Bill Text: FL S0180 | 2018 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Computer Coding Instruction

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2018-03-10 - Died in Education [S0180 Detail]

Download: Florida-2018-S0180-Introduced.html

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       Florida Senate - 2018                                     SB 180
       
       
        
       By Senator Brandes
       
       
       
       
       
       24-00273-18                                            2018180__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to computer coding instruction;
    3         amending s. 1007.2616, F.S.; authorizing, but not
    4         requiring, high schools to offer students
    5         opportunities to take specified computer coding
    6         courses beginning with a specified school year;
    7         requiring the Commissioner of Education to identify
    8         such courses that satisfy two credits of sequential
    9         foreign language instruction under certain
   10         circumstances; requiring Florida College System
   11         institutions and state universities to recognize the
   12         credits as foreign language credits; requiring each
   13         student and his or her parent to sign a specified
   14         statement; requiring the inclusion of certain computer
   15         coding courses in the Course Code Directory;
   16         authorizing the Florida Virtual School to offer
   17         computer coding courses identified in the Course Code
   18         Directory; requiring the Department of Education to
   19         annually report certain information to the Board of
   20         Governors and the Legislature; providing an effective
   21         date.
   22          
   23  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   24  
   25         Section 1. Present subsection (4) of section 1007.2616,
   26  Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (5), and a new
   27  subsection (4) is added to that section, to read:
   28         1007.2616 Computer science and technology instruction.—
   29         (4) Beginning with the 2020-2021 school year, high schools
   30  may, but will not be required to, provide students with
   31  opportunities to take two credits in computer coding courses of
   32  sufficient rigor, as identified by the commissioner, that along
   33  with the earning of a related industry certification satisfy two
   34  credits of sequential foreign language instruction. Florida
   35  College System institutions and state universities must
   36  recognize the credits as foreign language credits; however, each
   37  student and his or her parent must sign a statement that they
   38  acknowledge and accept that a computer coding course taken as a
   39  foreign language may not meet out-of-state college and
   40  university foreign language requirements. Computer coding
   41  courses identified by the commissioner and computer coding
   42  courses taken to earn the related industry certification shall
   43  be included in the Course Code Directory.
   44         (a) The Florida Virtual School may offer computer coding
   45  courses identified in the Course Code Directory. If a school
   46  district does not offer an identified course, it may provide
   47  students with access to the course through the Florida Virtual
   48  School or through other means.
   49         (b) The Department of Education shall annually report to
   50  the Board of Governors and the Legislature:
   51         1. The courses identified in the Course Code Directory
   52  which meet the academic standards for computer coding; and
   53         2. The number of students, by district, including students
   54  enrolled in the Florida Virtual School, who are enrolled in a
   55  course identified in the Course Code Directory which meets the
   56  academic standards for computer coding.
   57         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2018.