SPONSOR:	Rep. Heffernan & Rep. K. Williams & Sen. McDowell
	Reps. Bentz, Bolden, Hudson, Jaques, Mitchell, Matthews, B. Short

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

148th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 355

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SCHOOL CURRICULUM AND COMPUTER SCIENCE.

WHEREAS, computer science skills are widely recognized as valuable assets in the current and future job market; and

WHEREAS, students in Delaware would benefit from taking computer science courses in high school; and

WHEREAS, high school students who are exposed to computer science and coding courses in high school are more likely to take such courses in college; and

WHEREAS, many high school students are not taking computer science and coding courses because they are elective courses and do not count toward graduation requirements; and

WHEREAS, more high school students would take computer science and coding courses if they fulfilled a graduation requirement in mathematics or science;

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend Chapter 41, Title 14 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 4137. Computer Science.

(a) By the 2020-2021 school year, all public high schools, including charter schools, shall offer at least 1 computer science course.

(b) Beginning with the 2017-2018 grade nine class, the State Board of Education shall require that the local graduation requirements adopted by any local board of education or charter school permit a computer science course, including Advanced Placement, College Prep and Honors level computer science courses, to satisfy a part of the total credit requirement in either mathematics or science or both. The State Board of Education shall develop guidelines addressing curriculum standards and content requirements for computer science courses that satisfy graduation requirements.

SYNOPSIS

This bill creates a requirement that all public high schools, including charter schools, shall offer at least one computer science course at the high school level by the 2020-2021 school year. Also, this bill creates a requirement that, by the 2017-2018 school year, the State Board of Education permit a computer science to satisfy a part of the total credit requirement in mathematics or science or both. The State Board of Education shall develop guidelines addressing how computer science courses can satisfy graduation requirements for math or science.