1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; establishing a computer science education advancement 
1.3 	program; authorizing rulemaking; appropriating money.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION ADVANCEMENT PROGRAM.
 1.6 		Subdivision 1.Computer science educator training and capacity building. (a) The 
1.7 	Department of Education shall develop and implement, or award grants or subcontract with 
1.8 	eligible entities for the development and implementation of, coordinated high-quality 
1.9 	computer science educator training and teacher recruitment programs for computer science 
1.10 	courses and content, as those terms are defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.241, 
1.11 	subdivision 1, and aligned to the state strategic plan as developed under Minnesota Statutes, 
1.12 	section 120B.241, subdivision 3.
1.13 	(b) For the purposes of this subdivision, eligible entities include:
1.14 	(1) a local education agency or a consortium of local educational agencies in the state; 
1.15 	and
1.16 	(2) high-quality computer science professional learning providers, including institutions 
1.17 	of higher education in the state that are reasonably accessible geographically to all Minnesota 
1.18 	educators, nonprofits, other state-funded entities, or private entities working in partnership 
1.19 	with a consortium of local educational agencies.
1.20 	(c) For purposes of this subdivision, eligible uses of funding include:
1.21 	(1) high-quality professional learning opportunities for kindergarten through grade 12 
1.22 	computer science content that:
2.1 	(i) are created and delivered in a consistent manner across the state;
2.2 	(ii) are made available with no out-of-pocket expenses to educators, including teachers, 
2.3 	counselors, administrators, and other district employees as approved by the Department of 
2.4 	Education, schools, and school districts;
2.5 	(iii) are made available asynchronously online, in person, and online or hybrid as 
2.6 	determined appropriate by the Department of Education; and
2.7 	(iv) include introductory, intermediate, and advanced trainings aligned to the kindergarten 
2.8 	through grade 12 academic standards or, as necessary, other standards approved by the 
2.9 	Department of Education, specified for each of the grade bands kindergarten through grade 
2.10 	2, grades 3 through 5, grades 6 through 8, and grades 9 through 12;
2.11 	(2) professional learning opportunities for educators of students in grades 9 through 12 
2.12 	that may include trainings for advanced placement, international baccalaureate, and 
2.13 	concurrent enrollment credit computer science courses;
2.14 	(3) travel expenses for kindergarten through grade 12 computer science teachers:
2.15 	(i) for attending training opportunities under clauses (1) and (2); and
2.16 	(ii) deemed appropriate and approved by the commissioner of education, or the 
2.17 	commissioner of education's designee;
2.18 	(4) any future credentialing for kindergarten through grade 12 computer science teachers, 
2.19 	including Career and Technical Education and academic licenses or endorsements;
2.20 	(5) supports for kindergarten through grade 12 computer science professional learning, 
2.21 	including mentoring and coaching;
2.22 	(6) creation and deployment of resources to promote training opportunities and 
2.23 	recruitment of kindergarten through grade 12 computer science teachers;
2.24 	(7) creation or purchase of resources to support implementation approved by the 
2.25 	commissioner of education or the commissioner of education's designee;
2.26 	(8) creation and deployment of resources to promote learning opportunities or recruit 
2.27 	students to engage in the learning opportunities;
2.28 	(9) development of teacher credentialing programs;
2.29 	(10) planning for districts to implement or expand computer science education 
2.30 	opportunities; and
3.1 	(11) employment, or grant for employment, of personnel or contractors to oversee the 
3.2 	statewide initiative, develop programs and trainings, and deliver training opportunities under 
3.3 	clause (1).
3.4 	(d) As a condition of receiving any funding through grants or subcontracts, eligible 
3.5 	entities must submit an application to the Department of Education. The application must, 
3.6 	at a minimum, address how the entity will:
3.7 	(1) reach new and existing teachers with little to no computer science background;
3.8 	(2) attract and support educators from schools that currently do not have established 
3.9 	computer science education programs;
3.10 	(3) use research- or evidence-based practices for high-quality professional development;
3.11 	(4) focus the professional learning on the conceptual foundations of computer science;
3.12 	(5) reach and support subgroups underrepresented in computer science such as minorities, 
3.13 	girls, and youth from families living at or below the poverty line as defined in the Elementary 
3.14 	and Secondary Education Act of 1965, United States Code, title 20, section 8101;
3.15 	(6) provide teachers with concrete experience through hands-on, inquiry-based practices;
3.16 	(7) accommodate the particular teacher and student needs in each district and school; 
3.17 	and
3.18 	(8) ensure that participating districts begin offering courses or content within the same 
3.19 	or subsequent school year after the teacher receives the professional learning.
3.20 	(e) The Department of Education shall prioritize the following applications:
3.21 	(1) consortiums of local educational agencies that are working in partnership with 
3.22 	providers of high-quality professional learning for kindergarten through grade 12 computer 
3.23 	science;
3.24 	(2) proposals that describe strategies to increase enrollment overall, including but not 
3.25 	limited to subgroups of students that are traditionally underrepresented in computer science; 
3.26 	and
3.27 	(3) proposals from rural or urban areas with a low penetration of kindergarten through 
3.28 	grade 12 computer science offerings, including local education consortiums within these 
3.29 	areas.
3.30 	(f) The award recipient shall report, for all funding received under this section annually, 
3.31 	at a minimum:
4.1 	(1) the number of teachers trained within:
4.2 	(i) each elementary, middle, and high school; and
4.3 	(ii) trainings offered as outlined in paragraph (c), clause (1), item (iv);
4.4 	(2) the number of trainings offered in advanced placement, international baccalaureate, 
4.5 	and concurrent enrollment credit computer science courses;
4.6 	(3) the number of teachers, and percentage of teachers trained, that started implementing 
4.7 	computer science courses limited to middle and high school implementation; and
4.8 	(4) the number and percentage of students reached disaggregated by gender, race, 
4.9 	ethnicity, free and reduced-price lunch status, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 
4.10 	status, 504 status, and English language learner status.
4.11 	(g) The Department of Education shall make these reports public. The publicly released 
4.12 	data shall not include student-level personally identifiable information.
4.13 		Subd. 2.Computer science state plan reporting. The Department of Education shall 
4.14 	present a report annually by February 1 that details progress on the adopted state strategic 
4.15 	plan as developed under Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.241, subdivision 3, to the chairs 
4.16 	of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over education.
4.17 		Subd. 3.Adoption of rules.  The Department of Education may adopt rules under this 
4.18 	section in order to implement the adopted state strategic plan as developed under Minnesota 
4.19 	Statutes, section 120B.241, subdivision 3.

4.20 	Sec. 2. GRANTS FURTHERING COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION 
4.21 	PROGRAMS.
 4.22 		Subdivision 1.Computer science education program design. (a) The Department of 
4.23 	Education shall develop and implement a competitive grant for eligible entities with the 
4.24 	purpose of funding high-quality computer science education programs.
4.25 	(b) for the purposes of this subdivision, eligible entities include:
4.26 	(1) a local education agency or a consortium of local education agencies in the state; 
4.27 	and
4.28 	(2) institutions of higher education in the state, nonprofits, other state-funded entities, 
4.29 	or private entities working in partnership with local education agencies.
4.30 	(c) for purposes of this subdivision, eligible uses of funding by grantees include:
5.1 	(1) program design of computer science courses with the intention to increase enrollment 
5.2 	of subgroups underrepresented in computer science, including minorities, girls, and youth 
5.3 	from families living at or below the poverty line as defined in the Elementary and Secondary 
5.4 	Education Act of 1965, United States Code, title 20, section 8101;
5.5 	(2) recruiting and hiring instructional and support personnel as needed, including 
5.6 	curriculum specialists;
5.7 	(3) program administration for grantees, including transportation for program participants; 
5.8 	and
5.9 	(4) program promotion to subgroups underrepresented in computer science such as 
5.10 	minorities, girls, and youth from families living at or below the poverty line as defined in 
5.11 	the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, United States Code, title 20, section 
5.12 	8101.
5.13 	(d) grant limitations:
5.14 	(1) funds for administration outlined in section 1, clause (c), item (2), may not exceed 
5.15 	more than 20 percent of a total grant award; and
5.16 	(2) funds for program promotion outlined in section 1, clause (c), item (3), may not 
5.17 	exceed more than 15 percent of a total grant award.
5.18 	(e) as a condition of receiving any funding through grants or subcontracts, eligible entities 
5.19 	must submit an application to the Department of Education. The application must, at a 
5.20 	minimum, address how the entity will:
5.21 	(1) reach new and existing students with little to no computer science background;
5.22 	(2) attract and support schools and local educational agencies that currently do not have 
5.23 	established computer science education programs;
5.24 	(3) use research- or evidence-based practices for programming;
5.25 	(4) focus curricula on the conceptual foundations of computer science;
5.26 	(5) reach and support subgroups underrepresented in computer science; and
5.27 	(6) provide students with concrete experience through hands-on, inquiry-based practices.
5.28 	(f) The Department of Education shall prioritize the following applications:
5.29 	(1) proposals that describe strategies to increase enrollment overall, including but not 
5.30 	limited to subgroups of students who are traditionally underrepresented in computer science, 
5.31 	including minorities, girls, and youth from families living at or below the poverty line as 
6.1 	defined in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, United States Code, title 
6.2 	20, section 8101; and
6.3 	(2) proposals from rural or urban areas with a low penetration of kindergarten through 
6.4 	grade 12 computer science offerings.
6.5 	(g) Grant award recipients shall report, for all funding received under this section, at a 
6.6 	minimum:
6.7 	(1) the number of students served and their grade level;
6.8 	(2) the number of students served who later enrolled, or were concurrently enrolled in 
6.9 	advanced placement, international baccalaureate, and concurrent enrollment credit computer 
6.10 	science courses;
6.11 	(3) the number of schools and school districts served by grants; and
6.12 	(4) the number and percentage of students reached disaggregated by gender, race, 
6.13 	ethnicity, free and reduced-price lunch status, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 
6.14 	status, 504 status, and English language learner status.
6.15 	(h) The Department of Education shall make these reports public. The publicly released 
6.16 	data shall not include student-level personally identifiable information.

6.17 	Sec. 3. APPROPRIATION.
 6.18 		Subdivision 1.Department of Education. The sums indicated in this section are 
6.19 	appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education in the fiscal years 
6.20 	designated.
6.21 		Subd. 2.Computer science education advancement.  (a) For computer science education 
6.22 	advancement:

6.23		$
	4,000,000
	.....
	2025
	
6.24 	(b) Eligible uses of the appropriation include expenses related to the implementation of 
6.25 	section 1 and expenses related to the development, advancement, and promotion of 
6.26 	kindergarten through grade 12 computer science education.
6.27 	(c) The base appropriation for fiscal year 2026 and later is $4,000,000.
6.28 		Subd. 3.Grants furthering computer science. (a) For grants to further computer science 
6.29 	in school-based and school-adjacent computer science programs:

6.30		$
	4,000,000
	.....
	2025
	
7.1 	(b) The base appropriation for fiscal year 2026 and later is $4,000,000.
7.2 		Subd. 4.Computer science licensure. (a) For establishing a licensure in computer 
7.3 	science:

7.4		$
	50,000
	.....
	2025
	
7.5 	(b) This is a onetime appropriation.