SB 558 — Requiring computer science course prior to graduation

WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION IntroducedCommittee Substitute for Senate Bill 558 By Senators OliverioOliverio, Boley, Grady, and BoleyWoelfel [Introduced[Reported February 20,28, 2025;from the Committee on Education] CS for SB 558 A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new section, designated §18-2-9b, relating to requiring public high school students to earn a minimum of one-half unit of credit in a computer science course prior to graduating;

referreddefining to“computer thescience”; Committee on Education;

andrequiring then to the Committeecomputer onscience Finance]course Intr SB 558 2025R2201 A BILL to amendmeet theor Codeexceed ofstandards Westestablished Virginia, 1931, as amended, by addingthe aState newBoard section,of designatedEducation; §18-2-9b, relating to requiring public high school students to take a computer science course prior to graduating;

requiring the course to be offered in person in a traditional classroom setting forthunless definitions;not feasible;

andproviding requiringfor thealternatives Boardwhen ofoffering Educationin toperson adoptin rulesa andtraditional updateclassroom computersetting scienceis standards.not feasible;

specifying grade levels in which the credit may be earned;

requiring State Board of Education rules detailing how computer science can fulfil other graduation requirements;

requiring rules to ensure maximum flexibility for students;

imposing requirements pertaining to a student’s transcript if a student uses a computer science course to fulfil the math or science credit;

requiring computer science standards include high school introductory computer science courses that include foundational computer science concepts;

requiring State Board of Education make available a list of course options that can meet the requirements for the computer science credit;

requiring State Board of Education rules to ensure schools can obtain the necessary teacher capacity to support implementation;

and allowing additional rules deemed necessary for implementation.

(a) Beginning with the ninth-grade class entering in the 2027-2028 school year, a public high school student shall be required to earn a minimum of one-half unit of credit in a high school computer science course before the student graduates.

(1)(b) "Computer science" means the study of computers, programming, and algorithms, including their principles, their hardware and software designs, their implementation, and their impact on society.

Computer science does not include the study of everyday uses of computers 1 CS for SB 558 and computer applications, such as keyboarding, word processing, digital literacy, or accessing the internet.

(2)(c) A computer science course offered for high school credit shall meet or exceed the standards established by the state board.

The course shall be offered in person in a traditional classroom setting unless it is not feasible for a school district to do so.

(3)If Theoffering one-halfthe highcourse schoolin creditperson required in thisa subsectiontraditional classroom setting is not feasible, the course may be earnedoffered in gradesa eightblended throughlearning twelve.environment or an online-based or other technology-based format that is tailored to meet the needs of each participating student.

(4)(d) The minimum one-half high school credit required in this subsection shallmay be allowedearned toin substitutegrades foreight one-halfthrough mathtwelve. credit or one-half personalized education plan credit.

(5)(e) The state board shall adopt rules detailing how creditcomputer fulfillmentscience undermay paragraphfulfil (4)other ofgraduation thisrequirements. subsection shall be granted.

The rules shall ensure maximum flexibility for students, including by maximizing the number of computer science course options eligible for mathgraduation credit.credits.

(6)If Thethe staterules boardallow shalla update computer science standardscourse to includefulfill higha schoolmath Intrcredit SBor 558a 2025R2201science introductorycredit and a student uses a computer science coursescourse thatto includefulfil foundationalthe math or science credit, the school district shall denote that computer science concepts.course as equivalent to a high school math course or high school science course, as applicable, on the student’s transcript for the purpose of admission to a higher education institution in this state.

(7)(f) BeginningThe in August of 2026, the state board shall makeupdate availablecomputer toscience allstandards publicto schoolsinclude ahigh listschool ofintroductory coursecomputer optionsscience courses that caninclude meetfoundational thecomputer requirementsscience forconcepts. this credit.

(g) Beginning in August of 2026, the state board shall make available to all public schools a list of course options that can meet the requirements for this credit.

(8)(h) The state board shall adopt additional rules to ensure schools can obtain the necessary teacher capacity to support implementation of this subsection.section.

Such rules shall include flexible options to license computer science teachers, including, but not limited to, an authorization or 2 CS for SB 558 endorsement.

(i) In adoptingaddition suchto rules,any therules boardrequired shallby considerthis includingsection, policy that ensures teacher subject area certification does not restrict the abilitystate ofboard studentsmay toadopt earnany a math or other substitutionrules creditit fordeems anecessary computerto scienceadminister course taken under this section.

(9) The state board may adopt any rules in addition to those adopted under paragraph (8) it deems necessary to administer this subsection.

NOTE:

The purpose of this bill is to require public high school students to take a computer science course prior to graduating.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.