Sacramento — TechNet, the national,
bipartisan network of innovation economy CEOs and senior executives, today
thanked Governor Jerry Brown for signing into law AB 2329, legislation that
would develop a comprehensive plan for computer science education across the state.
“Computer science is the
foundation of the modern, technology-driven economy,” said Linda Moore, president and
CEO of TechNet. “By approving this legislation, California has taken a giant leap
forward in making sure it has a plan for scaling computer science to every
school and every community in the state.
On behalf of our membership, I thank Governor Brown for being a champion
of computer science and signing this legislation into law.”
Sponsored
by Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla, AB 2329 would establish a diverse advisory
panel to develop a statewide computer science strategic implementation plan.
“Computer science for all
students in California has to become more than a good idea,” said Assemblywoman Susan
Bonilla. “AB 2329 will develop the strategy to make it a reality. With a collaborative effort between educators
and industry, students will be better prepared for maximizing learning
opportunities and for the workforce they will be entering.”
“California currently has
tens-of-thousands of open computing jobs where salaries are significantly
higher than the state average, but our education system is not aligned to meet
this workforce need and economic opportunity,” said Lieutenant Governor Gavin
Newsom. “With the Governor’s signature, California is
taking a step toward expanding computer science education and taps into an
industry of prosperity and upward social mobility where, for the first time,
the state has a plan to ensure that students of all backgrounds can participate
in a modern workforce where advanced computing skills are in high demand.”
The Importance of Computer
Science
By
2018, more than half of all science and technology jobs are projected to be in
computer science-related fields. Yet
only one in four high schools offer computer science, and in many schools,
girls and students of color are underrepresented.
Across
the country, there is a sense of urgency to expand computer science
education. Large urban school districts,
including Chicago, New York, and Oakland, have unveiled ambitious plans to
integrate computer science in K-12 education.
And, states, including Arkansas and Idaho, are allowing students to
count computer science toward high school graduation requirements.
AB 2329
This
legislation ensures that California will have a statewide computer science
strategic implementation plan that considers the following issues: