SENATE BILL NO. 2032

(First Reprint)

To the Senate:

     Pursuant to Article V, Section I, Paragraph 14 of the New Jersey Constitution, I am returning Senate Bill No. 2032 (First Reprint) with my recommendations for reconsideration.

     This bill would require the State Board of Education to develop rigorous middle and high school curriculum guidelines in computer science.  It would also compel the utilization of those curriculum guidelines by local school districts.

     I recognize the importance computer science plays in modern day industry and academia, and I share the sponsors’ desire to better prepare our students in this subject area.  However, this bill unnecessarily requires the adoption of new curriculum guidelines before considering whether there is actually a need for the guidelines to be updated.  Therefore, I am recommending that the bill be amended in order to direct the Department of Education to conduct a review of the current Core Curriculum Content Standards to ensure that those standards include appropriate and up-to-date requirements concerning computer science.  This review shall take place alongside the Department’s impending consideration of the State’s academic standards as directed in May 2015.

Accordingly, I herewith return Senate Bill No. 2032 (First Reprint) and recommend that it be amended as follows:

Page 2, Title, Line 1:              Delete “and supplementing” and insert “.”

Page 2, Title, Line 2:              Delete in its entirety

Page 2, Section 1, Line 35:         Delete “and the school districts in the State revise curricula” and insert “review curriculum standards”

Page 2, Line 39:                    Insert new section 2: “2. The Department of Education shall undertake a review of the Core Curriculum Content Standards to ensure that they incorporate modern computer science standards where appropriate.  The Department shall report any findings and recommendations to the Governor by December 31, 2015.”

Page 2, Section 2, Lines 40-44:     Delete in their entirety

Page 3, Section 2, Lines 1-11:      Delete in their entirety

Page 3, Section 3, Lines 13-21:     Delete in their entirety

Page 3, Section 4, Line 23:         Delete “4.” and insert “3.”

Page 3, Section 5, Line 28:         Delete “5.” and insert “4.”

                                    Respectfully,

[seal]                         /s/ Kimberly M. Guadagno

                                    Acting Governor

Attest:

/s/ Thomas P. Scrivo

Chief Counsel to the Governor