II 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 671 

To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to strengthen elementary and secondary computer science education, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 4, 2015 

Mr. CASEY (for himself and Mr. RUBIO) introduced the following bill; which 

was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, 

Labor, and Pensions 

A BILL 

To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 

of 1965 to strengthen elementary and secondary computer science education, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Computer Science 

5 Education and Jobs Act of 2015’’. 

6 SEC. 2. REFERENCES. 

7 Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in 

8 this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms 

9 of an amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other proviVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:33 Mar 12, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S671.IS S671

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1 sion, the reference shall be considered to be made to a 

2 section or other provision of the Elementary and Sec3 ondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.). 

4 SEC. 3. COMPUTER SCIENCE DEFINITIONS. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 9101 (20 U.S.C. 7801) 

6 is amended— 

7 (1) by redesignating paragraphs (7) through 

8 (10), (11), and (34) through (43) as paragraphs (8) 

9 through (11), (34), and (35) through (44), respec10 tively, and by moving paragraph (34) (as so redesig11 nated) to follow paragraph (33); 

12 (2) by inserting after paragraph (6) the fol13 lowing: 

14 ‘‘(7) COMPUTER SCIENCE.—The term ‘com15 puter science’ means the study of computers and al16 gorithmic processes and includes the study of com17 puting principles, computer hardware, software de18 sign, computer applications, and the impact of com19 puters on society.’’; 

20 (3) in paragraph (34), as redesignated by para21 graph (1)— 

22 (A) in the paragraph heading, by striking 

23 ‘‘CORE ACADEMIC’’ and inserting ‘‘PRIORITY’’; 

24 (B) by striking ‘‘core academic’’ and in25 serting ‘‘priority’’; and 


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1 (C) by striking ‘‘and geography’’ and in2 serting ‘‘geography, and computer science’’; and 

3 (4) in paragraph (35)(A), as redesignated by 

4 paragraph (1)— 

5 (A) in clause (i), by inserting ‘‘(including 

6 computer science)’’ after ‘‘academic subjects’’; 

7 and 

8 (B) in clause (xi), by striking ‘‘core aca9 demic subjects’’ and inserting ‘‘priority sub10 jects’’. 

11 (b) CONFORMING AND TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.— 

12 The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 

13 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) is amended— 

14 (1) in each of sections 1112(g)(4), 

15 1603(b)(2)(B), 2113(c)(4), 2403(2)(A)(i)(I), 

16 2415(3)(C), 3231(c)(2), 3302(e)(1)(B)(ii), and 

17 7121(c)(1)(B), by striking ‘‘core academic subjects’’ 

18 and inserting ‘‘priority subjects’’; 

19 (2) in each of sections 1116(b)(3)(A), 

20 1119(a)(2), 2123(a), 2134(a), 2416(a), 3102, 

21 3115(c), and 4201, by striking ‘‘core academic sub22 jects’’ each place the term appears and inserting 

23 ‘‘priority subjects’’. 


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1 SEC. 4. EXPANDING ACCESS TO ADVANCED PLACEMENT 

2 COMPUTER SCIENCE. 

3 Section 1705(c)(4) (20 U.S.C. 6535(c)(4)) is amend4 ed by striking ‘‘and science’’ and inserting ‘‘science, and 

5 computer science’’. 

6 SEC. 5. COMPUTER SCIENCE IN STATE PLANS AND STATE 

7 REPORT CARDS. 

8 (a) STATE PLANS AND STATE REPORT CARDS.—Sec9 tion 1111 (20 U.S.C. 6311) is amended— 

10 (1) in subsection (b)— 

11 (A) in paragraph (1)(E), by inserting ‘‘, 

12 including computer science,’’ after ‘‘For the 

13 subjects’’; and 

14 (B) in paragraph (8)— 

15 (i) in subparagraph (D), by striking 

16 ‘‘and’’ at the end; 

17 (ii) in subparagraph (E), by striking 

18 the period at the end and inserting ‘‘; 

19 and’’; and 

20 (iii) by adding at the end the fol21 lowing: 

22 ‘‘(F) how the State educational agency 

23 shall consider including computer science in 

24 academic standards, academic accountability, 

25 and assessments under subsection (b).’’; and 


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1 (2) in subsection (h)(1), by adding at the end 

2 the following: 

3 ‘‘(E) WORKFORCE NEEDS INFORMATION.— 

4 The State shall include, in the State report 

5 card, a description of the 10 most in-demand 

6 occupations in the State for the most recent 

7 year for which data are available, and how the 

8 subjects being taught in the public elementary 

9 schools and secondary schools of the State are 

10 exposing students to knowledge and skills that 

11 are or will be in demand in the State and local 

12 workforces.’’. 

13 (b) HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS.—Section 

14 1119(a)(2) (20 U.S.C. 6319(a)(2)) is amended by striking 

15 the period after ‘‘school year’’ and inserting ‘‘, except that 

16 computer science teachers shall be highly qualified not 

17 later than the end of the 2016–2017 school year.’’. 

18 SEC. 6. COMPUTER SCIENCE IN MATHEMATICS AND 

19 SCIENCE PARTNERSHIPS. 

20 (a) SUBPART HEADING.—Part B of title II (20 

21 U.S.C. 6661 et seq.) is amended by inserting after the 

22 part heading the following new subpart heading: 

23 ‘‘Subpart 1—Partnership Grants’’. 

24 (b) PURPOSES AND DEFINITIONS.— 


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1 (1) Section 2201(a)(3) (20 U.S.C. 6661(a)(3)) 

2 is amended by striking ‘‘and engineers’’ and insert3 ing ‘‘engineers, computer science professionals, and 

4 informatics professionals’’. 

5 (2) Section 2201(b) (20 U.S.C. 6661(b)) is 

6 amended— 

7 (A) in paragraph (1)— 

8 (i) in subparagraph (A)(ii), by strik9 ing ‘‘or science’’ and inserting ‘‘science, 

10 informatics, or computer science’’; and 

11 (ii) in subparagraph (B)(i), by insert12 ing ‘‘informatics, computer science,’’ after 

13 ‘‘science,’’; 

14 (B) by redesignating paragraph (2) as 

15 paragraph (3); and 

16 (C) by inserting after paragraph (1) the 

17 following: 

18 ‘‘(2) MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE.—Except 

19 when used in subsections (b)(2)(B) and (c)(3)(A)(ii) 

20 of section 2202, the term ‘mathematics and science’ 

21 means science, technology, engineering, mathe22 matics, and computer science.’’. 

23 (c) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.— 

24 (1) Section 2202(c) (20 U.S.C. 6662(c)) is 

25 amended— 


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1 (A) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘and 

2 science’’ and inserting ‘‘science, informatics, 

3 and computer science’’; 

4 (B) in each of subparagraphs (A), (C), and 

5 (D) of paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘or science’’ 

6 and inserting ‘‘science, informatics, or computer 

7 science’’; 

8 (C) in paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘and 

9 science.’’ at the end and inserting ‘‘, science, 

10 computer science, and informatics.’’; 

11 (D) in paragraph (8), by striking ‘‘and en12 gineers’’ and inserting ‘‘engineers, computer 

13 science professionals, and informatics profes14 sionals’’; and 

15 (E) in paragraph (10), by striking ‘‘engi16 neering and technology’’ and inserting 

17 ‘‘informatics’’. 

18 (2) Section 2202(e)(2)(C) (20 U.S.C. 

19 6662(e)(2)(C)) is amended— 

20 (A) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘or the 

21 sciences’’ and inserting ‘‘the sciences, 

22 informatics, or computer science’’; and 

23 (B) in clause (iii), by striking ‘‘engineer24 ing, and science.’’ and inserting ‘‘engineering, 

25 science, informatics, and computer science.’’ 


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1 (d) CONFORMING AND TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.— 

2 (1) The table of contents in section 2 is amend3 ed by inserting after the item relating to the heading 

4 to part B of title II the following: 

‘‘Subpart 1—Partnership Grants’’. 

5 (2) Section 2201 (20 U.S.C. 6661) is amend6 ed— 

7 (A) in subsection (a), in the matter pre8 ceding paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘part’’ and 

9 inserting ‘‘subpart’’; and 

10 (B) in subsection (b), in the matter pre11 ceding paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘part’’ and 

12 inserting ‘‘subpart’’. 

13 (3) Section 2202 (20 U.S.C. 6662) is amend14 ed— 

15 (A) in subsection (a)— 

16 (i) in each of subparagraphs (B) and 

17 (C) of paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘part’’ 

18 and inserting ‘‘subpart’’; 

19 (ii) in paragraph (3), by striking 

20 ‘‘part’’ and inserting ‘‘subpart’’; and 

21 (iii) in paragraph (4), by striking 

22 ‘‘part’’ and inserting ‘‘subpart’’ each place 

23 the term appears; 


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1 (B) in each of paragraphs (1) and (2)(E) 

2 of subsection (b), by striking ‘‘part’’ and insert3 ing ‘‘subpart’’; 

4 (C) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘part’’ 

5 and inserting ‘‘subpart’’; 

6 (D) in each of paragraphs (1) and (2) of 

7 subsection (d), by striking ‘‘part’’ and inserting 

8 ‘‘subpart’’; 

9 (E) in subsection (e)(1), by striking ‘‘part’’ 

10 and inserting ‘‘subpart’’ each place the term 

11 appears; and 

12 (F) in subsection (f), by striking ‘‘part’’ 

13 and inserting ‘‘subpart’’. 

14 (4) Section 2203 (20 U.S.C. 6663) is amended 

15 by striking ‘‘part’’ and inserting ‘‘subpart’’. 

16 SEC. 7. EXPANDING TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAMS 

17 FOR COMPUTER SCIENCE TEACHERS. 

18 (a) COMPUTER SCIENCE MODEL TEACHER PREPA19 RATION PROGRAM.—Part B of title II (20 U.S.C. 6661 

20 et seq.), as amended by section 6, is further amended by 

21 adding at the end the following: 


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1 ‘‘Subpart 2—Model Teacher Preparation Program 

2 ‘‘SEC. 2211. COMPUTER SCIENCE MODEL TEACHER PREPA3 RATION PROGRAM. 

4 ‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary is authorized 

5 to award grants, on a competitive basis, to institutions of 

6 higher education to improve training for elementary school 

7 and secondary school computer science teachers. 

8 ‘‘(b) ELIGIBILITY.—The Secretary may award a 

9 grant under this section to an institution of higher edu10 cation that— 

11 ‘‘(1) has, at minimum— 

12 ‘‘(A) a program in teacher education; and 

13 ‘‘(B) a program in computer science or 

14 informatics; and 

15 ‘‘(2) submits an application at such time, in 

16 such form, and containing such information and as17 surances as the Secretary may require. 

18 ‘‘(c) USE OF FUNDS.—An institution of higher edu19 cation that receives a grant under the section shall use 

20 the grant funds to carry out not less than 1 of the fol21 lowing activities: 

22 ‘‘(1) Develop courses for undergraduate stu23 dents that— 

24 ‘‘(A) prepare such students to teach com25 puter science in elementary schools and sec26 ondary schools; 


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1 ‘‘(B) address content and pedagogy in 

2 informatics or computer science education; and 

3 ‘‘(C) engage the teacher education depart4 ment and other relevant departments at the in5 stitution of higher education. 

6 ‘‘(2) Develop and fund teacher mentoring pro7 grams to support elementary school and secondary 

8 school computer science teachers who are new to the 

9 profession. 

10 ‘‘(d) DURATION OF GRANTS.—Each grant awarded 

11 by the Secretary under this section shall be for a period 

12 of 5 years. 

13 ‘‘(e) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the 

14 conclusion of the grant period described under subsection 

15 (d), an institution of higher education that receives a 

16 grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary and 

17 Congress a report that— 

18 ‘‘(1) identifies the number of teachers served 

19 under the grant; 

20 ‘‘(2) identifies the number of teachers described 

21 in paragraph (1) who obtain a teaching position in 

22 a computer science classroom; and 

23 ‘‘(3) evaluates the activities carried out under 

24 this section.’’. 


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1 (b) TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 

2 in section 2 is amended by inserting before the item relat3 ing to part C of title II the following: 

‘‘Subpart 2—Model Teacher Preparation Program 

‘‘Sec. 2211. Computer science model teacher preparation program.’’. 

4 SEC. 8. COMPUTER SCIENCE IN THE ROBERT NOYCE 

5 TEACHER SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. 

6 Section 10 of the National Science Foundation Au7 thorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n–1) is amend8 ed— 

9 (1) by striking ‘‘and mathematics’’ and insert10 ing ‘‘mathematics, informatics, and computer 

11 science’’ in each place the term appears; 

12 (2) in subsection (a)(3)(B), by striking ‘‘or 

13 mathematics’’ and inserting ‘‘mathematics, 

14 informatics, and computer science’’; 

15 (3) in each of subsections (b)(1)(D)(i), 

16 (c)(1)(A), (d)(1), by striking ‘‘or mathematics’’ and 

17 inserting ‘‘mathematics, informatics, or computer 

18 science’’; and 

19 (4) in subsection (i)— 

20 (A) in paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘or 

21 mathematics’’ and inserting ‘‘mathematics, or 

22 computer science’’; and 

23 (B) in paragraph (7), by striking ‘‘or 

24 mathematics’’ each place the term appears and 


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1 inserting ‘‘mathematics, informatics, or com2 puter science’’. 

Æ 


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