Education

Coding Classes Could Sub For Foreign Language In Florida

WUFT | By Associated Press

Published February 25, 2016 at 2:25 PM EST

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Alachua County public school students scored better than the statewide average in the Florida Standards Assessments, according to a press release. This is the second year that students took the new Florida Standards Assessments (FSA) in English language arts, math and the algebra and geometry end-of-course exams. Students are still taking the FCAT 2.0 exam in science and in the biology, civics and U.S. History end-of-course exams. (File photo/WUFT News)

TALLAHASSEE — High school students in Florida could soon be able to count computer coding classes as credits for a foreign language.

The Florida Senate passed the legislation 35-5 on Wednesday. The bill (SB 468) was sponsored by Sen. Jeremy Ring, who is a former Yahoo! Executive.

The state requires students to take a foreign language for two years. It would take effect for the 2018-19 school year and Ring said it will be the first in the country. Ring said in his closing comments that other states are looking at doing the same thing.

Opponents of the bill said that computer coding and foreign languages should not be considered one in the same. The bill now heads to the Florida House, which is considering similar legislation.