STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 37
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2023
RE: H.B. No. 503
H.D. 1
Honorable Scott K. Saiki
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2023
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 503 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to:
(1) Allow students to complete computer science courses as a substitute for science courses at the high school level to satisfy graduation credit requirements;
(2) Beginning with the 2030-2031 school year, require a computer science course credit as a graduation requirement at the high school level; and
(3) Appropriate funds to the Department of Education for teacher professional development in computer science.
Your Committee finds that an introduction to computer science helps students better understand their digital world and become problem solvers of the future. To provide that introduction to computer science at the high school level, the Legislature passed Act 51, Session Laws of Hawaii 2018, which mandated that all public high schools offer at least one computer science course by the 2021-2022 school year. However, the State has fallen short on its enrollment goals for the computer science courses. Your Committee recognizes the importance of promoting computer science education and that the development of computer science skills is foundational to quality academic and career success.
Your Committee notes that setting graduation requirements is one of the roles of the Board of Education. Your Committee believes that, although the responsibility of determining educational requirements lies with the Board of Education, computer science education is a high priority and should be considered by the Board to be included in public school curriculum at a greater capacity.
Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Deleting language which would have:
(A) Allowed students to complete computer science courses as a substitute for science credits at the high school level to count toward graduation requirements; and
(B) Required a computer science course credit as a graduation requirement at the high school level;
(2) Inserting language requiring the Board of Education to:
(A) Work with the Department of Education to conduct an analysis on the need, impact, and feasibility of making computer science a graduation requirement;
(B) Based on the analysis, make a determination on whether making computer science a graduation requirement would be in the best interests of public school students of the State and the public; and
(C) Report to the Legislature on its findings and recommendations prior to the Regular Session of 2024;
(3) Changing its effective date to July 1, 3000; and
(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 503, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 503, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Higher Education & Technology.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,
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____________________________ JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair |
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