1. (a) Subject to appropriations therefor, the state board of education may award grants to high-quality professional learning providers to develop and implement teacher professional development programs for the computer science courses required to be taught pursuant to K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 72-3257, and amendments thereto.

2. (b) Grants awarded pursuant to this section may be used for the following purposes:

   1. (1) Providing high-quality professional learning;
   2. (2) credentialing for computer science teachers, including, but not limited to, reimbursement to teachers or providers for professional learning, exam fees or college coursework;
   3. (3) supporting computer science professional learning, including mentoring and coaching;
   4. (4) creating resources to support implementation of this act;
   5. (5) student recruitment; and
   6. (6) the development of teacher preparation programs.

3. (c) As a condition of receiving a grant pursuant to this section, a high-quality professional learning provider shall submit an application to the state department of education on a form and in a manner determined by the state department of education. The application shall, at a minimum, address how the provider will:

   1. (1) Recruit new and existing teachers with little to no computer science background;
   2. (2) use research-based or evidence-based practices for high-quality professional development;
   3. (3) focus the professional learning on the conceptual foundations of computer science;
   4. (4) reach and support marginalized racial and ethnic groups underrepresented in computer science;
   5. (5) provide teachers with concrete experience with hands-on, inquiry-based practices;
   6. (6) accommodate both teacher and student needs; and
   7. (7) ensure that participating districts shall begin offering a computer science course within the same or next school year after the teacher receives the professional learning.

4. (d) The state board of education shall prioritize the following applications:

   1. (1) School districts that work in partnership with providers of high-quality professional learning;
   2. (2) proposals that describe strategies to enroll female students, students from marginalized racial and ethnic groups underrepresented in computer science, students eligible for free and reduced-price meals, students with disabilities and English language learners; and
   3. (3) proposals from rural or urban areas that experience difficulties providing computer science offerings.

5. (e) Each high-quality professional learning provider that receives a grant pursuant to this section shall annually report to the state board of education:

   1. (1) The number of teachers prepared;
   2. (2) the number of students reached;
   3. (3) the number and percent of students reached disaggregated by gender, race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status; and
   4. (4) the number of teachers and school districts that implemented computer science courses versus the number of prepared teachers that attended professional learning.

L. 2022, ch. 86, § 4; July 1.