SB 179 Vote Explainer: Expanding Computer Science Education

Quick Take

I voted YES on SB 179 because I believe expanding access to computer science education is a worthwhile investment in Georgia’s students and workforce. While I understood why some of my Democratic colleagues opposed one section of the bill, I concluded that the overall benefits outweighed those concerns.

Why It Matters

Technology is now part of nearly every profession, not just the tech industry. SB 179 prepares Georgia students for that reality by gradually making computer science part of the high school curriculum, while giving students flexibility in how they earn that credit. The bill also updates Georgia’s Virtual School program and clarifies access for certain civic organizations to speak with students.

Key Facts

SB 179:

• Beginning with students graduating in 2037, Georgia high school students will be required to complete one computer science course (or an approved CTAE course with embedded computer science) as part of their graduation requirements.
• The bill allows qualifying computer science courses to satisfy graduation requirements in areas such as math, science, CTAE, modern language, fine arts, or electives, subject to limits designed to preserve core academic requirements.
• SB 179 increases the maximum tuition charged for Georgia Virtual School courses from $250 to $350 per semester course.
• The bill also creates a process allowing federally recognized “patriotic societies,” such as the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, to request opportunities to speak with students during school hours. If a superintendent cannot accommodate the requested time, the bill requires either an alternative date or a written explanation for the denial.

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My Perspective

The primary reason many Democrats opposed this bill was Section 3, which addresses “patriotic societies.” I took a close look at that provision before casting my vote.

After reviewing the organizations covered by the bill, I did not find the list itself objectionable. More importantly, I did not read the language as forcing schools to allow every requested presentation, which could conflict with instructional time. Instead, it establishes a process: these organizations may request an opportunity to speak, and if a school cannot accommodate that request, the superintendent must either offer an alternative date or provide a written explanation for the denial.

Reasonable transparency and accountability in that process did not strike me as inappropriate.

At the same time, I believe the bill’s most significant impact is its expansion of computer science education. Georgia has thousands of technology jobs to fill, and giving more students the opportunity to learn coding, computational thinking, and related skills will better prepare them for the workforce without increasing graduation requirements.

For those reasons, I voted YES on SB 179.