter computer science careers.
(2) Professional development for teachers to acquire the knowledge
and skills necessary to teach computer science, either as a
stand-alone course or as integrated into other courses.
(b) In awarding grants under this section, the Superintendent
shall give priority to applicant school districts
local educational agencies with higher percentages of
unduplicated pupils, as defined in Section 42238.02, and, as much as
feasible, shall award grants to school districts
local educational agencies that collectively represent the
geographic and socioeconomic diversity of this state. An applicant
for a grant under this section shall submit a specific plan
plan, developed in consultation with teachers employed
by the applicant local educational agency, for an
introductory computer either, or both, of the
following:
(1) A computer science course
designed to be of maximum value in meeting the particular needs of
the pupils of that school district, local
educational agency, including pupils from groups historically
underrepresented in the field of computer science.
(2) Professional development for teachers employed by that local
educational agency to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to
teach computer science to that local educational agency's pupils,
either as a stand-alone course or as integrated into other courses.
(c) Grant funds awarded under this section may be used for
one-time purposes associated with the costs of
establishing or expanding computer science courses, or
maintaining computer science courses that were previously established
or expanded under this program, including teacher
recruitment, professional development, instructional
materials, laboratory supplies and equipment, and facilities
remodeling. hardware, software, and firmware, and to
fund professional develo pment related to computer science
education for participating teachers in accordance with the
submitted plan.
(d) The grant application for this program shall be on a form
developed by the Superintendent and shall include, at a minimum, an
itemized budget for the one-time use of the grant
funds, an identification of local matching resources constituting an
amount equaling the amount that would be allocated to the
school district local educational agency from
the Computer Science Education Grant Matching Account established by
Section 52978, and an agreement by the grant recipient to provide the
Superintendent the data needed to complete the report required by
Section 52979.
52977. (a) The Computer Science Educator Training Grant Pilot
Program is intended to support professional development for educators
to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to teach computer
science, either as a stand-alone course or as integrated into other
courses. The Superintendent shall award training grants, on a
competitive basis, to school districts for the support of educators
employed by applicant school districts.
(b) In awarding grants under this section, the Superintendent
shall give priority to applicant school districts with higher
percentages of unduplicated pupils, as defined in Section 42238.02,
and, as much as feasible, shall award grants to school districts that
collectively represent the geographic and socioeconomic diversity of
this state. An applicant for a grant under this section shall submit
a specific plan, developed in consultation with teachers employed by
the applicant school district, for professional development for
educators employed by that school district to acquire the knowledge
and skills necessary to teach computer science to that school
district's pupils, either as a stand-alone course or as integrated
into other courses. Grant funds awarded under this section shall be
allocated to fund professional development related to computer
science education for the participating educators.
(c) The grant application for this program shall be on a form
developed by the Superintendent and shall include, at a minimum, an
itemized budget for the one-time use of the grant funds, an
identification of local matching resources constituting an amount
equaling the amount that would be allocated to the school district
from the Computer Science Education Grant Matching Account
established by Section 52978, and an agreement by the grant recipient
to provide the Superintendent the data needed to complete the report
required by Section 52979.
Article 3. Funding and Reporting
52978. (a) The Computer Science Education Grant Matching Account
is established in the State Treasury. This account shall be used
solely and exclusively for the pilot programs
program created in this chapter. The purpose of the account is
to provide matching funds for the Computer
Science Start-Up Courses Grant and the Computer Science
Educator Training Education Grant pilot
programs Pilot Program established under
Article 2 (commencing with Section 52976). Grants under this chapter,
and related administrative costs, shall be funded by a combination
of funds from the account and matching funds provided by a
participating school district. local
educational agency. A school district
local educational agency that receives a grant under this
chapter shall provide local matching resources, which may include
in-kind donations, constituting an amount equaling the amount that
would be allocated to the school district
local educational agency from the Computer Science Education
Grant Matching Account. It is the intent of the Legislature that no
moneys from the state General Fund be used to fund the grant pilot
programs program established by this
chapter.
(b) Notwithstanding any other law, the State Treasury is
authorized to receive, and deposit into the account, any gifts,
grants, or donations received for purposes of this chapter from
the federal government or private persons or
entities. Expenditures from the account, with respect to a particular
grant, shall not exceed the amount of corresponding matching funds.
52978.5. (a) The funds deposited in the Computer Science
Education Grant Matching Account shall be available, upon
appropriation in the annual Budget Act or in another statute, to the
Superintendent for purposes of funding the grants established under
this chapter, and covering related costs, and
returning unencumbered administrative costs to the
department. Unencumbered funds shall be returned to
their initial donors pursuant to subdivision (b). The
administrative costs of the implementation of this chapter shall be
kept to a minimum, and in no event shall expenditures from the
account to cover administrative costs to the department
exceed 5 percent of the allocations made from the account in any
fiscal year.
(b) The Superintendent is authorized to refund to the donor all or
a portion of any gift, grant, or donation made to the account by
that donor if the funds received from the donor have not been
encumbered because the Superintendent has determined that there are
surplus funds in the account or because, pursuant to subdivision (c),
this section has not become operative.
(c) This section shall not become operative unless and until the
Superintendent certifies, in writing, to the Director of Finance that
there are sufficient funds in the account to implement this chapter.
For purposes of this section, "sufficient funds" is defined as an
amount sufficient to support at least two grants and the
associated administrative costs to the department in
one of the programs program
established by this chapter.
52979. The Superintendent shall submit an annual report to the
Governor and the Legislature on the programs established under this
chapter. This report shall be submitted on or before January 10,
2018, and on or before January 10 in 2019, 2020, and 2021, in
compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code. The report shall
include, but not necessarily be limited to, all of the following
data:
(a) The number of applicants and grants awarded
annually.
(b) The number of pupil participants annually.
annually, the number of unduplicated pupils, as
defined in Section 42238.02, and pupils from groups historically
underrepresented in the field of computer science, who have taken a
computer science course, or have taken a computer science course with
a teacher trained as a result of this program, and to the extent
available, any increase in the number of pupils who enroll or intend
to enroll in computer science programs at postsecondary educational
institutions.
(c) The increase in the number of courses offered and teachers
trained in computer science as a result of the grants made under this
chapter.
(d) (1) For the Computer Science Start-up Courses Grant Pilot
Program, the increase in the number of pupils, including unduplicated
pupils as defined pursuant to Section 42238.02 and pupils from
groups historically underrepresented in the field of computer
science, who have taken a computer science course, and to the extent
available, any increase in the number of pupils who enroll or intend
to enroll in computer science programs at postsecondary educational
institutions.
(2) For the Computer Science Educator Training Grant Pilot
Program, the increase in the number of pupils, including unduplicated
pupils as defined pursuant to Section 42238.02 and pupils from
groups historically underrepresented in the field of computer
science, who have taken a course with an educator trained as a result
of this program.
(e)
(d) The amount of grant funds awarded each fiscal year,
classified by school district. local
educational agency.