Directs the commissioner of education to appoint a media literacy advisory committee to study the teaching of media literacy; requires such committee to annually review policy on media literacy.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
5981--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 21, 2017
___________
Introduced by M. of A. L. ROSENTHAL, JAFFEE, ORTIZ, RIVERA, BLAKE,
HARRIS, THIELE, MOSLEY -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COOK, NIOU,
SIMON -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education --
recommitted to the Committee on Education in accordance with Assembly
Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to direct the commissioner of education to appoint a media liter-
acy advisory committee to study the teaching of media literacy; and to
amend the education law, in relation to creating a media literacy
advisory committee to annually review policy and procedures on 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 committee ("committee") to conduct a
12 study on teaching of media literacy in schools.
13 § 3. The committee shall make a report of its findings, including any
14 recommendations for legislative action as it may deem necessary and
15 appropriate, best practices for instruction that provides guidance about
16 thoughtful, safe, and strategic uses of online and other media resources
17 and education on how to apply critical thinking skills when consuming
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09759-02-8
A. 5981--A 2
1 and producing media in any form. These recommendations and best prac-
2 tices may include, but are not limited to:
3 (a) revisions to state education standards and the state instructional
4 technology plan;
5 (b) revisions to policies and procedures on media literacy, including
6 digital citizenship and internet safety;
7 (c) school district processes necessary to develop customized school
8 district policies and procedures on electronic resources and internet
9 safety that can be used within a school district technology plan;
10 (d) best practices, resources, and models for instruction in media
11 literacy;
12 (e) best practices, resources, and models for instruction of digital
13 citizenship, including media literacy, that are compliant with the
14 federal universal service e-rate program administered by the schools and
15 libraries division of the universal service administrative company and
16 federal mandates established in the federal children's internet
17 protection act; and
18 (f) strategies that will support school districts in local implementa-
19 tion of the best practices and recommendations developed by the commit-
20 tee, including strategies for delivering professional development to
21 educators and administrators.
22 § 4. The report required by section three of this act shall be deliv-
23 ered to the governor, the temporary president of the senate and the
24 speaker of the assembly no later than one year after the effective date
25 of this act.
26 § 5. The education law is amended by adding a new section 756 to read
27 as follows:
28 § 756. Annual review of media literacy policy and procedures. 1. For
29 purposes of this section, "media literacy" shall be considered a broad
30 term that encompasses consumption and production of media and digital
31 products and is defined as the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, act
32 and create with all forms of communication, and encompasses the founda-
33 tional skills of digital citizenship and internet safety including the
34 norms of appropriate, responsible, healthy behavior, and cyberbullying
35 prevention.
36 2. Beginning in the two thousand nineteen--two thousand twenty school
37 year, a media literacy advisory committee shall be created within the
38 department to review and amend the policy and procedures on media liter-
39 acy. The committee, in conjunction with national or statewide organiza-
40 tions focused on media literacy, shall:
41 (a) involve a representation of parents or guardians, teachers, teach-
42 er librarians, other school employees, school administrators, pupils,
43 and community representatives with experience or expertise in media
44 literacy issues;
45 (b) consider customizing the model policy and procedures on electronic
46 resources;
47 (c) consider existing school district resources; and
48 (d) consider best practices, resources, and models for instruction in
49 media literacy, including methods to involve parents.
50 § 6. This act shall take effect immediately.
