Computer Science Education and Jobs Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-671
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Introduced: 2015-03-04
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Computers and information technology

Education programs funding

Educational technology and distance education

Elementary and secondary education

Higher education

Science and engineering education

Student aid and college costs

Teaching, teachers, curricula
Latest action: action_date: 2015-03-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-03-04
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Computer Science Education and Jobs Act of 2015</strong></p> <p>Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to define "computer science" as the study of computers and algorithmic processes, including the study of computing principles, computer hardware, software design, computer applications, and the impact of computers on society.</p> <p>Redesignates &quot;core academic subjects&quot; as &quot;priority subjects&quot; and makes computer science a priority subject.</p> <p>Includes computer science teachers in professional development activities.</p> <p>Requires the Secretary of Education to give a priority in awarding advanced placement incentive program grants to entities focused on expanding access to advanced placement computer science programs.</p> <p>Requires state: (1) plans for school improvement to describe how the state will consider including computer science in its academic standards, accountability system, and assessments; and (2) report cards to describe the 10 most in-demand occupations in the state and how the subjects being taught to public school students in the state are exposing them to the knowledge and skills that are, or will be, in demand.</p> <p>Requires computer science teachers to be highly qualified by the end of the 2016-2017 school year.</p> <p>Includes computer science in the program awarding grants to partnerships between states, institutions of higher education (IHEs), and high-need local educational agencies to: (1) train and recruit mathematics and science teachers, and (2) develop more rigorous science and mathematics curricula.</p> <p>Authorizes the Secretary to award competitive five-year grants to IHEs to: (1) develop courses that prepare undergraduate students to teach elementary and secondary school computer science, and (2) develop and fund teacher mentoring programs to support new computer science teachers.</p> <p>Amends the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 to include informatics and computer science majors and professionals in the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program (the Program recruits and prepares science, technology, engineering, and mathematics majors and professionals to become mathematics and science teachers).<br /> </p>

tv_txt: II 114th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 671 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. Short title This Act may be cited as the Computer Science Education and Jobs Act of 2015 . 2. References Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to be made to a section or other provision of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq. ). 3. Computer science definitions (a) In general Section 9101 ( 20 U.S.C. 7801 ) is amended— (1) by redesignating paragraphs (7) through (10), (11), and (34) through (43) as paragraphs (8) through (11), (34), and (35) through (44), respectively, and by moving paragraph (34) (as so redesignated) to follow paragraph (33); (2) by inserting after paragraph (6) the following: (7) Computer science The term computer science means the study of computers and algorithmic processes and includes the study of computing principles, computer hardware, software design, computer applications, and the impact of computers on society. ; (3) in paragraph (34), as redesignated by paragraph (1)— (A) in the paragraph heading, by striking Core academic and inserting Priority ; (B) by striking core academic and inserting priority ; and (C) by striking and geography and inserting geography, and computer science ; and (4) in paragraph (35)(A), as redesignated by paragraph (1)— (A) in clause (i), by inserting (including computer science) after academic subjects ; and (B) in clause (xi), by striking core academic subjects and inserting priority subjects . (b) Conforming and technical amendments The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq. ) is amended— (1) in each of sections 1112(g)(4), 1603(b)(2)(B), 2113(c)(4), 2403(2)(A)(i)(I), 2415(3)(C), 3231(c)(2), 3302(e)(1)(B)(ii), and 7121(c)(1)(B), by striking core academic subjects and inserting priority subjects ; (2) in each of sections 1116(b)(3)(A), 1119(a)(2), 2123(a), 2134(a), 2416(a), 3102, 3115(c), and 4201, by striking core academic subjects each place the term appears and inserting priority subjects . 4. Expanding access to advanced placement computer science Section 1705(c)(4) ( 20 U.S.C. 6535(c)(4) ) is amended by striking and science and inserting science, and computer science . 5. Computer science in State plans and State report cards (a) State plans and State report cards Section 1111 ( 20 U.S.C. 6311 ) is amended— (1) in subsection (b)— (A) in paragraph (1)(E), by inserting , including computer science, after For the subjects ; and (B) in paragraph (8)— (i) in subparagraph (D), by striking and at the end; (ii) in subparagraph (E), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and (iii) by adding at the end the following: (F) how the State educational agency shall consider including computer science in academic standards, academic accountability, and assessments under subsection (b). ; and (2) in subsection (h)(1), by adding at the end the following: (E) Workforce needs information The State shall include, in the State report card, a description of the 10 most in-demand occupations in the State for the most recent year for which data are available, and how the subjects being taught in the public elementary schools and secondary schools of the State are exposing students to knowledge and skills that are or will be in demand in the State and local workforces. . (b) Highly qualified teachers Section 1119(a)(2) ( 20 U.S.C. 6319(a)(2) ) is amended by striking the period after school year and inserting , except that computer science teachers shall be highly qualified not later than the end of the 2016–2017 school year. . 6. Computer science in mathematics and science partnerships (a) Subpart heading Part B of title II ( 20 U.S.C. 6661 et seq. ) is amended by inserting after the part heading the following new subpart heading: 1 Partnership Grants . (b) Purposes and definitions (1) Section 2201(a)(3) ( 20 U.S.C. 6661(a)(3) ) is amended by striking and engineers and inserting engineers, computer science professionals, and informatics professionals . (2) Section 2201(b) ( 20 U.S.C. 6661(b) ) is amended— (A) in paragraph (1)— (i) in subparagraph (A)(ii), by striking or science and inserting science, informatics, or computer science ; and (ii) in subparagraph (B)(i), by inserting informatics, computer science, after science, ; (B) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and (C) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following: (2) Mathematics and science Except when used in subsections (b)(2)(B) and (c)(3)(A)(ii) of section 2202, the term mathematics and science means science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and computer science. . (c) Authorized activities (1) Section 2202(c) ( 20 U.S.C. 6662(c) ) is amended— (A) in paragraph (4), by striking and science and inserting science, informatics, and computer science ; (B) in each of subparagraphs (A), (C), and (D) of paragraph (4), by striking or science and inserting science, informatics, or computer science ; (C) in paragraph (5), by striking and science. at the end and inserting , science, computer science, and informatics. ; (D) in paragraph (8), by striking and engineers and inserting engineers, computer science professionals, and informatics professionals ; and (E) in paragraph (10), by striking engineering and technology and inserting informatics . (2) Section 2202(e)(2)(C) ( 20 U.S.C. 6662(e)(2)(C) ) is amended— (A) in clause (ii), by striking or the sciences and inserting the sciences, informatics, or computer science ; and (B) in clause (iii), by striking engineering, and science. and inserting engineering, science, informatics, and computer science. (d) Conforming and technical amendments (1) The table of contents in section 2 is amended by inserting after the item relating to the heading to part B of title II the following: Subpart 1—Partnership Grants . (2) Section 2201 ( 20 U.S.C. 6661 ) is amended— (A) in subsection (a), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking part and inserting subpart ; and (B) in subsection (b), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking part and inserting subpart . (3) Section 2202 ( 20 U.S.C. 6662 ) is amended— (A) in subsection (a)— (i) in each of subparagraphs (B) and (C) of paragraph (2), by striking part and inserting subpart ; (ii) in paragraph (3), by striking part and inserting subpart ; and (iii) in paragraph (4), by striking part and inserting subpart each place the term appears; (B) in each of paragraphs (1) and (2)(E) of subsection (b), by striking part and inserting subpart ; (C) in subsection (c), by striking part and inserting subpart ; (D) in each of paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (d), by striking part and inserting subpart ; (E) in subsection (e)(1), by striking part and inserting subpart each place the term appears; and (F) in subsection (f), by striking part and inserting subpart . (4) Section 2203 ( 20 U.S.C. 6663 ) is amended by striking part and inserting subpart . 7. Expanding teacher preparation programs for computer science teachers (a) Computer science model teacher preparation program Part B of title II ( 20 U.S.C. 6661 et seq. ), as amended by section 6, is further amended by adding at the end the following: 2 Model Teacher Preparation Program 2211. Computer science model teacher preparation program (a) Establishment The Secretary is authorized to award grants, on a competitive basis, to institutions of higher education to improve training for elementary school and secondary school computer science teachers. (b) Eligibility The Secretary may award a grant under this section to an institution of higher education that— (1) has, at minimum— (A) a program in teacher education; and (B) a program in computer science or informatics; and (2) submits an application at such time, in such form, and containing such information and assurances as the Secretary may require. (c) Use of funds An institution of higher education that receives a grant under the section shall use the grant funds to carry out not less than 1 of the following activities: (1) Develop courses for undergraduate students that— (A) prepare such students to teach computer science in elementary schools and secondary schools; (B) address content and pedagogy in informatics or computer science education; and (C) engage the teacher education department and other relevant departments at the institution of higher education. (2) Develop and fund teacher mentoring programs to support elementary school and secondary school computer science teachers who are new to the profession. (d) Duration of grants Each grant awarded by the Secretary under this section shall be for a period of 5 years. (e) Report Not later than 180 days after the conclusion of the grant period described under subsection (d), an institution of higher education that receives a grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary and Congress a report that— (1) identifies the number of teachers served under the grant; (2) identifies the number of teachers described in paragraph (1) who obtain a teaching position in a computer science classroom; and (3) evaluates the activities carried out under this section. . (b) Technical amendment The table of contents in section 2 is amended by inserting before the item relating to part C of title II the following: Subpart 2—Model teacher preparation program Sec. 2211. Computer science model teacher preparation program. . 8. Computer science in the Robert Noyce teacher scholarship program Section 10 of the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 ( 42 U.S.C. 1862n–1 ) is amended— (1) by striking and mathematics and inserting mathematics, informatics, and computer science in each place the term appears; (2) in subsection (a)(3)(B), by striking or mathematics and inserting mathematics, informatics, and computer science ; (3) in each of subsections (b)(1)(D)(i), (c)(1)(A), (d)(1), by striking or mathematics and inserting mathematics, informatics, or computer science ; and (4) in subsection (i)— (A) in paragraph (5), by striking or mathematics and inserting mathematics, or computer science ; and (B) in paragraph (7), by striking or mathematics each place the term appears and inserting mathematics, informatics, or computer science .