Romney Joins Colleagues in Introducing Bill to Support Computer Science Students and Educators

Statement

U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) joined Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) in introducing the bipartisan, bicameral Teacher Education for Computer Science Act (Teach CS Act), legislation that would support teacher training and schools in educating students in the area of computer science. The senators introduced this bill during Computer Science Education Week, which is observed each year during the week of December 9th, to raise awareness about and encourage students to explore computer science. This week Governor Herbert called on state legislators to invest $10.2 million of the state's budget in order for every school in Utah to have a computer science offering in their curriculum by 2022.

"We need to make sure our kids have the tools they need to succeed in the 21st century global economy," Senator Romney said. "Our legislation will strengthen computer science curriculums in Utah and around the country and create more opportunities for students to gain important skills which our changing workforce demands. I appreciate Governor Herbert's commitment to prioritizing computer science for every student in our state, and I'm proud to support similar efforts in the Senate."

"As a former computer programmer, I understand firsthand the value in computer science and how education in this field can open doors for students who are looking to pursue a career in STEM," Senator Rosen said. "I'm working to extend educational opportunities to our students in Nevada and across the country, and that's why I'm helping introducing the bipartisan Teach CS Act, a bill that will provide teachers and schools with the resources and preparations needed to provide our children with a 21st century education."

"Addressing America's critical shortage of computer science graduates starts in the classroom," Senator Wicker said. "This legislation would make targeted changes to existing teacher education programs to place more qualified computer science instructors in our schools."

"In the 21st century innovation economy, proficiency in computer science can be a real asset for young people preparing to enter the workforce -- so it's critical that educators have the knowledge and training to help students learn computer science," Senator Hassan said. "In honor of Computer Science Education Week, I am proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation to strengthen STEM education in New Hampshire and across the country."

Background:
-The Teach CS Act would amend the Higher Education Act (HEA) to include computer science education eligibility for multiple teacher preparation grants and graduate fellowships, and authorize a new program for competitive grants for eligible institutions of higher education to establish centers of excellence in teacher education programs for computer science.
-Earlier this year, Representatives Derek Kilmer (D-WA) and Tom Reed (R-NY) introduced a similar version of the Teacher Education for Computer Science Act in the House of Representatives.