Six states have adopted computer science standards for schools. A pair of suburban Columbus Republican lawmakers want Ohio to be next, but they don’t want schools to be mandated to use them.
The bill from Reps. Rick Carfagna (R-Westerville) and Mike Duffey (R-Worthington) would order the state school board to work with teachers, businesses and technology professionals to develop and adopt computer science standards by July 2018, but Carfagna says they won’t be requirements. “This is where I want to be absolutely clear. This is not a mandate.”
Instead, the lawmakers say schools will be encouraged to use the standards through a $2.5 million program that will offer $100,000 in grants for equipment and technology infrastructure. And the bill would allow students to swap computer science for algebra II, which is a graduation requirement.