Existing law provides for a system of public schools and requires the adopted course of study for grades 1 to 12, inclusive, to include instruction in specified areas of study. Existing law requires the State Department of Education, on or before July 1, 2019, to make available to school districts on its internet website a list of resources and instructional materials on media literacy, including media literacy professional development programs for teachers.

This bill would require, on or before January 1, 2025, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, in consultation with the state board, to survey teacher librarians, principals, and technology directors to understand how they are currently integrating digital citizenship and media literacy education into their curriculum, as provided. The bill would require the superintendent to convene and consult with an advisory committee consisting of specified representatives to develop best practices and recommendations for instruction in digital citizenship, internet safety, citizenship and media literacy. The bill would also require the superintendent to share the results of the survey with the advisory committee. The bill would require, on or before January 1, 2026, the superintendent, in consultation with the State Board of Education, to submit a report to the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature on strategies to implement those best practices and recommendations statewide.

Existing law provides for a system of public schools and requires the adopted course of study for grades 1 to 12, inclusive, to include instruction in specified areas of study. Existing law requires the State Department of Education, on or before July 1, 2019, to make available to school districts on its internet website a list of resources and instructional materials on media literacy, including media literacy professional development programs for teachers.

This bill would require, on or before January 1, 2025, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, in consultation with the state board, to survey teacher librarians, principals, and technology directors to understand how they are currently integrating digital citizenship and media literacy education into their curriculum, as provided. The bill would require the superintendent to convene and consult with an advisory committee consisting of specified representatives to develop best practices and recommendations for instruction in digital citizenship, internet safety, and media literacy. The bill would also require the superintendent to share the results of the survey with the advisory committee. The bill would require, on or before January 1, 2026, the superintendent, in consultation with the State Board of Education, to submit a report to the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature on strategies to implement those best practices and recommendations statewide.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Senator Anthony Portantino, Chair

2023 - 2024 Regular Session

AB 787 (Gabriel) - Pupil instruction: digital citizenship and media literacy: survey

Bill Summary:

This bill requires the State Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI), as specified, to develop best practices and recommendations for instruction in digital citizenship and media literacy on or before by January 1, 2026 and conduct a survey on or before January 1, 2025, as specified, to understand how schools are currently integrating digital citizenship and media literacy education into curriculum. 

Fiscal Impact:

The California Department of Education (CDE) estimates one-time General Fund costs of $260,000 over three years to convene an advisory committee to identify best practices and recommendations and report its findings to the Legislature. This estimate assumes up to 20 volunteer members who would not receive compensation for three meetings.

Background:

Existing law requires the CDE to make available to local educational agencies (LEAs) on its Internet Web site a list of resources and instructional materials on media literacy, including media literacy professional development programs for teachers. It defines “digital citizenship” as a diverse set of skills related to current technology and social media, including the norms of appropriate, responsible, and healthy behavior, and “media literacy” as the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and use media and encompasses the foundational skills that lead to digital citizenship.

The California Model School Library Standards for California Schools, adopted by the SBE in 2011, incorporate “information literacy” skills, in which students “learn to access, evaluate, use, and integrate information and ideas found in print, media, and digital resources, enabling them to function in a broadly to include words (whether printed or spoken), visual images (including photographs and artwork), and music. The standards are organized into four concepts (accessing, evaluating, using, and integrating information) which contain standards spanning all of the grades. In the area of evaluating information, students are expected to be able to determine the relevance of information; assess the comprehensiveness, currency, credibility, authority, and accuracy of resources; and consider the need for additional information.

Proposed Law:

This bill requires the SPI, in consultation with the State Board of Education (SBE), to identify best practices and recommendations for instruction in digital citizenship and media literacy and report to the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature on strategies to implement the best practices and recommendations statewide with the following stakeholders, without compensation, on the advisory committee:

• 1. A statewide association representing county superintendents of schools.
  2. A statewide association representing school district governing boards.
  3. Experts in digital citizenship, digital literacy, and media literacy.
  4. Other stakeholders, including pupils, certificated teacher librarians, parent organizations, diverse current classroom teachers, and school administrators.

This bill specifies that the best practices and recommendations at a minimum, shall include 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, as specified. This includes revisions to the state content standards, curriculum frameworks, adopted instructional materials, and the state educational technology plan, existing model policies and procedures on digital citizenship and media literacy, and school district processes necessary to develop customized school district policies and procedures on electronic resources that can be used within a school district technology plan.

This bill provides that the meetings of the advisory committee must be consistent with the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act.

This bill requires the SPI, in consultation with SBE, to survey teacher librarians, principals, and technology directors to understand how they are currently integrating digital citizenship and media literacy education into their curriculum in order to determine how teacher librarians, principals, and technology directors can lead, teach, and support digital citizenship and media literacy across all grades and content areas until January 1, 2026.

This bill defines “digital citizenship” as a diverse set of skills related to current technology and social media, including the norms of appropriate, responsible, and healthy behavior. Major areas include safety concerns such as cyberbullying prevention, protecting private information online, understanding digital footprints, civil online discourse, and online safety. The bill also defines “media literacy” as the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, develop, produce, and interpret media and encompasses the foundational skills that lead to digital citizenship. Media literacy includes digital literacy, consisting of the skills and perspectives needed to read and write using a range of digital devices, typically in a networked environment.

Related Legislation:

AB 873 (Berman, 2023) requires the Instructional Quality Commission (IQC) to consider incorporating the Model Library Standards and media literacy content at each grade level when the ELA/ELD curriculum framework is next revised and media literacy content into the mathematics, science, and History – Social Sciences Framework when those frameworks are next revised after January 1, 2024. This bill is in pending in this Committee.

SB 830 (Dodd, Chapter 448, Statutes of 2018) requires CDE to make available to school districts on its Internet Website by July 1, 2019, a list of resources and instructional materials on media literacy, including media literacy professional development programs for teachers.

SB 135 (Dodd, 2017) would have required the IQC to develop and the SBE to adopt, reject, or modify a model curriculum in media literacy. This bill was held in Assembly Appropriations Committee.

Staff Comments: This bill expands the definition of “digital citizenship” and “media literacy” in current law which defines digital citizenship as “a diverse set of skills related to current technology and social media, including the norms of appropriate, responsible, and healthy behavior.” This bill adds to the definition to include “major areas include safety concerns such as cyberbullying prevention, protecting private information online, understanding digital footprints, civil online discourse, and online safety.” This bill also adds to the definition of media literacy to include “…digital literacy, consisting of the skills and perspectives needed to read and write using a range of digital devices, typically in a networked environment.”

This bill requires CDE to identify best practices and recommendations for school instruction in digital citizenship and media literacy and report its findings to the Legislature.

-- END --

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Senator Josh Newman, Chair

2023 - 2024 Regular

Bill No: AB 787 Hearing Date: June 21, 2023

Subject: Pupil instruction: digital citizenship and media literacy: survey.

SUMMARY

This bill requires the State Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI), as specified, to develop best practices and recommendations for instruction in digital citizenship and media literacy on or before by January 1, 2026 and conduct a survey on or before January 1, 2025, as specified, to understand how schools are currently integrating digital citizenship and media literacy education into curriculum. 

BACKGROUND

Existing Law:

Education Code (EC)

1. Requires the California Department of Education (CDE) to make available to local educational agencies (LEAs) on its Internet Web site a list of resources and instructional materials on media literacy, including media literacy professional development programs for teachers. (EC 51206.4(b))
2. “Digital citizenship” means a diverse set of skills related to current technology and social media, including the norms of appropriate, responsible, and healthy behavior. (EC 51206.4(a)(1))
3. “Media literacy” means the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and use media and encompasses the foundational skills that lead to digital citizenship. (EC 51206.4(a)(2))

ANALYSIS

This bill requires the SPI, as specified, to develop best practices and recommendations for instruction in digital citizenship and media literacy on or before by January 1, 2026, and conduct a survey on or before January 1, 2025, as specified, to understand how schools are currently integrating digital citizenship and media literacy education into the curriculum. 

Advisory Committee on Digital Citizenship and Media Literacy Report

1. Requires the SPI, in consultation with the State Board of Education (SBE), to identify best practices and recommendations for instruction in digital citizenship and media literacy and shall report to the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature on strategies to implement the best practices and recommendations statewide with the following stakeholders, without compensation, on the advisory committee:
   1. A statewide association representing county superintendents of schools.
   2. A statewide association representing school district governing boards.
   3. Experts in digital citizenship, digital literacy, and media literacy.
   4. Other stakeholders, including pupils, certificated teacher librarians, parent organizations, diverse current classroom teachers, and school administrators.
2. Specifies the best practices and recommendations at a minimum, include 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, but is not limited to the following:
   1. Revisions to the state content standards, curriculum frameworks, adopted instructional materials, and the state educational technology plan.
   2. Existing model policies and procedures on digital citizenship and media literacy.
   3. School district processes necessary to develop customized school district policies and procedures on electronic resources that can be used within a school district technology plan.
   4. Best practices, resources, and models for instruction in digital citizenship and media literacy.
   5. Best practices, resources, and models for instruction that are compliant with the federal Universal Service E-rate program and federal mandates established in the federal Children’s Internet Protection Act.
   6. Strategies that will support school districts in local implementation of the best practices and recommendations developed by the department, including strategies for delivering professional development to educators and school administrators.
3. Specifies the meetings of the advisory committee must be consistent with the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act.
4. Requires the SPI to report to the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature on strategies to implement the best practices and recommendations statewide on or before January 1, 2026.

Survey on How to Integrate Digital Citizenship and Media Literacy into Curriculum 

1. Requires the SPI, in consultation with SBE, to survey teacher librarians, principals, and technology directors to understand how they are currently integrating digital citizenship and media literacy education into their curriculum in order to determine how teacher librarians, principals, and technology directors can lead, teach, and support digital citizenship and media literacy across all grades and content areas until January 1, 2026.
2. Requires the SPI to share the results of the survey with the advisory committee described in #1.

Definitions

1. “Digital citizenship” means a diverse set of skills related to current technology and social media, including the norms of appropriate, responsible, and healthy behavior. Major areas include safety concerns such as cyberbullying prevention, protecting private information online, understanding digital footprints, civil online discourse, and online safety.
2. “Media literacy” means the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, develop, produce, and interpret media and encompasses the foundational skills that lead to digital citizenship. Media literacy includes digital literacy, consisting of the skills and perspectives needed to read and write using a range of digital devices, typically in a networked environment.

Findings and Declarations

1. Makes findings and declarations related the prevalence of digital media in students lives and declares that it is the intent of the Legislature to provide a process by which pupils, parents, guardians, teachers, teacher librarians, other school employees, school administrators, and community representatives will engage in an ongoing discussion on safe media and technology use, with the goal of establishing digital citizenship and media literacy as part of the state’s basic educational goals and essential academic learning requirements.

STAFF COMMENTS

1. Need for the bill. According to the author “More than any other time in history, children today have access to a vast amount of easily accessible information, made possible through digital media. This access has created new opportunities for children to interact with education, entertainment, and each other, but also created significantly enhanced risks. Increased digital media use has exacerbated challenges related to cyberbullying, negative body image issues, cheating, depression and anxiety, and misinformation. Digital and media literacy can help prepare young people to safely and effectively navigate the challenges and opportunities that will confront in an increasingly digital world. AB 787 seeks to analyze the current state of digital citizenship and media literacy and bring together stakeholders to create actionable next steps on how we can educate the next generation of Californians on these issues.”
2. What is Media Literacy? According to the National Association for Media Literacy Education, “media literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate and create media in various forms.” The Center for Media Literacy offers another definition: “Media literacy empowers people to be both critical thinkers and creative producers of an increasingly wide range of messages using image, language, and sound. It is the skillful application of literacy skills to media and technology messages.”
3. Current Media Literacy and Digital Citizenship Provided By CDE. CDE has provided a list of resources to help parents, administrators, and students on its website. Below are examples of the content the webpage contains:

Digital Citizenship. According to CDE, “in an effort to lead students in the ever-changing digital world, it is important to help students take ownership of their online and offline lives. This also includes partnering with parents to empower parents and help them make smart choices with their students.” Each year, in January and October, CDE focuses on Digital Citizenship, providing resources for parents, students, and educators information for schools to meet Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) requirements as well as become certified.

Technology Information Center for Administrative Leadership (TICAL).

TICAL provides professional development for district and site administrators, linking them with technology to aid in day-to-day operations.

1. Model School Library Standards for California Schools (2010). The California Model School Library Standards for California Schools, adopted by the SBE in 2011, incorporate “information literacy” skills, in which students “learn to access, evaluate, use, and integrate information and ideas found in print, media, and digital resources, enabling them to function in a broadly to include words (whether printed or spoken), visual images (including photographs and artwork), and music. The standards are organized into four concepts (accessing, evaluating, using, and integrating information) which contain standards spanning all of the grades. In the area of evaluating information, students are expected to be able to determine the relevance of information; assess the comprehensiveness, currency, credibility, authority, and accuracy of resources; and consider the need for additional information.
2. Related Legislation

AB 873 (Berman, 2023) requires the Instructional Quality Commission (IQC) to consider incorporating the Model Library Standards and media literacy content at each grade level when the ELA/ELD curriculum framework is next revised and media literacy content into the mathematics, science, and History – Social Sciences Framework when those frameworks are next revised after January 1, 2024. This bill is in Senate Education Committee and will be heard June 21, 2023.

SB 830 (Dodd) Chapter 448, Statutes of 2018, required CDE to make available to school districts on its Internet Website by July 1, 2019, a list of resources and instructional materials on media literacy, including media literacy professional development programs for teachers.

SB 135 (Dodd, 2017) would have required the IQC to develop and the SBE to adopt, reject, or modify a model curriculum in media literacy. The CDE must also make available a list of resources and instructional materials on media literacy. This bill was held in Assembly Appropriations Committee.

SB 203 (Jackson, 2017) would have required the CDE, on or before December 1, 2018, and in consultation with the SPI and an advisory committee, to identify best practices and recommendations for instruction in digital citizenship, Internet safety, and media literacy, and to report to the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature on strategies to implement the best practices and recommendations statewide. This bill was held in Senate Appropriations Committee.

SUPPORT

Common Sense Media (Co-Sponsor)

TechNet (Co-Sponsor)

California Common Cause

Media Alliance

OPPOSITION

None received

-- END --

ASSEMBLY THIRD READING

ATR Bill Id:AB 787

Author:(Gabriel)

As Amended Ver:March 28, 2023

Majority vote

SUMMARY

Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI), in consultation with the State Board of Education (SBE) and an advisory committee, to identify best practices and recommendations for instruction in digital citizenship and media literacy, report these recommendations to the Legislature, and conduct a survey on the ways in which digital citizenship and media literacy education is being integrated into the curriculum.

Major Provisions

1. Defines "digital citizenship" and "media literacy" as follows:
2. "Digital citizenship" means a diverse set of skills related to current technology and social media, including the norms of appropriate, responsible, and healthy behavior. Major areas include safety concerns such as cyberbullying prevention, protecting private information online, understanding digital footprints, civil online discourse, and online safety; and
3. "Media literacy" means the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, develop, produce, and interpret media and encompasses the foundational skills that lead to digital citizenship. Media literacy includes digital literacy, consisting of the skills and perspectives needed to read and write using a range of digital devices, typically in a networked environment.
4. Requires, on or before January 1, 2026, the SPI, in consultation with the SBE, to identify best practices and recommendations for instruction in digital citizenship and media literacy, and to report to the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature on strategies to implement the best practices and recommendations statewide.
5. Requires the best practices and recommendations to be developed in consultation with an advisory committee, as defined.
6. Requires the best practices and recommendations to include 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.
7. Makes the reporting requirement inoperative on January 1, 2030.
8. Requires the SPI to convene and consult with an advisory committee when developing best practices and recommendations for instruction in digital citizenship and media literacy.
9. Requires that a majority of the membership of the advisory committee be composed of certificated teacher librarians and current certificated classroom teachers with experience teaching media literacy.
10. Requires the advisory committee to include representatives from all of the following:
11. A statewide association representing county superintendents of schools;
12. A statewide association representing school district governing boards;
13. Experts in digital citizenship, digital literacy and media literacy; and
14. Other stakeholders, including students, certificated teacher librarians, parent organizations, diverse current classroom teachers, and school administrators.
15. States that the recommendations of the advisory committee may include the following:
16. Revisions to the state content standards, curriculum frameworks, adopted instructional materials, and the state educational technology plan;
17. Existing model policies and procedures on digital citizenship and media literacy;
18. School district processes necessary to develop customized school district policies and procedures on electronic resources and that can be used within a school district technology plan;
19. Best practices, resources, and models for instruction in digital citizenship and media literacy;
20. Best practices, resources, and models for instruction that are compliant with the federal Universal Service E-rate program and federal mandates established in the federal Children's Internet Protection Act (Public Law 106-554); and
21. Strategies that will support school districts in local implementation of the best practices and recommendations developed by the CDE, including strategies for delivering professional development to educators and school administrators.
22. Requires that the members of the advisory committee serve without compensation, including compensation for travel and per diem expenses. States that nothing in the act shall be construed to limit the use of private funds for the compensation, travel expenses, or per diem of members of the advisory committee.
23. Requires that meetings of the advisory committee be conducted pursuant to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act.
24. Requires, on or before January 1, 2025, the SPI, in consultation with the SBE, to survey teacher librarians, principals, and technology directors to understand how they are currently integrating digital citizenship and media literacy education into their curriculum.
25. States that the purpose of the survey is to determine how teacher librarians, principals, and technology directors can lead, teach, and support digital citizenship and media literacy across all grades and content areas. Requires the SPI to share the results of the survey with the advisory committee. Repeals this requirement on January 1, 2026.

COMMENTS

Media literacy resources listed on the CDE website. Pursuant to SB 830 (Dodd), Chapter 448, Statutes of 2018, the CDE has listed on its website resources and instructional materials on media literacy, including media literacy professional development programs for teachers. This list includes ten curriculum resources, eleven resources for professional development, and five resources for media production.

Information literacy in California Model School Library Standards. The California Model School Library Standards for California Schools, adopted by the SBE in 2010, incorporate "information literacy" skills, in which students "learn to access, evaluate, use, and integrate information and ideas found in print, media, and digital resources, enabling them to function in a knowledge-based economy and technologically oriented society." "Information" is defined broadly to include words (whether printed or spoken), visual images (including photographs and artwork), and music.

The Model School Library Standards were adopted in September 2010. The standards are organized into four concepts (accessing, evaluating, using, and integrating information) which contain standards spanning all of the grades. In the area of evaluating information, students are expected to be able to determine the relevance of information; assess the comprehensiveness, currency, credibility, authority, and accuracy of resources; and consider the need for additional information.

The state's content standards for English Language Arts also include at least one reference to media literacy. In grades 9 -12 students are expected to learn to "Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source."

According to the Author

"More than any other time in history, children today have access to a vast amount of easily accessible information, made possible through digital media. This access has created new opportunities for children to interact with education, entertainment, and each other, but also created significantly enhanced risks. Increased digital media use has exacerbated challenges related to cyberbullying, negative body image issues, cheating, depression and anxiety, and misinformation.

Digital and media literacy can help prepare young people to safely and effectively navigate the challenges and opportunities that will confront in an increasingly digital world. AB 787 seeks to analyze the current state of digital citizenship and media literacy and bring together stakeholders to create actionable next steps on how we can educate the next generation of Californians on these issues."

Arguments in Support

Common Sense Media writes, "Children are growing up with the power of digital media and technology to explore, connect, create, and learn in new ways. With this power, young people have great opportunities, but they also face challenges and dilemmas. Schools are dealing with the ramifications, including issues such as online safety, cyberbullying, privacy, hate speech, misinformation, and digital distraction. To address these issues, schools are creating a positive culture around media and technology by incorporating digital citizenship education as part of their curricula. California's adoption of a statewide survey and advisory committee on digital citizenship and media literacy instruction would ensure California's kids have the skills they need to take control of their digital lives."

Arguments in Opposition

None on file

FISCAL COMMENTS

According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, one-time General Fund costs of $230,000 over three years for the California Department of Education (CDE) to convene an advisory committee to identify best practices and recommendations for school instruction in digital citizenship and media literacy, to conduct a survey, and to report its findings to the Legislature. This estimate includes supplies for meetings, technology services, a primary writer contract, and costs for editing, design, and accessibility of materials.

VOTES

ASM EDUCATION: 7-0-0

YES: Muratsuchi, Megan Dahle, Juan Carrillo, Hoover, Lee, McCarty, Quirk-Silva

ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 15-0-1

YES: Holden, Megan Dahle, Bryan, Calderon, Wendy Carrillo, Dixon, Mike Fong, Hart, Lowenthal, Mathis, Papan, Pellerin, Sanchez, Weber, Ortega

ABS, ABST OR NV: Robert Rivas

UPDATED

VERSION: March 28, 2023

CONSULTANT: Tanya Lieberman / ED. / (916) 319-2087 FN: 0000855

Date of Hearing: April 26, 2023

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Chris Holden, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 787

Author:(Gabriel) – As Amended Ver:March 28, 2023

Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: No

SUMMARY:

This bill requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to identify best practices and recommendations for school instruction in digital citizenship and media literacy and report its findings to the Legislature.

Specifically, this bill:

1. Requires, on or before January 1, 2026, the SPI, in consultation with the State Board of Education (SBE), to identify best practices and recommendations for instruction in digital citizenship and media literacy and report to the Legislature on strategies to implement the best practices and other recommendations statewide.
2. Requires the SPI to convene and consult with an advisory committee when developing the best practices and recommendations. A majority of the membership of the advisory committee is to be composed of currently certificated teacher librarians and current certificated classroom teachers with experience teaching media literacy and other representatives. The members of the advisory committee are to serve without compensation, including compensation for travel and per diem expenses.
3. Requires the SPI, on or before January 1, 2025, in consultation with the SBE, to survey teacher librarians, principals, and technology directors to understand how they integrate digital citizenship and media literacy education into their curricula. The SPI is to share the results of the survey with the advisory committee.

FISCAL EFFECT:

One-time General Fund costs of $230,000 over three years for the California Department of Education (CDE) to convene an advisory committee to identify best practices and recommendations for school instruction in digital citizenship and media literacy, to conduct a survey, and to report its findings to the Legislature. This estimate includes supplies for meetings, technology services, a primary writer contract, and costs for editing, design, and accessibility of materials.

COMMENTS:

1. Background. SB 830 (Dodd), Chapter 448, Statutes of 2018, required CDE, by July 1, 2019, to make available to school districts on its website a list of resources and instructional materials on media literacy, including media literacy professional development programs for teachers.

This bill expands the definition of “digital citizenship” and “media literacy” from the definitions in SB 830. SB 830 defines digital citizenship as “a diverse set of skills related to current technology and social media, including the norms of appropriate, responsible, and healthy behavior.” This bill adds to this definition, “Major areas include safety concerns such as cyberbullying prevention, protecting private information online, understanding digital footprints, civil online discourse, and online safety.” SB 830 defines media literacy as “the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and use media and encompasses the foundational skills that lead to digital citizenship.” This bill adds to this definition, “Media literacy includes digital literacy, consisting of the skills and perspectives needed to read and write using a range of digital devices, typically in a networked environment.”

This bill requires CDE to identify best practices and recommendations for school instruction in digital citizenship and media literacy and report its findings to the Legislature.

1. Prior Legislation. AB 2284 (Gabriel), of the 2021-22 Legislative Session, would have required the SPI to allocate funding to school districts, county offices of education, charter schools, and the state special schools, for the purchase of standards-aligned instructional materials in media literacy and digital literacy and for professional development in that content. This bill was held on this committee’s suspense file.

Analysis Prepared by: Natasha Collins / APPR. / (916) 319-2081

Date of Hearing: March 22, 2023

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Al Muratsuchi, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 787 (

Author:Gabriel) – As Introduced Ver:February 13, 2023

SUBJECT: Pupil instruction: digital citizenship and media literacy: survey

SUMMARY: Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI), in consultation with the State Board of Education (SBE) and an advisory committee, to identify best practices and recommendations for instruction in digital citizenship, internet safety, and media literacy and to report recommendations to the Legislature, and to conduct a survey on the ways in which digital citizenship and media literacy education is being integrated into the curriculum. Specifically, this bill:

1. Defines “digital citizenship” and “media literacy” as broad terms that encompass consumption and production of media and digital products. Defines these terms specifically as follows:
2. “Digital citizenship” means a diverse set of skills related to current technology and social media, including the norms of appropriate, responsible, and healthy behavior. Major areas include safety concerns such as cyberbullying prevention, protecting private information online, understanding digital footprints, civil online discourse, and online safety; and
3. “Media literacy” means the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, develop, produce, and interpret media and encompasses the foundational skills that lead to digital citizenship. Media literacy includes digital literacy, consisting of the skills and perspectives needed to read and write using a range of digital devices, typically in a networked environment. 
4. Requires, on or before January 1, 2026, the SPI, in consultation with the SBE, to identify best practices and recommendations for instruction in digital citizenship, internet safety, and media literacy and to report to the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature on strategies to implement the best practices and recommendations statewide.
5. Requires the best practices and recommendations to be developed in consultation with an advisory committee, as defined.
6. Requires the best practices and recommendations to include 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. 
7. Makes the reporting requirement inoperative on January 1, 2030.
8. Requires the SPI to convene and consult with an advisory committee when developing best practices and recommendations for instruction in digital citizenship, internet safety, and media literacy.
9. Requires that a majority of the membership of the advisory committee be composed of certificated teacher librarians and current certificated classroom teachers with experience teaching media literacy.
10. Requires the advisory committee to include representatives from all of the following:
11. A statewide association representing county superintendents of schools;
12. A statewide association representing school district governing boards;
13. Experts in digital citizenship, digital literacy, internet safety, and media literacy; and
14. Other stakeholders, including students, certificated teacher librarians, parent organizations, diverse current classroom teachers, and school administrators;
15. States that the recommendations of the advisory committee may include the following:
16. Revisions to the state content standards and the state educational technology plan;
17. Existing model policies and procedures on digital citizenship, internet safety, and media literacy;
18. 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;
19. Best practices, resources, and models for instruction in digital citizenship, internet safety, and media literacy;
20. Best practices, resources, and models for instruction that are compliant with the federal Universal Service E-rate program and federal mandates established in the federal Children’s Internet Protection Act (Public Law 106-554); and
21. Strategies that will support school districts in local implementation of the best practices and recommendations developed by the CDE, including strategies for delivering professional development to educators and school administrators.
22. Requires that the members of the advisory committee serve without compensation, including compensation for travel and per diem expenses. States that nothing in the act shall be construed to limit the use of private funds for the compensation, travel expenses, or per diem of members of the advisory committee.
23. Requires that meetings of the advisory committee be conducted pursuant to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act.
24. Requires, on or before January 1, 2025, the SPI, in consultation with the SBE, to survey teacher librarians, principals, and technology directors to understand how they are currently integrating digital citizenship and media literacy education into their curriculum.
25. States that the purpose of the survey is to determine how teacher librarians, principals, and technology directors can lead, teach, and support digital citizenship and media literacy across all grades and content areas. Requires the SPI to share the results of the survey with the advisory committee.
26. Repeals this requirement on January 1, 2026.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Defines the following terms:
2. “Digital citizenship” means a diverse set of skills related to current technology and social media, including the norms of appropriate, responsible, and healthy behavior; and
3. “Media literacy” means the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and use media and encompasses the foundational skills that lead to digital citizenship. (Education Code (EC) 51206.4)
4. Requires the CDE, by July 1, 2019, to make available to school districts on its website a list of resources and instructional materials on media literacy, including media literacy professional development programs for teachers. (EC 51206.4)
5. Requires the SBE to adopt standards, rules and regulations for school library services. (EC 180101)

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown

COMMENTS:

Need for the bill. The author states, “More than any other time in history, children today have access to a vast amount of easily accessible information, made possible through digital media. This access has created new opportunities for children to interact with education, entertainment, and each other, but also created significantly enhanced risks. Increased digital media use has exacerbated challenges related to cyberbullying, negative body image issues, cheating, depression and anxiety, and misinformation.

Digital and media literacy can help prepare young people to safely and effectively navigate the challenges and opportunities that will confront in an increasingly digital world. AB 787 seeks to analyze the current state of digital citizenship and media literacy and bring together stakeholders to create actionable next steps on how we can educate the next generation of Californians on these issues.”

What is media literacy? According to the National Association for Media Literacy Education, media literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate and create media in a variety of forms.

The Center for Media Literacy offers another definition: “Media literacy empowers people to be both critical thinkers and creative producers of an increasingly wide range of messages using image, language, and sound. It is the skillful application of literacy skills to media and technology messages.”

What does media literacy education look like? The CDE lists the following examples of media literacy activities in different grade spans on its website:

• Elementary students use a library catalog to locate a book on recycling, which informs their task of photographing examples of recycling in their neighborhoods to share on their class wiki. In this example, students are accessing information through the library catalog, using it to inform their task. They are then using media to share information through photography on their class wiki—this involves production, communication, and following norms of online behavior with digital citizenship.
• Middle schoolers use a spreadsheet to organize data they collect about pets’ exercise habits, which they will analyze for a science fair project. In this example, students are using technology to use information effectively. They are then analyzing that information to arrive at conclusions for a project—that project will involve further skills in communication of that information to a particular audience.
• High schoolers locate articles in a database about data privacy, which is the basis for the students’ video production that gives recommendations for teens to protect personal information. In this example, students are accessing information through the database, and then analyzing that information to produce a video, involving communication skills. The topic is data privacy, which includes elements of digital citizenship.

Three additional examples of media literacy lessons from publicly available curricula are shown below:

• Through the Media Smarts curriculum (in use in Canada) students in kindergarten to third grade can learn how to identify advertising through a lesson titled “Can you spot the ad?” with the objective of teaching students about the concept of branded content, and differences between branded and non-branded images and videos in online and offline contexts.
• Through the Cyber Civics curriculum for middle school students, students learn the difference between “consuming” and “producing” media, how to read and create visual media and become less susceptible to visual manipulations, receive safety training related to the consequences of “sexting,” and learn how misinformation can spread via the Internet and social media and even find its way into the news.
• Through the Facing History and Ourselves media literacy unit titled “Facing Ferguson: News Literacy in a Digital Age,” high school students investigate the choices and challenges facing journalists as they report on a story, explore the impact of social media on the traditional news cycle and understand the role it can play in influencing public opinion and the press, develop critical thinking and news literacy skills to find reliable information to make decisions, take action, and responsibly share news through social media, and consider their role as citizens in a democracy and their responsibilities as civic participants and citizen watchdogs.

Other resources are available online, such as curriculum developed by Common Sense Media’s K–12 Digital Citizenship Curriculum, which focuses on media balance and well-being; privacy and security; digital footprint and identity; relationships and communication; cyberbullying, digital drama and hate speech; and news and media literacy.  

Research on the need for instruction in media literacy. Research provided by the author’s office points to numerous issues relating to students’ understanding of, and use of, electronic media. These include difficulty evaluating content (McCormick, 2017), safe use of technology (Anderson, 2018), and effects of technology on mental health and well-being (Muacevlc, 2020, Purnama, 2021).

Information literacy in California Model School Library Standards. The California Model School Library Standards for California Schools, adopted by the SBE in 2010, incorporate “information literacy” skills, in which students “learn to access, evaluate, use, and integrate information and ideas found in print, media, and digital resources, enabling them to function in a knowledge-based economy and technologically oriented society.” “Information” is defined broadly to include words (whether printed or spoken), visual images (including photographs and artwork), and music.

The Model School Library Standards were adopted in September 2010. The standards are organized into four concepts (accessing, evaluating, using, and integrating information) which contain standards spanning all of the grades. In the area of evaluating information, students are expected to be able to determine the relevance of information; assess the comprehensiveness, currency, credibility, authority, and accuracy of resources; and consider the need for additional information.

The state’s content standards for English Language Arts also include at least one reference to media literacy. In grades 9 -12 students are expected to learn to “Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source.”

Media literacy resources listed on the CDE website. Pursuant to SB 830 (Dodd), Chapter 448, Statutes of 2018, the CDE has listed on its website resources and instructional materials on media literacy, including media literacy professional development programs for teachers. This list includes ten curriculum resources, eleven resources for professional development, and five resources for media production.

Arguments in support. Common Sense Media writes, “Children are growing up with the power of digital media and technology to explore, connect, create, and learn in new ways. With this power, young people have great opportunities, but they also face challenges and dilemmas. Schools are dealing with the ramifications, including issues such as online safety, cyberbullying, privacy, hate speech, misinformation, and digital distraction. To address these issues, schools are creating a positive culture around media and technology by incorporating digital citizenship education as part of their curricula. California's adoption of a statewide survey and advisory committee on digital citizenship and media literacy instruction would ensure California's kids have the skills they need to take control of their digital lives.”

Recommended Committee amendments. Staff recommends that the bill be amended to: 1) strike “internet safety” from the list of best practices the SPI would be required to address, as it is already addressed under digital citizenship, and 2) add curriculum frameworks and adopted instructional materials to the list of topics the advisory committee would address in their recommendations.

Related legislation. AB 2284 (Gabriel) of the 2021-22 Session would have required the SPI to allocate funding to school districts, county offices of education, charter schools, and the state special schools, for the purchase of standards-aligned instructional materials in media literacy and digital literacy and for professional development in that content. This bill was held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

AB 2064 (Irwin) of the 2021-22 Session would have established the Media Literacy Through Critical Thinking Program in the California State Library for purposes of supporting media literacy across multiple languages for individuals and developing media literacy skills for individuals to help navigate issues of public health and representation.  This bill was held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

SB 830 (Dodd), Chapter 448, Statutes of 2018, requires the CDE to make available to school districts on its website a list of resources and instructional materials on media literacy, including media literacy professional development programs for teachers.

SB 135 (Dodd) of the 2017-18 Session would have required the Instructional Quality Commission (IQC) to develop, and the SBE to adopt, reject, or modify, a model curriculum in media literacy. This bill was held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

SB 155 (Gomez) of the 2017-18 Session would have required the IQC to develop a model curriculum in media literacy, and would have required the CDE to develop an online professional development module to support the model curriculum. This bill was held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

SB 203 (Jackson) of the 2017-18 Session would have required the CDE to identify best practices and recommendations for instruction in digital citizenship, Internet safety, and media literacy, and would have required, beginning in the 2019–20 school year, school districts to annually review their policies on those topics. This bill was held in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

SB 947 (Jackson) of the 2017-18 Session would have required the SPI, in consultation with an advisory committee, to identify best practices and recommendations for instruction in digital citizenship, Internet safety, and media literacy. This bill was vetoed by the Governor, who stated:

The subject matter of this bill is more properly the responsibility of local school districts. Moreover, the topics covered here are already contained in our state's English Language and Social Science Frameworks or in the K-12 Model Library Standards.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

Common Sense Media (co-sponsor)

TechNet (co-sponsor)

Active San Gabriel Valley

Computer and Communications Industry Association

Media Alliance

Para Los Ninos

SNAP Inc.

Unite-LA

Opposition

None on file

Analysis Prepared by: Tanya Lieberman / ED. / (916) 319-2087