S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  8214--A
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 2, 2022
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sens. RYAN, JORDAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and
   when printed to be committed to the Committee on Libraries --  commit-
   tee  discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recom-
   mitted to said committee
 
 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:
 
   Section 1. For purposes of this act, "media literacy" shall be consid-
 ered  a  broad term that encompasses consumption and production of media
 and digital products and is defined as the ability to  access,  analyze,
 evaluate,  act  and  create  with all forms of communication, and encom-
 passes the foundational skills of digital citizenship and internet safe-
 ty including the norms of appropriate,  responsible,  healthy  behavior,
 and cyberbullying prevention. "Digital citizenship" shall mean a diverse
 set  of skills related to current technology and social media, including
 the norms of appropriate, responsible, and healthy behavior and  focuses
 on  empowering learners to use online resources, applications and spaces
 to improve communities and curate a positive and effective digital foot-
 print.
   § 2. The commissioner of education, in  cooperation  with  experts  in
 media  literacy,  the  board  of  regents, the state university board of
 trustees,  and  stakeholders  including  educators  and  parents,  shall
 appoint a media literacy advisory group ("group") to conduct a survey on
 the  current  status  of library media instruction.  The commissioner of
 education shall serve as chair of the group.  Such group  shall  consist
 of nine members other than the commissioner.  Three members of the group
 shall  be  staff from school library systems, three members of the group
 shall be staff from school libraries, and three  members  of  the  group
 shall be staff from higher education institutions that offer library and
 information  studies programs.  Each of the aforementioned members shall
 possess a New York state public librarian certification  and  a  masters
 degree in library sciences, or the equivalent experience.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10002-04-2
              

 S. 8214--A                          2
 
   §  3.  The  group  shall  survey  each school district in the state to
 determine the media literacy practices of and the current media literacy
 resources available to each district. The survey shall include a  check-
 list  of  items  for school districts to consider when updating policies
 and  procedures.    The survey shall also inquire of teacher-librarians,
 principals, and technology directors to understand how they are current-
 ly integrating digital citizenship and media literacy education in their
 curriculum.
   § 4. The group shall make a report  of  its  findings,  including  any
 recommendations  for  legislative  action  as  it may deem necessary and
 appropriate, best practices for instruction that provides guidance about
 thoughtful, safe, and strategic uses of online and other media resources
 and education on how to apply critical thinking  skills  when  consuming
 and  producing  media  in any form. These recommendations and best prac-
 tices may include, but are not limited to:
   (a) revisions to state education standards and the state instructional
 technology plan;
   (b) revisions to policies and procedures on media literacy,  including
 digital citizenship and internet safety;
   (c)  school  district processes necessary to develop customized school
 district policies and procedures on electronic  resources  and  internet
 safety  that  can  be  used within a school district technology plan and
 strategies that will support school districts in local implementation of
 best practices, and recommendations developed by  the  group,  including
 strategies  for  delivering  professional  development  to educators and
 administrators. Such processes and strategies shall include,  but  shall
 not be limited to, the development of model media literacy standards;
   (d)  best  practices,  resources,  and models for instruction in media
 literacy; and
   (e) best practices, resources, and models for instruction  of  digital
 citizenship,  including  media  literacy,  that  are  compliant with the
 federal universal service e-rate program administered by the schools and
 libraries division of the universal service administrative  company  and
 federal   mandates   established  in  the  federal  children's  internet
 protection act.
   § 5. The department shall publish best practices and resources regard-
 ing proper and effective research,  social  media  etiquette,  financial
 literacy, data use, and other aspects of digital citizenship.
   §  6.  The report required by section four of this act shall be deliv-
 ered to the governor, the temporary president  of  the  senate  and  the
 speaker  of the assembly no later than one year after the effective date
 of this act. Such report shall be published on the department's website.
   § 7. This act shall take effect immediately.