Educational Technology Learning Standards.  The state learning standards for educational technology literacy and technology fluency identify the knowledge and skills that all public school students need to know and be able to do in the areas of technology and technology literacy.  "Technology literacy" is defined in statute as the ability to responsibly, creatively, and effectively use appropriate technology to communicate; access, collect, manage, integrate, and evaluate information; solve problems and create solutions; build and share knowledge; and improve and enhance learning in all subject areas and experiences.  State statute specifies that technology fluency builds upon technology literacy and is demonstrated when students:  apply technology to real-world experiences; adapt to changing technologies; modify current and create new technologies; and personalize technology to meet personal needs, interests, and learning styles.

Educational Technology Resources and Policies.  Legislation enacted in 2016 and 2017 directed the development of resources and policies related to educational technology.  First, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) was required to convene an advisory committee to develop best practices and recommendations for instruction in digital citizenship, Internet safety, and media literacy.  The OSPI's educational technology learning standards resource, adopted in 2018, defines media literacy as the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, create and act using a variety of forms of communication.  Second, the Washington State School Directors Association (WSSDA) was directed to revise its model policy and procedures on electronic sources and Internet safety to better support digital citizenship, media literacy, and Internet safety in schools.  Finally, school districts were required to annually review policies and procedures on electronic resources and Internet safety considering best practices and other resources, as well as the WSSDA model policy and procedures.

Media Literacy Grant Program.  The 2019-21 operating budget appropriated $150,000 in each fiscal year to the OSPI to establish the media literacy grant program.  The 2020 supplemental operating budget appropriated an addition $70,000 to the OSPI for five media literacy pre-conferences that coincide with the OSPI's regional conferences in social studies, English language arts, health, and technology.  The supplemental budget also directed the OSPI to develop a plan for identifying and supporting a group of 100 kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) media literacy champions who are K-12 professionals that promote, support, and provide media literacy education in their school districts, and to report to the Legislature by the end of the year.  These provisions in the supplemental budget were vetoed by the Governor. 

Teacher-Librarians and School Library Information and Technology Programs.  School library information and technology programs, staffed by teacher-librarians, provide a broad, flexible array of services, resources, and instruction that support student mastery of the state learning standards in all subject areas.  The teacher-librarian must collaborate as an instructional partner to help all students meet the content goals in all subject areas, and assist high school students completing high school and beyond plans required for graduation.

Grant Program.  Subject to state funding, the OSPI must establish a grant program for the purposes of supporting media literacy and digital citizenship through school district leadership teams.  The OSPI must establish and publish criteria for the grant program, and may accept gifts, grants, or endowments from public or private sources for the grant program.

For a school district to qualify for a grant under this section, the grant proposal must provide that the grantee create a district leadership team that develops a curriculum unit on media literacy or digital citizenship, or both, that may be integrated into social studies, English language arts, or health.  In developing the curriculum unit, school districts are encouraged to work with school district teacher-librarians or a school district library information technology program, if applicable.  The developed curriculum unit must be made available as an open educational resource.  Grant recipients are expected to evaluate the curriculum unit they develop. 

Up to 10 grants per year must be for establishing media literacy professional learning communities with the purpose of sharing best practices in the subject of media literacy.  These grant recipients must develop an online presence for their community to model new strategies and to share ideas, challenges, and successful practices.  These grant recipients must also attend group meetings convened by the OSPI for the purpose of sharing best practices and strategies in media literacy education.

At least one grant awarded in each award cycle must be for developing and using a curriculum that contains a focus on synthetic media as a major component.  "Synthetic media" means an image, an audio recording, or a video recording of an individual's appearance, speech, or conduct that has been intentionally manipulated with the use of digital technology in a manner to create a realistic but false image, audio, or video.

A school district that receives a grant under this section is not prohibited from receiving a grant in subsequent grant cycles.

Conferences.  Subject to state funding, the OSPI must convene two regional conferences on the subject of media literacy and digital citizenship.  The conferences should highlight the work performed by the recipients of the grant program, as well as best practices in media literacy and digital citizenship.  The locations for conferences must include one site in Western Washington and one site in Eastern Washington. 

Expiration Date.  The grant and conference provisions expire July 31, 2031.