Section 170.036

Title XI EDUCATION AND LIBRARIES

Chapter 170

Effective - 28 Aug 2022   

  170.036.  Computer science education task force, members, mission — summary — task force to dissolve, when. — 1.  There is hereby established the "Computer Science Education Task Force" within the department of elementary and secondary education.

  2.  The task force shall consist of the following members:

  (1)  Two members of the house of representatives, with one member to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and one member to be appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives;

  (2)  Two members of the senate, with one member to be appointed by the president pro tempore of the senate and one member to be appointed by the minority leader of the senate;

  (3)  The governor or the governor's designee;

  (4)  The commissioner of education or the commissioner's designee;

  (5)  The commissioner of higher education or the commissioner's designee; and

  (6)  Nine members who represent the interests of each of the following groups, to be appointed by the commissioner of education:

  (a)  The state board of education;

  (b)  Private industry in this state with interest in computer science;

  (c)  Nonprofit organizations;

  (d)  An association of school superintendents;

  (e)  A statewide association representing computer science teachers;

  (f)  A secondary teacher leader from career and technical education representing computer science teachers;

  (g)  An association of school board members;

  (h)  An association of elementary school principals; and

  (i)  An association of secondary school principals;

  (7)  A representative from a Missouri institution of higher education, to be appointed by the commissioner of higher education; and

  (8)  A representative from a Missouri private, nonprofit institution of higher education, to be appointed by the commissioner of higher education.

  3.  The mission of the computer science education task force shall be to develop a state strategic plan for expanding a statewide computer science education program, including the following:

  (1)  A statement of purpose that describes the objectives or goals the state board of education will accomplish by implementing a computer science education program, the strategies by which those goals will be achieved, and a timeline for achieving those goals;

  (2)  A summary of the current state landscape for K-12 computer science education, including demographic reporting of students taking these courses;

  (3)  A plan for expanding computer science education opportunities to every school in the state within five years and increasing the representation of students from traditionally underserved groups, in computer science including female students, students from historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, students with disabilities, English-language learner students, students who qualify for free and reduced price meals, and rural students;

  (4)  Within one year of the task force forming, a plan for schools serving any student in grades kindergarten through eighth grade to provide instruction in the basics of computer science and computation thinking in an integrated or standalone format beginning in the 2024-25 school year without creating learning loss in the existing curriculum;

  (5)  A plan for ensuring teachers are well-prepared to begin teaching computer science, including defining high quality professional learning for in-service teachers and strategies for preservice teacher preparation;

  (6)  A plan for ensuring teachers are well prepared to begin teaching computer science, including defining high-quality professional learning for in-service teachers and strategies for preservice teacher preparation;

  (7)  An ongoing evaluation process that is overseen by the state board of education;

  (8)  Proposed rules that incorporate the principles of the master plan into the state's public education system as a whole; and

  (9)  A plan to ensure long-term sustainability for computer science education.

  4.  The speaker of the house of representatives shall designate the chair of the task force, and the president pro tempore of the senate shall designate the vice chair of the task force.

  5.  Members of the task force shall serve without compensation, but the members and any staff assigned to the task force shall receive reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incurred in attending meetings of the task force or any subcommittee thereof.  All task force members shall be subject to the same conflict of interest provisions in chapter 105 that are enforced by the Missouri ethics commission in the same manner that elected or appointed officials and employees are subject to such provisions.

  6.  The task force shall hold its first meeting within three months from August 28, 2022.

  7.  Before June 30, 2023, the task force shall present a summary of its activities and any recommendations for legislation to the general assembly.

  8.  The computer science education task force shall dissolve on June 30, 2024.

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(L. 2022 S.B. 681 & 662 merged with S.B. 718)