Pupil instruction: high schools: computer science education courses.

Existing law requires the adopted course of study for grades 7 to 12, inclusive, to offer courses in specified areas of study, including, among others, science and mathematics. This bill would require the governing board of each school district, and the governing body of each charter school, maintaining any of grades 9 to 12, inclusive, by January 1, 2025, to adopt a plan at a regularly scheduled public meeting to offer at least one course in computer science education pursuant to a specified timeline, to post the plan to its internet website, and, on or before May 31, 2025, and annually thereafter, to review the plan at a regularly scheduled public meeting and report to the public on the plan's implementation, as provided. The bill would, among other things, specify that a computer science education course means a computer science course that is aligned to the computer science academic content standards adopted by the State Board of Education and in which pupils do not merely use technology as passive consumers, but understand why and how computing technologies work, and then build upon that conceptual knowledge by creating computational artifacts. The bill would require school districts and charter schools to describe in the plan their planned efforts to increase the computer science course enrollment of female pupils, pupils with disabilities, pupils who belong to ethnic and racial groups, and pupils eligible for free or reduced-priced meals that are underrepresented in the field of computer science. The bill would require school districts and charter schools, on or before June 30, 2026, and by each June 30 thereafter, to report specified computer science education course-related data to the department, as specified. By imposing additional duties on school districts and charter schools, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.