S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
5296
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
March 7, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SOLAGES -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing a comput-
er science graduation requirement; and providing for the repeal of
certain provisions of such law relating thereto
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 817 to
read as follows:
§ 817. INSTRUCTION IN COMPUTER SCIENCE. 1. DEFINITIONS. FOR THE
PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEAN-
INGS:
A. "COMPUTER SCIENCE" MEANS THE STUDY OF COMPUTERS AND ALGORITHMIC
PROCESSES, INCLUDING THEIR PRINCIPLES, HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE DESIGNS,
IMPLEMENTATION, AND IMPACT ON SOCIETY.
B. "COMPUTER SCIENCE COURSE" MEANS A COURSE AT THE MIDDLE OR HIGH
SCHOOL LEVEL THAT TEACHES COMPUTER SCIENCE AS A STANDALONE IMPLEMENTA-
TION OR, FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL, EMBEDDED IN OTHER SUBJECTS.
2. COMPUTER SCIENCE GRADUATION REQUIREMENT. A. STUDENTS ENROLLED IN
HIGH SCHOOL SHALL BE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE ONE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL COMPUTER
SCIENCE COURSE IN ORDER TO RECEIVE A DIPLOMA OF GRADUATION FROM HIGH
SCHOOL.
B. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ADOPT A LIST OF APPROVED COMPUTER SCIENCE
COURSES NO LATER THAN JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX, WHICH SHALL
BE MADE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE ON THE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE. SUCH COURSES
SHALL INCLUDE INSTRUCTION ON COMPUTER SCIENCE, INCLUDING TEACHING
STUDENTS HOW TO USE EXISTING TECHNOLOGIES AND HOW TO CREATE NEW TECHNOL-
OGIES. SUCH COURSES SHALL MEET OR EXCEED THE HIGH SCHOOL STANDARDS AND
CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS ESTABLISHED BY THE RESPECTIVE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SUCH COURSES SHALL BE TAKEN IN MIDDLE OR HIGH SCHOOL GRADES TO MEET THE
REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08199-02-3
A. 5296 2
C. A COMPUTER SCIENCE COURSE OFFERED BY A PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL OR PUBLIC
CHARTER SCHOOL SHALL BE OFFERED IN AN IN-PERSON SETTING; PROVIDED THAT
SUCH COURSE SHALL BE OFFERED AS A VIRTUAL OR DISTANCE COURSE OPTION ONLY
WHEN A TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM SETTING IS NOT FEASIBLE, AS DETERMINED BY
THE RESPECTIVE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
D. THE COMPUTER SCIENCE COURSES REQUIRED BY THIS SECTION MAY ADDI-
TIONALLY FULFILL EXISTING GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS FOR A SCHOOL DISTRICT,
AS DETERMINED BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF SUCH SCHOOL DISTRICT.
E. BEGINNING JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SEVEN AND ON OR BEFORE
EACH FIRST OF JULY THEREAFTER, EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL SUBMIT TO THE
DEPARTMENT A REPORT FOR THE PRIOR ACADEMIC YEAR WHICH SHALL INCLUDE, BUT
NOT BE LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING:
(I) THE NAMES AND COURSE CODES OF COMPUTER SCIENCE COURSES OFFERED IN
EACH SCHOOL, INCLUDING COURSE DESCRIPTIONS AND WHICH STATE COMPUTER
SCIENCE STANDARDS ARE COVERED, TO THE EXTENT SUCH INFORMATION IS AVAIL-
ABLE; AND
(II) THE NUMBER OF COMPUTER SCIENCE INSTRUCTORS AT EACH SCHOOL, DISAG-
GREGATED BY:
(A) CERTIFICATION, IF APPLICABLE;
(B) GENDER;
(C) RACE AND ETHNICITY; AND
(D) HIGHEST ACADEMIC DEGREE.
F. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL POST PUBLICLY ON ITS WEBSITE ON OR BEFORE JULY
FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-EIGHT AND ON OR BEFORE EACH FIRST OF JULY
THEREAFTER THE DATA RECEIVED PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH E OF THIS SUBDIVI-
SION. THE DATA RECEIVED PURSUANT TO SUBPARAGRAPH (II) OF PARAGRAPH H OF
THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL BE DISAGGREGATED BY SCHOOL. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL
PUBLISH A LIST OF COMPUTER SCIENCE COURSE CODES AND NAMES, INCLUDING
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS AND WHICH COURSES ALIGN TO THE STATE COMPUTER
SCIENCE STANDARDS UNDER THIS SECTION.
G. (I) BEGINNING JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX, A SCHOOL
DISTRICT MAY SUBMIT A SIGNED NOTIFICATION TO THE DEPARTMENT THAT CERTI-
FIES A COMPUTER SCIENCE COURSE WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS ENROLLED
IN SUCH SCHOOL DISTRICT TO FULFILL THE REQUIREMENT OF THIS SECTION. IF
SUCH SIGNED NOTIFICATION IS SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT, SUCH REQUIRE-
MENT SHALL BE WAIVED FOR STUDENTS ENROLLED IN SUCH SCHOOL DISTRICT.
(II) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL MAINTAIN A LIST OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT
SUBMIT SIGNED NOTIFICATIONS PURSUANT TO SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS PARA-
GRAPH.
H. (I) BEGINNING JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX, A STUDENT MAY
SUBMIT A WAIVER, WHICH SHALL BE DEVELOPED BY THE DEPARTMENT, TO THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT IN WHICH SUCH STUDENT IS ENROLLED IN THE EVENT THAT SUCH
STUDENT IS UNABLE TO COMPLETE THE COMPUTER SCIENCE COURSE REQUIREMENT
FOR GRADUATION UNDER THIS SECTION. IF SUCH WAIVER IS SUBMITTED TO A
SCHOOL DISTRICT, SUCH REQUIREMENT SHALL BE WAIVED FOR THE STUDENT THAT
SUBMITTED SUCH WAIVER. EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL SUBMIT ALL SUCH WAIV-
ERS RECEIVED FROM STUDENTS TO THE DEPARTMENT.
(II) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ANNUALLY PUBLISH THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO
SUBMIT WAIVERS PURSUANT TO SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH.
3. STATE COMPUTER SCIENCE SUPERVISOR POSITION. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL
CREATE A COMPUTER SCIENCE SUPERVISOR POSITION WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
SUCH COMPUTER SCIENCE SUPERVISOR SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE COMMISSIONER
AND SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR EFFECTUATING THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION
WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF
APPROVED COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION COURSES PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.
A. 5296 3
§ 2. Subdivision 4 of section 3004 of the education law is amended by
adding a new paragraph c to read as follows:
C. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ENSURE THAT TEACHER PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS
ON AND AFTER JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-EIGHT, AND ANY PROGRAM OF
TEACHER PREPARATION LEADING TO PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION SHALL INCLUDE
INSTRUCTION IN COMPUTER SCIENCE AND INSTRUCTION IN INFORMATION TECHNOLO-
GY SKILLS AS APPLIED TO STUDENT LEARNING AND CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION THAT
ARE GRADE-LEVEL AND SUBJECT AREA APPROPRIATE AND THAT:
(I) CLARIFY THE CONCEPTUAL FOUNDATIONS OF COMPUTER SCIENCE;
(II) TEACH RESEARCH-BASED PRACTICES, INCLUDING HANDS-ON AND INQUIRY-
BASED LEARNING; AND
(III) ARE INTENDED FOR EXISTING TEACHERS WITH OR WITHOUT PRIOR EXPO-
SURE TO COMPUTER SCIENCE.
§ 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026; provided, however, that
paragraphs g and h of subdivision 2 of section 817 of the education law
as added by section one of this act shall expire and be deemed repealed
on July 1, 2030. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of
this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed
on or before such effective date.