America Can Code Act of 2017

416d65726963612043616e20436f6465 Act of 2017 or the America Can Code Act of 2017

This bill amends the America COMPETES Act to include computer programming language that is critical to the national security and economic competitiveness of the United States as a "critical foreign language," the study of which is included in the teacher education programs and Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate programs funded under that Act.

The bill also amends the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 to provide for: (1) state plans to include coding and computer programming instruction within the career and technical programs of study for which states receive assistance under that Act, and (2) the inclusion of coding and computer programming instruction within the federally assisted tech-prep programs that prepare participants in a career field by providing them with at least two years of secondary education followed by at least two years of postsecondary education or participation in an apprenticeship program.

The Department of Education shall convene a task force to explore: (1) mechanisms for the development of draft curricula for elementary and secondary computer programming and coding education; (2) a mechanism to collect and share best elementary and secondary school computer programming and coding practices among educators; and (3) a national strategy to ensure competitiveness in emerging science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields, such as computer programming and coding. The task force must establish an information portal that directs users to coordinated and systematic information on promoting coding and computer programming in elementary and secondary schools.