THE BILL ITSELF
CS/CS/HB 1503
Computer Science Education and Certification
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to computer science education and
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certification; amending s. 1007.25, F.S.; providing
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requirements for general education core courses with a
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technology component; amending s. 1007.2616, F.S.;
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requiring high school computer science courses to
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include instruction on artificial intelligence;
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requiring the State Board of Education to establish
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separate computer science subject area coverages for
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specified grades and to continue the comprehensive K–
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12 coverage; requiring the Department of Education to
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present recommended competencies for certain subject
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area coverages to the state board by a specified date;
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requiring the department to coordinate examinations
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for such subject area coverages by a specified date;
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providing an effective date.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. Paragraphs (e) through (h) of subsection (3) of
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section 1007.25, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as
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paragraphs (f) through (i), respectively, and a new paragraph
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(e) is added to that subsection, to read:
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1007.25 General education courses; common prerequisites;
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other degree requirements.—
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(3) The chair of the State Board of Education and the
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chair of the Board of Governors, or their designees, shall
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jointly appoint faculty committees to review and recommend to
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the Articulation Coordinating Committee for approval by the
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State Board of Education and the Board of Governors statewide
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general education core course options for inclusion in the
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statewide course numbering system established under s. 1007.24.
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Faculty committees shall, by July 1, 2024, and by July 1 every 4
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years thereafter, review and submit recommendations to the
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Articulation Coordinating Committee and the commissioner for the
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removal, alignment, realignment, or addition of general
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education core courses that satisfy the requirements of this
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subsection.
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(e) General education core courses that integrate the use
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of technology must provide students with opportunities to
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improve digital literacy and competency, instruction on the
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application of artificial intelligence tools to the course, and
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related instruction on robotics, software engineering, computer
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networks, database systems, and cyber security, as applicable to
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the course.
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Section 2. Subsection (8) of section 1007.2616, Florida
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Statutes, is renumbered as subsection (9), subsection (6) is
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amended, and a new subsection (8) is added to that section, to
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read:
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1007.2616 Computer science and technology instruction.—
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(6) High school students must be provided opportunities to
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take computer science courses that include instruction on
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artificial intelligence and earn technology-related industry
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certifications to satisfy high school graduation requirements as
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provided in s. 1003.4282(3). Computer science courses and
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technology-related industry certifications that are identified
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as eligible for meeting mathematics or science requirements for
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high school graduation must be included in the Course Code
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Directory.
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(8)(a) To align educator credentials with instructional
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practice across grade levels, the State Board of Education shall
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establish by rule or maintain, as appropriate, the following
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computer science subject area coverages:
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1. Computer science (grades K–5).
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2. Computer science (grades 6–12).
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3. Computer science (K–12).
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(b) The State Board of Education shall adopt competencies
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and skills and designate corresponding examinations by rule for
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the subject area coverages listed in paragraph (a). The
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comprehensive computer science (K–12) coverage and its
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examination shall remain available unless amended by rule of the
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state board.
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(c)1. The Department of Education shall present
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recommended competencies and skills for the computer science
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(grades K–5) and computer science (grades 6–12) subject area
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coverages to the State Board of Education for approval by
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September 1, 2026.
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2. Following approval by the State Board of Education
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under subparagraph 1., the department shall coordinate the
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development, piloting, and standard-setting for the examinations
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for such subject area coverages. The examinations for both
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grade-band coverages must be available for administration no
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later than January 1, 2028.
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Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.