Bill Text: NY S08214 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Directs the commissioner of education to appoint a media literacy advisory group to study the teaching of media literacy; requires such group to survey all school districts on the media literacy practices of and the current media literacy resources available to each district, to inquire how districts are currently integrating digital citizenship and media literacy education in their curriculum.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-06-03 - COMMITTED TO RULES [S08214 Detail]

Download: New_York-2021-S08214-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          8214

                    IN SENATE

                                    February 2, 2022
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sen.  RYAN  --  read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Libraries

        AN ACT to direct the commissioner of education to appoint a media liter-
          acy advisory group to study the teaching of media literacy

          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. For purposes of this act, "media literacy" shall be consid-
     2  ered  a  broad term that encompasses consumption and production of media
     3  and digital products and is defined as the ability to  access,  analyze,
     4  evaluate,  act  and  create  with all forms of communication, and encom-
     5  passes the foundational skills of digital citizenship and internet safe-
     6  ty including the norms of appropriate,  responsible,  healthy  behavior,
     7  and cyberbullying prevention.
     8    §  2.  The  commissioner  of education, in cooperation with experts in
     9  media literacy, the board of regents of the university of the  state  of
    10  New  York,  and  stakeholders  including  educators  and  parents, shall
    11  appoint a media literacy advisory group ("group") to conduct a survey on
    12  the current status of library  media  instruction.    Such  group  shall
    13  include  staff  from school library systems, staff from school libraries
    14  and staff from higher education  institutions  that  offer  library  and
    15  information studies programs.
    16    §  3.  The  group  shall  survey  each school district in the state to
    17  determine the media literacy practices of and the current media literacy
    18  resources available to each district. The survey shall include a  check-
    19  list  of  items  for school districts to consider when updating policies
    20  and procedures.  The survey shall also  inquire  of  teacher-librarians,
    21  principals, and technology directors to understand how they are current-
    22  ly integrating digital citizenship and media literacy education in their
    23  curriculum.    The group shall create a web-based location with links to
    24  recommended successful practices and resources to support digital  citi-
    25  zenship, media literacy, and internet safety.
    26    §  4.  The  group  shall  make a report of its findings, including any
    27  recommendations for legislative action as  it  may  deem  necessary  and
    28  appropriate, best practices for instruction that provides guidance about

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD10002-03-2
        S. 8214                             2

     1  thoughtful, safe, and strategic uses of online and other media resources
     2  and  education  on  how to apply critical thinking skills when consuming
     3  and producing media in any form. These recommendations  and  best  prac-
     4  tices may include, but are not limited to:
     5    (a) revisions to state education standards and the state instructional
     6  technology plan;
     7    (b)  revisions to policies and procedures on media literacy, including
     8  digital citizenship and internet safety;
     9    (c) school district processes necessary to develop  customized  school
    10  district  policies  and  procedures on electronic resources and internet
    11  safety that can be used within a school district technology plan;
    12    (d) best practices, resources, and models  for  instruction  in  media
    13  literacy;
    14    (e)  best  practices, resources, and models for instruction of digital
    15  citizenship, including media  literacy,  that  are  compliant  with  the
    16  federal universal service e-rate program administered by the schools and
    17  libraries  division  of the universal service administrative company and
    18  federal  mandates  established  in  the  federal   children's   internet
    19  protection act; and
    20    (f) strategies that will support school districts in local implementa-
    21  tion  of  the best practices and recommendations developed by the group,
    22  including strategies for delivering professional development  to  educa-
    23  tors and administrators.
    24    §  5.  The report required by section four of this act shall be deliv-
    25  ered to the governor, the temporary president  of  the  senate  and  the
    26  speaker  of the assembly no later than one year after the effective date
    27  of this act.
    28    § 6. This act shall take effect immediately.