Senate committee advances bill to make computer science a high-school graduation requirement

The Arkansas Senate Education Committee on a voice vote advanced Senate Bill 107, the Computer Science Education Advancement Act of 2021, which would establish a high-school computer science graduation requirement and a phased-in requirement that each high school employ a certified computer science teacher. Senator Jane English sponsored the measure and closed for the bill, and the committee chair announced the motion carried.

Anthony Owen, director of computer science in the Arkansas Department of Education, told the committee Arkansas has led a statewide computer science initiative since 2015 and cited workforce data to justify the proposal. "Almost every industry uses technology to conduct business," Owen said, and he noted the median annual wage for computing jobs (cited in ADE materials as about $88,000 in May 2019). The bill would allow computer science to count as a flexible credit that can offset a fourth-year math, a third-year science or career-focus credits.

ADE described a phased implementation: the graduation requirement is targeted at the ninth-grade class entering under the 2022–23 cycle, and the mandate that each high school employ a certified CS teacher would begin in the 2023–24 school year. To address staffing gaps, ADE said it has expanded the teacher pool from roughly two dozen early adopters to more than 500 teachers statewide and has used state-funded, grant-funded specialists positioned across regions to train local teachers. Owen also said the governor authorized $2,000 annual stipends for CS teachers for up to five years to aid recruitment and retention.

Committee members pressed ADE on practical concerns. Senator Stearch asked whether the requirement would crowd out other courses and whether all students could succeed; Owen and other supporters said the law uses multiple approved pathways (robotics, cybersecurity, data science, computer engineering, game design and mobile-app development) and a first-year standard written to be broadly accessible. Owen added ADE created a Computer Science Independent Study model so programs such as EAST can qualify if student projects meet CS learning objectives.

Rural equity was a recurring theme. Senator Chesterfield asked whether poorer and rural districts would be last to receive certified teachers; ADE said specialists and digital providers such as Virtual Arkansas are intended to expand access but acknowledged placement is not uniformly equitable yet. Senators asked ADE to produce geographic maps of teacher licensure and district need; ADE agreed to pull and share that data.

Lawmakers also examined participation data. ADE materials show AP computer science participation grew from the program’s early years to more than 1,700 students, and Owen reported female enrollment in CS courses is about 28% (male about 72), while participation from some underserved racial groups has increased this year.

Proponents included two educators who addressed the committee: Dr. Jerry Smith spoke in support of SB107 as a way to prepare students to be "digital citizens," and Johnny Key, Arkansas Secretary of Education, endorsed the bill as a societal decision about what graduates should know. "This is our time in history to ensure students have baseline knowledge of computing," Key said.

The committee recorded a voice vote after Senator English closed; the chair announced "Ayes have it" and that the bill passed the committee. The measure will proceed according to the legislative calendar for the next steps in the Senate process.