Communications of the ACM
School Computer Coding Bill Passes First Vote in tah Senate
Credit: Wired
The Utah Senate gave preliminary approval to a bill that would create a computer science initiative requiring the Utah STEM Action Center and the Utah State Board of Education to implement a range of computer science instructional resources, provide professional development for teachers, and select a software curriculum to use in computer coding classes. The legislation would provide as much as $1.5 million to license several computer coding instructional software providers, and $320,000 for the professional development for teachers.
Additional funding helps students better meet workforce demands, says state Sen. Howard Stephenson. "Sometimes, because the resources are already allocated, the inertia of the status quo is so powerful that we just keep doing what we've always done, because that has first call on the priorities and first call on the dollars," he says. "I believe that's part of the problem."
The $2-million total appropriation would be enough to open computer coding classes to half of all high schoolers in the state, with the possibility of expanding the program over time, according to initial estimates. Stephenson also is sponsoring a bill that would allocate more than $65 million to implement a one-to-one student technology program statewide. The bill passed its second reading in the Senate in a 21-4 vote, which will vote on the bill again before it is considered by the House.
From Deseret News
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