Bill creating virtual computer science career academy passes Kentucky House

Students could gain faculty credits toward personal computer science degree right before graduating substantial school

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – The Kentucky Dwelling on Monday passed HB 680, which would build a virtual personal computer science career academy in Kentucky that would permit college students to earn college credits toward a computer science degree before graduating large school.

Below the proposed laws, students could receive up to 12 faculty credit hrs via the academy toward a college or university method at any point out faculty.

“This special software supplies huge alternatives for underrepresented students to obtain a single of the nation’s fastest-growing profession fields,” mentioned the bill’s sponsor, Republican Rep. Ed Massey, of Hebron. “As we keep on to discover and deal with the state’s urgent desires, we’re targeted on making a talent pipeline centered on skills that are transferable throughout our highly experienced workforce requires.”

Computer system science, especially knowledge science, is a person of the swiftest-increasing and greatest-need work sectors nationwide. In accordance to a current research by Kentucky’s Council on Postsecondary Education, 67-p.c of the Commonwealth’s new STEM employment will be in pc science, and there are approximately 3,000 open up positions.

The measure expands upon the iLEAD Academy, a plan for substantial colleges in five rural college districts to get paid dual credits toward superior university graduation and a faculty diploma in personal computer science. HB 680 normally takes that idea statewide with the WeLead CS Academy, building the software broadly offered to all college students in the commonwealth at no charge.

“Data Science is the maximum-demand from customers position in The united states with an average once-a-year wage of $117,000. WeLead CS will present students the nation’s initial Information Science vocation pathway and chance to earn 12-21 hrs of college or university credit rating to get a jumpstart on personal computer science degrees,” reported Alicia Sells, Director of Innovation and Communication at the Ohio Valley Instructional Cooperative, who runs the academy.

The invoice now heads to the Senate for thing to consider.