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
________________________________________________________________________
106
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY(Prefiled)
January 9, 2019
___________
Introduced by M. of A. L. ROSENTHAL, JAFFEE, ORTIZ, RIVERA, BLAKE,
THIELE, MOSLEY -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COOK, NIOU, SIMON --
read once and referred to the Committee on Education
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
18 and producing media in any form. These recommendations and best prac-
19 tices may include, but are not limited to:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01832-01-9
A. 106 2
1 (a) revisions to state education standards and the state instructional
2 technology plan;
3 (b) revisions to policies and procedures on media literacy, including
4 digital citizenship and internet safety;
5 (c) school district processes necessary to develop customized school
6 district policies and procedures on electronic resources and internet
7 safety that can be used within a school district technology plan;
8 (d) best practices, resources, and models for instruction in media
9 literacy;
10 (e) best practices, resources, and models for instruction of digital
11 citizenship, including media literacy, that are compliant with the
12 federal universal service e-rate program administered by the schools and
13 libraries division of the universal service administrative company and
14 federal mandates established in the federal children's internet
15 protection act; and
16 (f) strategies that will support school districts in local implementa-
17 tion of the best practices and recommendations developed by the commit-
18 tee, including strategies for delivering professional development to
19 educators and administrators.
20 § 4. The report required by section three of this act shall be deliv-
21 ered to the governor, the temporary president of the senate and the
22 speaker of the assembly no later than one year after the effective date
23 of this act.
24 § 5. The education law is amended by adding a new section 756 to read
25 as follows:
26 § 756. Annual review of media literacy policy and procedures. 1. For
27 purposes of this section, "media literacy" shall be considered a broad
28 term that encompasses consumption and production of media and digital
29 products and is defined as the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, act
30 and create with all forms of communication, and encompasses the founda-
31 tional skills of digital citizenship and internet safety including the
32 norms of appropriate, responsible, healthy behavior, and cyberbullying
33 prevention.
34 2. Beginning in the two thousand twenty--two thousand twenty-one
35 school year, a media literacy advisory committee shall be created within
36 the department to review and amend the policy and procedures on media
37 literacy. The committee, in conjunction with national or statewide
38 organizations focused on media literacy, shall:
39 (a) involve a representation of parents or guardians, teachers, teach-
40 er librarians, other school employees, school administrators, pupils,
41 and community representatives with experience or expertise in media
42 literacy issues;
43 (b) consider customizing the model policy and procedures on electronic
44 resources;
45 (c) consider existing school district resources; and
46 (d) consider best practices, resources, and models for instruction in
47 media literacy, including methods to involve parents.
48 § 6. This act shall take effect immediately.