S-4182.1
SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 6273
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State of Washington | 64th Legislature | 2016 Regular Session |
By Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education (originally sponsored by Senators Liias, Litzow, Rolfes, Fain, Mullet, Carlyle, Billig, Fraser, and McAuliffe)
READ FIRST TIME 01/29/16.
AN ACT Relating to safe technology use and digital citizenship in public schools; adding a new section to chapter
28A.650 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature recognizes that as technology becomes more prevalent, students must learn how to safely, ethically, responsibly, and effectively use technology. The legislature intends to provide a process in which students, parents or guardians, teachers, teacher-librarians, other school employees, administrators, and community representatives will engage in an ongoing discussion on safe technology use and digital citizenship as part of implementing the state's basic education goal outlined in RCW 28A.150.210(3). NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28A.650 RCW to read as follows:
(1) As used in this section, "digital citizenship" includes the norms of appropriate, responsible, and healthy behavior related to current technology use, including digital and media literacy, ethics, etiquette, and security. Digital citizenship includes the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, develop, produce, and interpret media.
(2)(a) By August 1, 2016, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall develop and distribute best practices and recommendations for instruction on digital citizenship to school districts.
(b) To identify best practices and develop recommendations, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall convene and consult with an advisory committee. The advisory committee must include experts in digital citizenship and media literacy, representatives from the Washington state school directors' association, and teacher-librarians as defined in RCW
28A.320.240, along with other stakeholders, including parent associations, educators, and administrators. Recommendations may include, but are not limited to, suggested revisions to the model policy and procedure on electronic resources and internet safety developed by the Washington state school directors' association, potential revisions to the state learning standards for educational technology, and a strategy for statewide implementation of the education described in subsection (4) of this section.
(c) Best practices and recommendations must address safe technology use and digital citizenship that empowers:
(i) A student to make smart media and online choices; and
(ii) A parent or guardian to know how to discuss and support safe technology use with the parent's or guardian's child.
(3) Beginning in the 2016-17 school year, each school district shall annually review and amend if necessary a policy and procedure that at a minimum incorporates the model policy and procedure on electronic resources and internet safety developed by the Washington state school directors' association. The policy and procedure must be reviewed or amended through a process that includes representation of students, parents or guardians, teachers, teacher-librarians, other school employees, administrators, and community representatives with experience or expertise in digital citizenship issues.
(4) In identifying curriculum and instruction designed to meet the state's basic education goals, each school district shall provide education that instructs students in digital citizenship including how to be critical consumers and producers of information, and provides guidance about thoughtful, safe, and strategic use of online and other media resources.
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