Bill > HB594

This bill requires Ohio school districts to offer and students to complete at least one high school computer science course, beginning with students who enter ninth grade for the first time on or after July 1, 2029. The computer science course must be one unit in length and can be taken in grades eight through twelve, with students able to elect to complete the course in several ways: as part of their science requirements, as an elective, in lieu of algebra II, or in place of a foreign language requirement. The bill mandates that the computer science course include instruction in evolving areas like artificial intelligence and its societal impact. Schools are required to offer the course in an in-person traditional classroom setting, though they may submit an alternative plan to the Department of Education and Workforce if they cannot do so effectively. The Department must develop a list of approved computer science courses by July 1, 2027, and will publish an annual report tracking computer science education, including detailed enrollment data disaggregated by student demographics. The bill aims to prepare students for the technology-driven twenty-first century workforce by ensuring all high school students gain exposure to computer science education.

Education

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/hb594