Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Computer Science Education topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee defers decision on expanding computer science endorsement pathways after debate over statute vs. rule
Summary
House Bill 297 would broaden pathways and candidate types eligible for the K–12 computer science endorsement and fund teacher professional development; the committee did not approve a do‑pass motion and asked the sponsor to work with PED, returning later in the week for further consideration.
Representative Gonzales presented House Bill 297, which would expand the computer science endorsement’s eligible pathways and allow more licensure types to obtain the endorsement. An expert witness from the Computer Science Alliance said endorsements have motivated educators to expand instruction and that the bill would help include special-education and early‑education teachers.
Supporters — including the Computer Science Teachers Association chapter, Microsoft and teacher‑union representatives — urged passage and noted past progress since the 2021 endorsement legislation. Committee members expressed concern about embedding specific endorsement pathways in statute rather than keeping them in administrative code; several senators argued rulemaking (PED) is more nimble for technical pathways that may need frequent updates. The bill includes a $250,000 professional‑development allocation intended to help teachers obtain the endorsement.
A motion for a do‑pass failed on a roll call; committee members then discussed a possible compromise amendment to preserve non‑secondary teacher eligibility while leaving pathways in administrative code. The sponsor agreed to consult PED and return with revised language the next business day. The committee did not adopt the bill at this hearing and plans to revisit it.
Ending: The committee did not approve HB 297 at this hearing and directed the sponsor to consult with PED about retaining flexible pathway authority in rule; the bill may return for a vote when revised language is provided.
