HIGH SCHOOL COMPUTER SCIENCE; REQUIRE H.B. 5649 (H-1):
SUMMARY OF BILL
REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE
House Bill 5649 (Substitute H-1 as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Representative Carol Glanville
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Revised School Code to require each public high school in the State to offer at least one computer science course that met certain requirements, beginning with the 2027-2028 school year.
BRIEF RATIONALE
Generally, computer science refers to the study of computers and computational processes. Some believe that an understanding of computer science is integral to success in the modern world, as technology increasingly plays a role in individuals daily lives. Computers are used for personal purposes and in the workplaces of many industries, including health care and agriculture. Additionally, many high-wage jobs are increasingly found in the technology sector. Despite the importance of computer skills, testimony before the Senate Committee on Education indicates that only 55% of Michigan schools offer at least one computer science course, which may hinder students future success. Accordingly, it has been suggested that high schools be required to provide at least one computer science course for their students.
Legislative Analyst: Abby Schneider
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on the State and would have a negative fiscal impact on some districts, public school academies (PSAs), and intermediate school districts (ISDs). Districts, PSAs and ISDs that do not currently have a qualifying computer science course would have increased costs to implement a program. The cost to a given district, PSA, or ISD would depend on its characteristics and whether it implemented an in-person or remote course.
It is not known exactly how many high schools do not currently offer a qualifying course, but the Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI) notes that of the 1,265 high schools that reported students in the Michigan Student Data System Teacher Student Data Link Collection in the 2022-2023 school year, 864 high schools (68%) had students who took at least one computer science related course and 401 high schools (32%) did not report any students taking computer science related courses. According to CEPI, these counts should be considered a rough approximation, since they are produced using a methodology that considers school course classification codes and key words in course names.
The bill would have no fiscal impact on the Michigan Department of Education.
Date Completed: 10-25-24 Fiscal Analyst: Ryan Bergan
Cory Savino, PhD
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.