Section 37-13-211 - Annual training for teachers, counselors, administrators and paraprofessionals; report of strategic plan for statewide computer science education initiatives; annual report listing schools in each district teaching computer science and number of computer science teachers trained in each district(1) Subject to appropriations made by the Legislature, the State Department of Education shall provide annual training for teachers, counselors, administrators and paraprofessionals in order to phase in the K-12 computer science curriculum. Preference should be given to districts who have the fewest number of teachers and paraprofessionals trained in computer science. The State Department of Education shall work with the Center for Cyber Education at Mississippi State University to develop and coordinate the training. The State Department of Education may contract with private and nonprofit providers for educator training and for student instruction, and is encouraged to utilize available cost-free computer training, instruction and resources. Teachers and paraprofessionals may receive computer science instruction training through an online platform.(2) The State Department of Education shall provide a report by January 1, 2022, to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Chairman of the Senate Education Committee and the Chairman of the House Education Committee. The report shall include a strategic plan for statewide computer science education initiatives including, but not limited to, the following: (i) A summary of the current state landscape for K-12 computer science education;(ii) A plan for expanding computer science education opportunities to every school in the state by the 2024-2025 school year;(iii) A plan for the development of preservice and in-service teachers seeking a computer science endorsement or course specific license, in order to meet the timeline for course requirements;(iv) The development of a vetted list of approved vendors in computer science education that are recognized as high quality computer science courses or instruction, which should weigh preference on cost and ease of implementation; and(v) The identification of approved computer science courses that may fulfill at least four (4) units of academic credit for high school graduation. The State Department of Education shall work with the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning and the Mississippi Community College Board to approve these courses once identified.(3) The State Department of Education shall submit a report by December 31 of each year through 2025 to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Chairman of the Senate Education Committee and the Chairman of the House Education Committee. The report shall include a list of schools in each district teaching computer science and the number of computer science teachers trained in each district.Amended by Laws, 2023, ch. 498, SB 2586,§ 2, eff. 7/1/2023.Added by Laws, 2021, ch. 389, HB 633,§ 6, eff. 7/1/2021.