NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A6540A
SPONSOR: Hevesi TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the education law, in relation to
requiring regulations authorizing computer science courses to count
towards core curriculum content for secondary schools
PURPOSE: The purpose of this bill is to expand math and science
content areas by authorizing computer science courses to count towards
core curriculum content for secondary schools.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS: This bill amends the education law by adding a
new section 817.
JUSTIFICATION: This bill develops a framework aimed at strengthening
computer science education, allowing computer science courses to count
toward a student's required credits for graduation. Only nine states
allow computer science courses to count as a required graduation credit
for either mathematics or science. Further, no states require a computer
science course as a condition of a student's graduation despite national
broad-based education studies calling for all students to take some
computer science at the secondary education level.
Computer science is transforming industry, creating new fields of
commerce, driving innovation in all fields of science, and bolstering
productivity in established economic sectors. Providing students with
computer science education is critical for their success in the 2 ls`
century and for strengthening our domestic workforce. Computer science
education has been encumbered by confusion regarding the related but
distinct concepts of computer science education, technology education,
and the use of technology in education. Computer science courses have
often been placed within the vocational education pathways in schools,
or counted as elective credits, creating a focus on applied information
technology skills rather than a focus on developing core computer
science knowledge.
With the growing importance of computing in society, the need for
students to understand the fundamentals of developing and using comput-
ing skills, and the significant challenges computer education faces,
broad support for computer science education is needed to catalyze
reform. These goals must be supported by a policy framework that
supports appropriate curriculum development and student access and
interest.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: This is a new bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None
EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6540--A
2013-2014 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
April 4, 2013
___________
Introduced by M. of A. HEVESI, ROZIC -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Education -- recommitted to the Committee on Education in
accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill
amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
tee
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring regulations
authorizing computer science courses to count towards core curriculum
content for secondary schools
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 817 to
2 read as follows:
3 § 817. Course requirements. 1. The commissioner and the board of
4 regents are authorized and directed to establish rules and/or regu-
5 lations authorizing computer science courses to count towards the
6 required core curriculum for secondary schools in the state for math or
7 science content.
8 2. For purposes of this section, "computer science" means the study of
9 computers and algorithmic processes including the study of computing
10 principles, computer hardware and computer software design, computer
11 applications, and the impact of computers on society. Courses may
12 include, but not be limited to:
13 (a) software design;
14 (b) hardware design;
15 (c) creation of digital artifacts;
16 (d) abstraction;
17 (e) logic;
18 (f) algorithm development and implementation;
19 (g) programming paradigms and languages;
20 (h) theoretical foundations;
21 (i) networks;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10099-03-3
A. 6540--A 2
1 (j) graphics;
2 (k) databases and information retrieval;
3 (l) information security and privacy;
4 (m) artificial intelligence;
5 (n) the relationship between computing and mathematics;
6 (o) the limits of computation;
7 (p) applications in information technology; and
8 (q) the social impacts of computing.
9 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
