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. LBD10002-03-2S. 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.