HR0835 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0835 LRB099 14995 MST 39190 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Computer science is a foundational skill for every 21st century student; however, many schools in the United States do not teach courses on the subject; and

WHEREAS, Computer science jobs are growing at a rate of 2 times the national average compared to other professions; there are over 25,000 open computing jobs in Illinois, which is over 4 times the average State demand rate; and

WHEREAS, It is estimated that 1.4 million computer programming jobs will need to be filled by the next decade; only 400,000 of these positions are expected to be filled, causing a loss of nearly $500 billion in future salaries; and

WHEREAS, Less than 2.5% of American college students graduate with degrees in computer science; enrollment figures for computer science have dropped compared to the previous decade; and

WHEREAS, Only 0.7% of 2012 high school Advanced Placement students studied computer science; only 15% of those students were women, and only 8% were students from communities of color; and

WHEREAS, Computer science credits can only be put toward high school graduation in 27 states; and

WHEREAS, The Hour of Code challenge teaches individuals how to create computer code for an hour to show anyone can learn the basics of computer programming; and

WHEREAS, Over 47,000 Hour of Code events have been conducted on every habitable continent and within 180 countries; and

WHEREAS, Over 100 million students have tried the Hour of Code challenge to boost problem solving, logic, and creativity skills; and

WHEREAS, The Hour of Code challenge promotes awareness of computer science and helps all students realize their full potential; Illinois schools should strive to ensure all students are prepared to be part of a 21st century workforce; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we designate the week of December 7-13, 2015 as "Hour of Code Week" in the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we encourage all public and private educational institutions in Illinois to have their students participate in the challenge.