Committee approves substitute for SB 558 requiring at least one half-credit in computer science for high school graduation

The West Virginia Senate Education Committee on March 16 approved a committee substitute for Senate Bill 558 that would require public high school students to earn a minimum of one-half credit in a high-school-level computer science course (which may be taken in grades 8 through 12) as a condition of graduation and sent the substitute to the full Senate with the recommendation that it pass and, under original double reference, be first referred to the Finance Committee.

Why it matters: the measure would change graduation requirements statewide, create a need for local course offerings and teacher capacity, and require the State Board of Education to adopt rules and updated standards to implement the change.

Committee counsel Hank summarized the substitute: it "requires a public high school students to earn a minimum of 1 half credit of…