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Senate committee advances bill requiring one computer science course for ninth-graders
Summary
A Senate committee voted to give a do-pass recommendation to Senate Bill 2535, which would require ninth-grade cohorts beginning in the 2728 school year to complete at least one computer science course or an industry-aligned CTE class with embedded computer science; committee discussion addressed schools' capacity to offer the course.
A Senate committee voted to give a do-pass recommendation to Senate Bill 2535, which would require students beginning with the ninth-grade class in the 2728 school year to complete at least one computer science course or an industry-aligned career and technical education (CTE) class with embedded computer science.
Senator Johnson, who explained the bill to the committee, said the measure is intended to increase access to computing skills for all students. "We see that across all fields, technology is being integrated into every aspect," Johnson said. He added, "Even, say, an auto mechanic now has to know computers, which is a major part of any automobile repair. So, this is a bill that will hopefully help move Mississippi children forward in the technology world."
The bill would make that single course a graduation expectation for the specified cohort; students could take more than one course if their school offered it. During questions, Senator McClendon asked, "What if the school doesn't provide that program?" Johnson replied that the timeline builds in several years for implementation and that the bill would require that at least one course be offered in every school: "Right. This is why we are putting this out a few years, and and then we'll require that at least 1 course be offered in every single school and every single school. So there won't be any school where a kid goes to 1 school and will have to go to another school to" (partial transcript).
After discussion, the chair called for a motion. The committee moved to give the bill a title-sufficient, do-pass recommendation. The chair called for the voice vote: "All in favor, say aye. Opposed?" The chair later announced, "The ayes have it." The transcript does not provide a roll-call tally or identify a mover or seconder by name.
The committee's action advances the bill out of the committee; the record does not specify next steps, an effective date, funding for implementation, or which agency would oversee course adoption. The bill text and additional implementation details were not included in the transcript.
