State Sen. Jordan Carter has filed legislation that would require computer science and STEM instruction in Colorado’s K-8 core curriculum and would require high school students to earn at least one coding-inclusive computer science credit to graduate, according to a press release issued Tuesday. The proposal would make computer science and STEM a required part of instruction in every grade from kindergarten through eighth grade, rather than leaving access to district-level resources, the release said. It would also establish a statewide graduation requirement intended to ensure that every student completes at least one course with hands-on coding experience before finishing high school. In the release, Carter framed the measure as an economic and educational issue, arguing that students will need stronger technology skills to compete for future jobs. “The jobs our kids will compete for will demand fluency in technology,” Carter said in the statement. “Every child in Colorado—from Denver to the Eastern Plains—deserves to leave school knowing how the digital world works and how to build in it. This isn't a luxury subject. It's a core skill, and it's time we treated it like one.” Carter said the bill is designed to make STEM learning more consistent across the state by embedding it in the curriculum instead of treating it as an optional offering that may depend on local funding or staffing. The release said the legislation would “weave” STEM learning through all grades K-8 and guarantee that students graduate with “real, hands-on coding experience.” In additional remarks included in the announcement, Carter connected computer science instruction to entrepreneurship and rural economic development. “When we teach a kid to code, we're giving them a tool to start a business, modernize a farm, or bring opportunity home,” Carter said. “A Colorado that leads in technology has to start in our classrooms.” The press release did not provide bill language, a fiscal estimate, or an implementation timeline. It also did not detail what standards would define a coding-inclusive course, how districts would adjust staffing or training, or whether schools would receive additional support to meet the proposed requirements. Carter called the measure “a commonsense investment in our kids and our economy” and urged lawmakers from both parties to support it. The filing adds to recent education-focused messaging in the game’s political environment, where school policy and workforce preparation continue to intersect with broader debates about cost of living, economic competitiveness, and the role of government. While education policy can draw bipartisan interest, the bill’s path will depend on how legislators weigh curriculum mandates, local school capacity, and the practical costs of expanding computer science instruction statewide. Under DynamicSim’s state lawmaking system, bills are debated in the combined State Legislature but apply to one state at a time. Carter’s proposal concerns Colorado only, though legislators from all states can take part in debate and voting, with the final result calculated against Colorado’s party balance. No public response from Colorado’s governor or other lawmakers was included in the release. There was also no immediate indication of when the bill might come up for debate. For now, the proposal stands as an early effort to make computer science a required part of Colorado’s public education pipeline from elementary school through high school graduation. Supporters are likely to emphasize workforce skills and broader access to technology education, while any opposition or amendments would likely emerge as lawmakers review the scope, cost, and implementation details of the plan.