AR HB1232

Establishes computer science courses as career and technical education courses, electives, or State Board of Education-approved courses that may count toward graduation requirements for Arkansas public school students.

Requires education service cooperatives to offer computer science pathways for grades 7-8 and career and technical computer science pathways for grades 9-12 beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, with options for traditional classroom, blended-learning, online, or technology-based formats.

Mandates education service cooperatives employ two (2) computer science teachers with state-approved teaching licenses by the 2022-2023 school year; requires Virtual Arkansas through Arch Ford Education Service Cooperative to employ four (4) such teachers.

Allows education service cooperatives to partner with local two-year institutions of higher education to provide concurrent enrollment credit and information about computer science educational pathways to enrolled students.

Permits public schools to offer computer science courses to grades 7-8 and computer science programs of study for grades 9-12, with eligible schools receiving grants for start-up equipment from the Division of Career and Technical Education.