AN ACT Relating to digital citizenship, media literacy, and internet safety in schools; amending RCW 28A.650.010 and 28A.650.045; adding a new section to chapter 28A.650 RCW; creating a new section; and providing an expiration date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1.  RCW 28A.650.010 and 1993 c 336 s 702 are each amended to read as follows:

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.

(1) "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. The term also includes the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, develop, produce, and interpret media, as well as internet safety and cyberbullying prevention and response.

(2) "Education technology" or "technology" means the effective use of electronic and optical tools, including telephones, and electronic and optical pathways in helping students learn.

(((2))) (3) "Network" means integrated linking of education technology systems in schools for transmission of voice, data, video, or imaging, or a combination of these.

Sec. 2.  RCW 28A.650.045 and 2016 c 59 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) ((For the purposes of 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. The term also includes the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, develop, produce, and interpret media, as well as internet safety and cyberbullying prevention and response.

(2)))(a) By December 1, 2016, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall develop best practices and recommendations for instruction in digital citizenship, internet safety, and media literacy, and report to the appropriate committees of the legislature, in accordance with RCW 43.01.036, on strategies to implement the best practices and recommendations statewide. The best practices and recommendations must be developed in consultation with an advisory committee as specified in (b) of this subsection. Best practices and recommendations must 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 information.

(b) The office of the superintendent of public instruction must convene and consult with an advisory committee when developing best practices and recommendations for instruction in digital citizenship, internet safety, and media literacy. The advisory committee must include: Representatives from the Washington state school directors' association; experts in digital citizenship, internet safety, and media literacy; teacher-librarians as defined in RCW 28A.320.240; and other stakeholders, including parent associations, educators, and administrators. Recommendations produced by the committee may include, but are not limited to:

(i) Revisions to the state learning standards for educational technology, required under RCW 28A.655.075;

(ii) Revisions to the model policy and procedures on electronic resources and internet safety developed by the Washington state school directors' association;

(iii) School district processes necessary to develop customized district policies and procedures on electronic resources and internet safety;

(iv) Best practices, resources, and models for instruction in digital citizenship, internet safety, and media literacy; and

(v) Strategies that will support school districts in local implementation of the best practices and recommendations developed by the office of the superintendent of public instruction under (a) of this subsection.

(((3))) (2) Beginning in the 2017-18 school year, a school district shall annually review its policy and procedures on electronic resources and internet safety. In reviewing and amending the policy and procedures, a school district must:

(a) Involve a representation of students, parents or guardians, teachers, teacher-librarians, other school employees, administrators, and community representatives with experience or expertise in digital citizenship, media literacy, and internet safety issues;

(b) Consider customizing the model policy and procedures on electronic resources and internet safety developed by the Washington state school directors' association;

(c) Consider existing school district resources; and

(d) Consider best practices, resources, and models for instruction in digital citizenship, internet safety, and media literacy, including methods to involve parents.

(2) This section expires August 1, 2019.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.650 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall create a web-based location with links to recommended successful practices and resources to support digital citizenship, media literacy, and internet safety for use in the 2017-18 school year. The web-based location must incorporate the information gathered by the survey in section 3 of this act.

(2) Thereafter, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall continue to identify and develop additional open educational resources to support digital citizenship, media literacy, and internet safety in schools for the web-based location.

(3) Media literacy resources must consist of a balance of sources and perspectives.

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