The legislature finds that computer science opens more doors for students than any other discipline in today's world and will be a vital component of a diverse and robust economy moving forward.
All public schools are required to fulfill the requirements in RCW 28A.230.300, which requires that every high school offer an elective computer science course by the 2022-23 school year. A significant shortage of computer science teachers remains, and schools are at risk of not providing these courses going forward. Only 48 percent of public high schools across Washington teach computer science. Without teachers who are certified or hold specialty endorsements in computer science, it will be difficult to deliver computer science classes that are effective, engaging, and equitably taught to diverse students across our state.
This section adds a new section to an existing chapter 28A.410. Here is the modified chapter for context.
The professional educator standards board shall develop standards for two specialty endorsements in computer science, one in elementary computer science and one in secondary computer science.
The professional educator standards board shall consult with the superintendent of public instruction to confirm that the specialty endorsements reflect the appropriate content necessary to teach computer science in the classroom, as defined by the office of the superintendent of public instruction with industry input.
The computer science specialty endorsements must be available to all certificated teachers who hold a valid license and who demonstrate sufficient content knowledge in computer science.
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Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the legislature shall appropriate additional funds in the computer science education grant program to support teachers with the costs associated with becoming certified, endorsed, or licensed in computer science including, but not limited to, professional development, training, costs for licensure exams, courses in pedagogy, and courses in computer science content.
Entities eligible for funds under this subsection include, but are not limited to, individual teachers, local education agencies, approved professional learning providers, and institutions of higher education located in Washington state.