STEM CAREER AWARENESS

(Section 161.264)

This act creates the "STEM Career Awareness Activity Fund" for the purpose of establishing a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) activity program for students in grades nine through twelve. Under the act, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) shall select a provider to deliver a teacher-led program that involves facilitating a cohort of students to conduct STEM activities at state, national, or international competitions. DESE shall select a provider that presents data demonstrating the effectiveness of the program in achieving certain goals specified in the act. DESE shall begin soliciting applications from providers by January 1, 2025, and select a provider by March 1, 2025.

This provision is substantially similar to SB 535 (2023), to a provision in HCS/SS/SCS/SBs 411 & 230 (2023), to HB 887 (2023), and to a provision in HCS/HB 502 (2023).

SOCIAL MEDIA SAFETY INSTRUCTION

(Section 161.265)

Under the act, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) shall create a model curriculum and instructional materials for social media safety instruction for students in grades 6 through 12. The model curriculum and instructional materials shall be published on DESE's website and the website of each school district. Each school district shall notify students' parents of the availability of such materials online. DESE shall periodically update such materials to reflect changes in social media use, emergent technologies, and new threats to teens using social media platforms.

Each school district may offer instruction on social media and internet safety to students in grades 6 through 12. Students' parents shall be given the ability to opt their child out of such instruction. The act outlines certain topics that shall be included in such instruction, such as the negative effects of social media on mental health; the permanency of sharing materials online; and how to report suspicious behavior. The act also specifies certain benefits of social media that may be covered in the instruction.

A school district shall prohibit student access to social media platforms through the use of internet access provided by the school district, except when access to social media is expressly directed by a teacher solely for educational purposes.

Finally, the act provides that a school district shall provide and adopt an internet safety policy for student access to the internet provided by the school district. Such policy shall include certain provisions specified in the act, including limiting internet access to age-appropriate subject matter and prohibiting students from accessing websites that do not protect against the disclosure, use, or dissemination of students' personal information.

OLIVIA SHANNON