Senate Approves Computer Coding Plan
TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) - If Florida senators get their way, more high-school students could become fluent in computer coding.
On Wednesday, the Senate easily approved a bill, sponsored by Sen. Jeremy Ring, that would allow high-school students to take computer-coding courses to satisfy two credits of foreign-language requirements.
The bill, which now goes to the House, would take effect with the 2018-19 school year.
The issue has drawn heavy debate that has included weighing issues of technological change with the merits of traditional foreign languages. Ring is a former Yahoo executive.
"This is very forward-looking legislation,'' Sen. Garrett Richter said.
But Sen. Bill Montford, a Tallahassee Democrat and former Leon County superintendent of schools, expressed concerns that traditional foreign languages will suffer if computer coding is added as an option.
"At some point, we have to address the number of hours that students go to school and/or the number of days," said Montford, who nevertheless voted for the bill.
Senators voted 35-5 for the measure, with opposition from Sen. Dwight Bullard, D-Miami; Sen. Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth; Sen. Anitere Flores, R-Miami; Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood; and Sen. Geraldine Thompson, D-Orlando.
The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.
