I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4174 
To authorize the Secretary of Education to carry out a program to increase 
access to prekindergarten through grade 12 computer science education. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 15, 2023 
Ms. LEE of California (for herself, Mr. FLEISCHMANN, Mr. BOWMAN, Mr. 
LARSON of Connecticut, Ms. DELBENE, Mr. EVANS, Ms. CHU, Ms. 
KELLY of Illinois, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, and Ms. CASTOR of Florida) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To authorize the Secretary of Education to carry out a 
program to increase access to prekindergarten through 
grade 12 computer science education. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Computer Science for 
All Act of 2023’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) Computer science is transforming industry, 
creating new fields of commerce, driving innovation, 
and bolstering productivity. By 2029, computer 
science and information jobs are expected to grow by 
11 percent, faster than the average of any other oc-
cupation. 
(2) However, as of 2019, the more than 
900,000 computing and tech jobs unfilled in the 
United States suggests that our students are not 
being prepared to meet the demands of a 21st cen-
tury economy. It is projected that there will be 
8,000,000 new jobs in the technology sector by 2028 
and 3,500,000 computing-related jobs by 2026, how-
ever, the current state of computer science education 
will only prepare enough computer science profes-
sionals to fill 19 percent of these jobs. 
(3) Knowledge of computer science and use of 
technology is increasingly essential for all individ-
uals, not just those working or planning to work in 
the technology sector. 
(4) Providing students with computer science 
education in elementary school and secondary school 
is critical for student success, and strengthening the 
workforce of a 21st century economy. 
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(5) While an estimated 90 percent of parents 
want computer science taught in their children’s 
schools, just 45 percent of all elementary schools 
and secondary schools offer high-quality computer 
science instruction that includes programming and 
coding. 
(6) Black and Hispanic workers in the science 
and engineering workforce continue to be underrep-
resented. Black employees represent 13 percent of 
the United States workforce, but only 5.6 percent of 
the science and engineering workforce. Hispanic em-
ployees represent 17 percent of the United States 
workforce, but only 7.5 percent of the science and 
engineering workforce. 
(7) While underrepresented minority students 
overall face an opportunity gap in STEAM edu-
cation, women of color particularly face an achieve-
ment gap in science and engineering education. In 
2019, while women were conferred nearly a third of 
all science and engineering degrees, women of color 
received only 13 percent (Black: 3.2 percent; His-
panic: 3.9 percent; Native American or Alaskan Na-
tive: 0.2 percent; Asian or Pacific Islander: 4.5 per-
cent; and multiracial: 1.2 percent). 
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(8) In 2018, of all engineering technologies and 
engineering-related bachelor level-related studies, 
only 3 percent of nationwide enrollment was rep-
resented by Black students, while just 10 percent 
were represented by Hispanic students. 
(9) Women overall face challenges in accessing 
computer science education. Only 18 percent of all 
bachelor’s degrees conferred in computer science 
went to women in 2015, and women of color received 
only 9 percent of degrees (Black: 3 percent; His-
panic: 2 percent; Native American or Alaska Native: 
0.8 percent; and Asian or Pacific islander: 3 per-
cent). 
(10) Disparities in enrollment and academic 
achievement start early. In 2019, only 24 percent of 
students taking either AP Computer Science exams 
were women, and just 16 percent were African 
American, Latino, or Native Hawaiian/other Pacific 
Islander. 
(11) Nationwide, only 88 Native American stu-
dents took the AP Computer Science exam in 2016, 
a decrease from 2015. This means that while Native 
Americans make up about 1.1 percent of the United 
States student population, they made up 1/5 of a 
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percent of students who took AP Computer Science 
exams in 2016. 
(12) In 2019, just 18 percent of the Depart-
ment of Education discretionary and research grants 
in STEAM were awarded to computer science-fo-
cused programs and less than half of high schools 
offered any computer science classes. 
(13) Lack of universal computer science edu-
cation is evident in the lack of a widespread tech in-
dustry, which is overwhelmingly concentrated in a 
few cities nationwide. Tech industry entrepreneur-
ship is concentrated in just a few States and com-
puter science education is limited to affluent schools 
and students, placing low-income, minority, and 
rural communities at risk of being left behind. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) COMPUTATIONAL
THINKING.—The term 
‘‘computational thinking’’ aims to capture the wide 
range of creative processes that go into formulating 
problems and their solutions in such a way that the 
solutions can be carried out by a computer, and may 
involve some understanding of software and hard-
ware design, logic and the use of abstraction and 
representation, algorithm design, algorithm expres-
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sion, problem decomposition, modularity, program-
ming paradigms and languages, issues of informa-
tion security and privacy, the application of com-
putation across a wide range of disciplines, and the 
societal impact of computing. Programming is a 
hands-on, inquiry-based way in which computational 
thinking may be learned. 
(2) COMPUTER
SCIENCE
EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘computer science education’’ includes any of 
the following: computational thinking; software de-
sign; hardware architecture and organization; theo-
retical foundations; use of abstraction and represen-
tation in problem solving; logic; algorithm design 
and implementation; the limits of computation; pro-
gramming paradigms and languages; parallel and 
distributed computing; information security and pri-
vacy; computing systems and networks; graphics and 
visualization; databases and information retrieval; 
the relationship between computing and mathe-
matics; artificial intelligence; applications of com-
puting across a broad range of disciplines and prob-
lems; cloud computing; and the social impacts and 
professional practices of computing. 
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(3) ELIGIBLE
ENTITY.—In this section, the 
term ‘‘eligible entity’’ means a State, local edu-
cational agency, or eligible Tribal school that— 
(A) demonstrates an ability to carry out an 
ambitious computer science education expansion 
effort for all students served by the State, agen-
cy, or school, respectively, including tradition-
ally underrepresented students; 
(B) in the case of a State, serves local edu-
cational agencies that meet the requirements of 
section 1003(f) of the Elementary and Sec-
ondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
6303(f)); and 
(C) in the case of a local educational agen-
cy, meets the requirements of such section 
1003(f) (20 U.S.C. 6303(f)). 
(4) ELIGIBLE TRIBAL SCHOOL.—The term ‘‘eli-
gible Tribal school’’ means— 
(A) a school operated by the Bureau of In-
dian Education; 
(B) a school operated pursuant to the In-
dian Self-Determination and Education Assist-
ance Act (25 U.S.C. 450 et seq.); or 
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(C) a tribally controlled school (as defined 
in section 5212 of the Tribally Controlled 
Schools Act of 1988 (25 U.S.C. 2511)). 
(5) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 102 of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002). 
(6) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY.—The term 
‘‘local educational agency’’ has the meaning given 
the term in section 8101 of the Elementary and Sec-
ondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 8101). 
(7) POVERTY LINE.—The term ‘‘poverty line’’ 
has the meaning given the term in section 8101 of 
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 8101). 
(8) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Education. 
(9) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ has the mean-
ing given the term in section 8101 of the Elemen-
tary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 7801). 
(10) STEAM.—The term ‘‘STEAM’’ means the 
subjects of science, technology, engineering, arts, 
and mathematics, including computer science. 
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SEC. 4. GRANTS TO STATES, LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGEN-
CIES, AND ELIGIBLE TRIBAL SCHOOLS. 
(a) GRANTS
TO
STATES, LOCAL
EDUCATIONAL 
AGENCIES, AND ELIGIBLE TRIBAL SCHOOLS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall award 
grants to eligible entities to serve as models for na-
tional replication of computer science education ex-
pansion efforts. 
(2) CONSORTIA AND PARTNERSHIPS.—An eligi-
ble entity may apply for a grant under this section 
as part of a consortium or in partnership with a 
State educational agency or other partner. 
(3) DURATION.—Grants awarded under this 
section shall be for a period of not more than 5 
years. 
(b) APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS.—An eligible enti-
ty that desires a grant under this section shall submit an 
application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, 
and containing such information as the Secretary may re-
quire, including, at a minimum, plans for the following: 
(1) Every high school student served by eligible 
entity to have access to computer science education 
not later than 5 years after receipt of grant funds. 
(2) All students served by the eligible entity to 
have access to a progression of computer science 
education from prekindergarten through middle 
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school that prepares students for high school com-
puter science education. 
(3) Expansion of overall access to rigorous 
STEAM classes, utilizing computer science as a cat-
alyst for increased interest in STEAM more broadly, 
and reducing the enrollment and academic achieve-
ment gap for underrepresented groups such as mi-
norities, girls, and youth from families living at, or 
below, the poverty line. 
(4) Continuous monitoring and evaluation of 
project activities. 
(5) Effectively sustaining project activities after 
the grant period ends, and the length of time which 
the applicant plans to sustain the project activities. 
(c) USE OF GRANT FUNDS.— 
(1) REQUIRED ACTIVITIES.—An eligible entity 
that receives a grant under this section shall use the 
grant funds for the following activities: 
(A) Training teachers to teach computer 
science. 
(B) Expanding access to high-quality 
learning materials and online learning options. 
(C) Creating plans for expanding overall 
access to rigorous STEAM classes, utilizing 
computer science as a catalyst for increased in-
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terest in STEAM more broadly, and reducing 
course equity gaps for all students, including 
underrepresented groups such as minorities, 
girls, and youth from low-income families. 
(D) Ensuring additional support and re-
sources, which may include mentoring for stu-
dents traditionally underrepresented in STEAM 
fields. 
(2) PERMISSIBLE ACTIVITIES.—An eligible enti-
ty that receives a grant under this section may use 
the grant funds for the following activities: 
(A) Building effective regional collabora-
tions with industry, nonprofit organizations, 2- 
year and 4-year degree granting institutions of 
higher education (including community colleges, 
Historically Black Colleges and Universities, 
Hispanic-serving institutions, Asian American 
and Native American Pacific Islander-serving 
institutions, American Indian Tribally con-
trolled colleges and universities, Alaska Native 
and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, Pre-
dominantly Black Institutions, Native Amer-
ican-serving, Nontribal institutions, and other 
minority-serving institutions), and out-of-school 
providers. 
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(B) Recruiting and hiring instructional 
personnel as needed, including curriculum spe-
cialists. 
(C) Preparations for effectively sustaining 
project activities after the grant period ends. 
(D) Disseminating information about effec-
tive practices. 
(3) LIMITATION.—Not more than 15 percent of 
a grant may be used to purchase equipment. 
(d) NATIONAL ACTIVITIES.—The Secretary may re-
serve not more than 2.5 percent of funds available for 
grants under this section for national activities, including 
technical assistance, evaluation, and dissemination. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
a total of $250,000,000 for fiscal year 2024 and the suc-
ceeding 4 fiscal years. 
SEC. 5. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. 
(a) GRANTEE REPORTS.—Each eligible entity that 
receives a grant under this Act shall submit to the Sec-
retary a report, not less than twice a year during the grant 
period, on the use of grant funds that shall include data 
on the numbers of students served through activities fund-
ed under this Act, disaggregated by race (for Asian and 
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students using the 
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same race response categories as the decennial census of 
the population), ethnicity, gender, and eligibility to receive 
a free or reduced price lunch under the Richard B. Russell 
National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.). 
(b) REPORT BY THE SECRETARY.—Not later than 5 
years after the first grant is awarded under this Act, the 
Secretary shall submit to Congress a report based on the 
analysis of reports received under subsection (a) with a 
recommendation on how to expand the program under this 
Act. 
SEC. 6. AMENDMENTS TO OTHER LAWS. 
(a) DEPARTMENT
OF EDUCATION ORGANIZATION 
ACT.—Section 203(c)(1) of the Department of Education 
Organization Act (20 U.S.C. 3413(c)(1)) is amended by 
inserting before the semicolon the following: ‘‘, which shall 
include information with respect to the existence of com-
puter science education (as defined in section 3 of the 
Computer Science for All Act of 2023), disaggregated by 
the type of computer science education and by State, local 
educational agency, and eligible tribal school (as such 
terms are defined in such section 3)’’. 
(b) THE EDUCATION SCIENCES REFORM ACT OF 
2002.—Section 153(a)(1) of the Education Sciences Re-
form Act of 2002 (20 U.S.C. 9543(a)(1)) is amended— 
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(1) in subparagraph (N), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(2) in subparagraph (O), by adding ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(P) the existence of computer science 
education (as defined in section 3 of the Com-
puter Science for All Act of 2023) in elemen-
tary schools and secondary schools, and the de-
gree of competency in computer science fields 
among such students.’’. 
Æ 
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