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| 1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION
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| 2 | WHEREAS, Computing technology is an integral part of modern | ||||||
| 3 | culture and is transforming how people interact with each other | ||||||
| 4 | and the world around them; and
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| 5 | WHEREAS, Computer science builds students' computational, | ||||||
| 6 | critical thinking, and deeper learning skills, which enables | ||||||
| 7 | them to understand and create, instead of simply using, the | ||||||
| 8 | next generation of technological tools; and
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| 9 | WHEREAS, Computer science is transforming industry, | ||||||
| 10 | bolstering productivity in established economic sectors, and | ||||||
| 11 | driving job creation and innovation throughout our State's | ||||||
| 12 | economy; and
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| 13 | WHEREAS, Providing access to computer science education is | ||||||
| 14 | a critical step toward ensuring that Illinois remains | ||||||
| 15 | competitive in the global economy and strengthens its | ||||||
| 16 | cybersecurity; and
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| 17 | WHEREAS, The outlook for computer science jobs is bright, | ||||||
| 18 | with over 500,000 open computing positions across the country; | ||||||
| 19 | and
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| 20 | WHEREAS, Participation in high-quality computer science | ||||||
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| 1 | activities exposes students to the rich opportunities the field | ||||||
| 2 | offers; and
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| 3 | WHEREAS, Computing occupations make up two-thirds of all | ||||||
| 4 | projected new jobs in STEM fields, making computer science one | ||||||
| 5 | of the most in-demand college majors; and
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| 6 | WHEREAS, Computer science education has challenges to | ||||||
| 7 | address, including counting computer science classes towards | ||||||
| 8 | high school graduation requirements and providing professional | ||||||
| 9 | development for computer science teachers; and
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| 10 | WHEREAS, There are fewer advanced placement (AP) | ||||||
| 11 | examinations taken in computer science than in any other STEM | ||||||
| 12 | subject area; and
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| 13 | WHEREAS, The field of computer science has significant | ||||||
| 14 | equity barriers to address, including attracting more | ||||||
| 15 | participation by females and underrepresented minorities to | ||||||
| 16 | all levels and branches; and
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| 17 | WHEREAS, Student exposure to computer science at a young | ||||||
| 18 | age has the potential to address the diversity gap in computer | ||||||
| 19 | science fields; and
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| 20 | WHEREAS, Girls who take an AP computer science course in | ||||||
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| 1 | high school are 10 times more likely to major in computer | ||||||
| 2 | science in college; African American and Latino pupils who take | ||||||
| 3 | the course in high school are over seven times more likely to | ||||||
| 4 | major in computer science in college; therefore, be it
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| 5 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | ||||||
| 6 | HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
| 7 | we declare the month of September 2020 as Computer Science | ||||||
| 8 | Education Month in the State of Illinois and encourage | ||||||
| 9 | cutting-edge professional development for computer science | ||||||
| 10 | teachers and exposure to computer science concepts for all | ||||||
| 11 | students, with opportunities provided for females and | ||||||
| 12 | underrepresented minorities.
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