[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1407 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1407

    To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to 
strengthen elementary and secondary computer science education, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 31, 2013

 Mr. Casey (for himself and Mr. Rubio) introduced the following bill; 
     which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, 
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to 
strengthen elementary and secondary computer science education, and for 
                            other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Computer Science Education and Jobs 
Act of 2013''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Computer science is transforming industry, creating new 
        fields of commerce, driving innovation in all fields of 
        science, and bolstering productivity in established economic 
        sectors.
            (2) The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that there will 
        be 9,200,000 jobs in the fields of science, technology, 
        engineering, and mathematics by the year 2020. Half of these, 
        or 4,600,000 jobs, will be in computing.
            (3) According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2012, 
        the national median annual salary was $45,790, and the average 
        annual salary in computer and mathematical occupations was 
        $80,180.
            (4) Elementary and secondary computer science education 
        gives students a deeper knowledge of the fundamentals of 
        computing, yielding critical thinking skills that will serve 
        students throughout their lives in numerous fields.
            (5) Students who take the College Board's AP computer 
        science examination are 8 times more likely to major in 
        computer science in college. Unfortunately, the College Board 
        reports that in 2012, less than 3,000 of the 40,000 high 
        schools in the United States offered AP computer science 
        examinations.
            (6) Only 14 States allow computer science courses to count 
        toward secondary school core graduation requirements, chilling 
        student interest in computer science courses.
            (7) The Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) has 
        found that many States do not have a certification or licensure 
        process for computer science teachers. Where processes do 
        exist, they often have no connection to rigorous computer 
        science content.
            (8) 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.
            (9) The Association for Computing Machinery and the CSTA 
        have established a clear 4-part, grade-appropriate framework of 
        standards for computer science education to guide State reform 
        efforts.
            (10) With the growing importance of computing in society, 
        the need for students to understand the fundamentals of 
        computing, and the significant challenges elementary and 
        secondary computer science education faces, broad support for 
        computer science education is needed to catalyze reform.

SEC. 3. REFERENCES.

    Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in this Act an 
amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal 
of, a section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to 
be made to a section or other provision of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.).

SEC. 4. COMPUTER SCIENCE DEFINITIONS.

    Section 9101 (20 U.S.C. 7801) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (7) through (43) as 
        paragraphs (8) through (44), respectively;
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (6) the following:
            ``(7) Computer science.--The term `computer science' means 
        the study of computers and algorithmic processes and includes 
        the study of computing principles, computer hardware, software 
        design, computer applications, and the impact of computers on 
        society.'';
            (3) in paragraph (12), as redesignated by paragraph (1), by 
        striking ``and geography'' and inserting ``geography, and 
        computer science''; and
            (4) in subparagraph (A)(i) of paragraph (35), as 
        redesignated by paragraph (1), by inserting ``(including 
        computer science)'' after ``academic subjects''.

SEC. 5. EXPANDING ACCESS TO ADVANCED PLACEMENT COMPUTER SCIENCE.

    Section 1705(c)(4) (20 U.S.C. 6535(c)(4)) is amended by striking 
``and science'' and inserting ``science, and computer science''.

SEC. 6. COMPUTER SCIENCE IN STATE PLANS.

    (a) State Plans.--Section 1111(b) (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)(E), by adding at the end the 
        following: ``Computer science is included as a subject under 
        this subparagraph.''; and
            (2) in paragraph (8)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) in subparagraph (E), by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(F) how the State educational agency shall 
                consider including computer science in academic 
                standards, academic accountability, and assessments 
                under subsection (b).''.
    (b) Highly Qualified Teachers.--Section 1119(a)(2) (20 U.S.C. 
6319(a)(2)) is amended by striking the period after ``school year'' and 
inserting ``, except that computer science teachers shall be found to 
be highly qualified not later than the end of the 2015-2016 school 
year.''.

SEC. 7. COMPUTER SCIENCE IN MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE PARTNERSHIPS.

    (a) Subpart Heading.--Part B of title II (20 U.S.C. 6661 et seq.) 
is amended by inserting after the part heading the following new 
subpart heading:

                   ``Subpart 1--Partnership Grants''.

    (b) Purposes and Definitions.--
            (1) Section 2201(a)(3) (20 U.S.C. 6661(a)(3)) is amended by 
        striking ``and engineers'' and inserting ``engineers, computer 
        science professionals, and informatics professionals''.
            (2) Section 2201(b) (20 U.S.C. 6661(b)) is amended--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)(A)(ii), by striking ``or 
                science'' and inserting ``science, informatics, or 
                computer science'';
                    (B) in paragraph (1)(B)(i), by inserting 
                ``informatics, computer science,'' after ``science,''; 
                and
                    (C) by inserting at the end of such section the 
                following:
            ``(3) Mathematics and science.--The term `mathematics and 
        science' means science, technology, engineering, mathematics, 
        and computer science.''.
    (c) Authorized Activities.--
            (1) Section 2202(c) (20 U.S.C. 6662(c)) is amended--
                    (A) in paragraph (4), by striking ``and science'' 
                and inserting ``science, informatics, and computer 
                science'';
                    (B) in subparagraphs (A), (C), and (D) of paragraph 
                (4), by striking ``or science'' and inserting 
                ``science, informatics, or computer science'';
                    (C) in paragraph (5), by striking ``and science.'' 
                at the end and inserting ``, science, computer science, 
                and informatics.'';
                    (D) in paragraph (8), by striking ``and engineers'' 
                and inserting ``engineers, computer science 
                professionals, and informatics professionals''; and
                    (E) in paragraph (10), by striking ``engineering 
                and technology'' and inserting ``informatics''.
            (2) Section 2202(e)(2)(C) (20 U.S.C. 6662(e)(2)(C)) is 
        amended--
                    (A) in clause (ii), by striking ``or the sciences'' 
                and inserting ``the sciences, informatics, or computer 
                science''; and
                    (B) in clause (iii), by striking ``engineering, and 
                science.'' and inserting ``engineering, science, 
                informatics, and computer science.''
    (d) Conforming and Technical Amendments.--
            (1) The table of contents in section 2 is amended by 
        inserting after the item relating to the heading to part B of 
        title II the following:

                   ``subpart 1--partnership grants''.

            (2) Section 2201 (20 U.S.C. 6661) is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (a), by striking ``part'' and 
                inserting ``subpart''; and
                    (B) in subsection (b), by striking ``part'' and 
                inserting ``subpart''.
            (3) Section 2202 (20 U.S.C. 6662) is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (a)--
                            (i) in each of subparagraphs (B) and (C) of 
                        paragraph (2), by striking ``part'' and 
                        inserting ``subpart'';
                            (ii) in paragraph (3), by striking ``part'' 
                        and inserting ``subpart''; and
                            (iii) in paragraph (4), by striking 
                        ``part'' and inserting ``subpart'' each place 
                        the term appears;
                    (B) in each of paragraphs (1) and (2)(E) of 
                subsection (b), by striking ``part'' and inserting 
                ``subpart'';
                    (C) in subsection (c), by striking ``part'' and 
                inserting ``subpart'';
                    (D) in each of paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection 
                (d), by striking ``part'' and inserting ``subpart'';
                    (E) in subsection (e)(1), by striking ``part'' and 
                inserting ``subpart'' each place the term appears; and
                    (F) in subsection (f), by striking ``part'' and 
                inserting ``subpart''.
            (4) Section 2203 (20 U.S.C. 6663) is amended by striking 
        ``part'' and inserting ``subpart''.

SEC. 8. EXPANDING TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAMS FOR COMPUTER SCIENCE 
              TEACHERS.

    (a) Computer Science Model Teacher Preparation Program.--Part B of 
title II (20 U.S.C. 6661 et seq.), as amended by section 7, is further 
amended by adding at the end the following:

             ``Subpart 2--Model Teacher Preparation Program

``SEC. 2211. COMPUTER SCIENCE MODEL TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary is authorized to award grants 
to institutions of higher education to improve training for elementary 
school and secondary school computer science teachers.
    ``(b) Eligibility.--The Secretary may award a grant under this 
section to an institution of higher education that--
            ``(1) has, at minimum--
                    ``(A) a program in teacher education; and
                    ``(B) a program in computer science or informatics; 
                and
            ``(2) submits an application at such time, in such form, 
        and containing such information and assurances as the Secretary 
        may require.
    ``(c) Use of Funds.--An institution of higher education that 
receives a grant under the section shall use the grant funds to carry 
out not less than 1 of the following activities:
            ``(1) Develop courses for undergraduate students that--
                    ``(A) prepare such students to teach computer 
                science in elementary schools and secondary schools;
                    ``(B) address content and pedagogy in informatics 
                or computer science education; and
                    ``(C) engage the teacher education department and 
                other relevant departments at the institution of higher 
                education.
            ``(2) Develop and fund teacher mentoring programs to 
        support elementary school and secondary school computer science 
        teachers who are new to the profession.
    ``(d) Duration of Grants.--Each grant awarded by the Secretary 
under this section shall be for a period of 5 years.
    ``(e) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the conclusion of the 
grant period described under subsection (d), an institution of higher 
education that receives a grant under this section shall submit to the 
Secretary and Congress a report that--
            ``(1) identifies the number of teachers served under the 
        grant;
            ``(2) identifies the number of teachers described in 
        paragraph (1) who obtain a teaching position in a computer 
        science classroom; and
            ``(3) evaluates the activities carried out under this 
        section.''.
    (b) Technical Amendment.--The table of contents in section 2 is 
amended by inserting before the item relating to part C of title II the 
following:

             ``subpart 2--model teacher preparation program

``Sec. 2211. Computer science model teacher preparation program.''.

SEC. 9. COMPUTER SCIENCE IN THE ROBERT NOYCE TEACHER SCHOLARSHIP 
              PROGRAM.

    Section 10 of the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 
2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n-1) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and mathematics'' and inserting 
        ``mathematics, informatics, and computer science'' in each 
        place it appears;
            (2) in subsection (a)(3)(B), by striking ``or mathematics'' 
        and inserting ``mathematics, informatics, and computer 
        science'';
            (3) in subsections (b)(1)(D)(i), (c)(1)(A), (d)(1), and 
        (i)(7), by striking ``or mathematics'' each place the term 
        appears and inserting ``mathematics, informatics, or computer 
        science''; and
            (4) in subsection (i)(5), by striking ``or mathematics'' 
        and inserting ``mathematics, or computer science''.
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