FIRSTREGULARSESSION
HOUSEBILLNO.116
103RDGENERALASSEMBLY
INTRODUCEDBYREPRESENTATIVEMURPHY.
0474H.01I DANARADEMANMILLER,ChiefClerk
ANACT
Toamendchapter161,RSMo,byaddingtheretoonenewsectionrelatingtoapilotprogram
formedialiteracyandcriticalthinking.
BeitenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyofthestateofMissouri,asfollows:
SectionA.Chapter161,RSMo,isamendedbyaddingtheretoonenewsection,tobe
2knownassection161.355,toreadasfollows:
161.355.1.Thissectionshallbeknownandmaybecitedasthe"MediaLiteracy
2andCriticalThinkingAct".
3 2.Asusedinthissection,"medialiteracy"meansthefollowing:
4 (1)Anindividual'sabilitytoaccess,analyze,evaluate,andparticipatewithall
5formsofmedia,suchas:
6 (a)Newsinprint;and
7 (b)Socialmediacontent,suchasimages,text,video,andothermediacontent;
8 (2)Anindividual'sabilitytorecognizebiasandstereotypesinmediamessages;
9 (3)Thefoundationalskillsofdigitalcitizenshipandinternetsafety;and
10 (4)Intheclassroom,medialiteracyincludesintegratingtheprocessofcritical
11analysisofmediamessagesintothedailyclassroomcurricula.
12 3.Thedepartmentofelementaryandsecondaryeducationshallestablishthe
13"MediaLiteracyandCriticalThinkingPilotProgram".Suchpilotprogramshallbe
14implementedandadministeredduringthe2026-27and2027-28schoolyears.
15 4.Underthemedialiteracyandcriticalthinkingpilotprogram,thedepartment
16ofelementaryandsecondaryeducationshallselectfivetosevendiverseschooldistricts
EXPLANATION—Matterenclosedinbold-facedbrackets[thus] intheabovebillisnotenactedandis
intendedtobeomittedfromthelaw.Matterinbold-facetypeintheabovebillisproposedlanguage. 17toparticipateinthepilotprogramandfromwhichtostudydatarelatedtotheoutcomes
18ofthepilotprograminsuchschooldistricts.
19 5.Apilotprogramsiteshall:
20 (1)Addresseachcomponentofmedialiteracy;
21 (2)Developsuccessfulstrategiesforstudentlearningwithinthedailyclassroom
22curriculainallgradesorforaselectedpreschooltogradetwelvelevel;
23 (3)Identifyhigh-qualityresourcesforsuchpilotprogram;and
24 (4)Demonstrateandreporthowsuchsiteaddressesthefollowinginthe
25classroom:
26 (a)Newscontentliteracy,whichistheabilitytoaccess,analyze,evaluate,and
27distinguishverifiedinformationfromopinionandpropagandaandtheopportunityto
28practiceverification;
29 (b)Visualliteracy,whichistheabilitytofind,interpret,andevaluateimagesand
30visualmediasuchasphotographs,videos,illustrations,drawings,maps,diagrams,and
31advertisements;
32 (c)Digitalfluency,whichistheabilitytounderstandandfollowthenormsof
33safeandresponsibletechnologyuseandhowmediainfluencesattitudesandbehaviors;
34and
35 (d)Digitalliteracy,whichistheabilitytobetechnicallyfluentandabletomake
36informeddecisionsaboutcontentencounteredonline,recognizehownetworked
37technologyaffectsbehaviorandperception,andcreateandeffectivelycommunicate
38withdigitalmediatools.
39 6.Theguidelinesdevelopedasaresultofthestudyoftheinformationgained
40fromthepilotprogramshallprovidestudentswiththefollowinginformation:
41 (1)Thepurposeandacceptableuseofvarioussocialmediaplatforms;
42 (2)Socialmediabehaviorthatensurescybersafety,cybersecurity,andcyber
43ethics;
44 (3)Thepotentialnegativeconsequencesoffailingtousevarioussocialmedia
45platformsresponsibly,suchascyberbullying;
46 (4)Theabilitytoaccess,analyze,evaluate,create,andactonallformsofdigital
47andwrittencommunications;
48 (5)Digitalethics,etiquette,respectfuldiscoursewithindividualswhohave
49differingopinions,safety,security,digitalfootprints,andtheidentificationofrhetoric
50thatincitesviolence;
51 (6)Cyberbullyingpreventionandresponse;
52 (7)Thesignificanceofalgorithms;
53 (8)Waystoidentifyonlinemisinformation;
HB116 2 54 (9)Ageneralknowledgeoftheeconomicstructureofthedigitallandscape;and
55 (10)TheimportanceoftherighttofreedomofspeechascontainedintheBillof
56RightsoftheConstitutionoftheUnitedStatesincluding,butnotlimitedto:
57 (a)Thecentralrolethattherighttofreedomofspeechhasinthehistoryofthe
58UnitedStates;and
59 (b)Theapplicabilityofprotectionsforfreedomofspeechforonlineinteraction
60inschoolsettingsthatthedepartmentofelementaryandsecondaryeducationshall
61providetoschooldistricts.
62 7.Theguidelinesdevelopedasaresultofthestudyoftheinformationgained
63fromthepilotprogramshallprovideschooldistrictswithsamplesoflearningactivities,
64resources,andtrainingthatpromotecriticalthinkingandtheskillsnecessaryto
65evaluateallformsofmedia.
66 8.BeforeAugust1,2028,eachpilotprogramsiteshallsubmitareporttothe
67departmentofelementaryandsecondaryeducationdescribingtheimplementationof
68andtheinformationgainedfromthepilotprogram.
69 9.BeforeJanuary1,2029,thedepartmentofelementaryandsecondary
70educationshallcompilethereportssubmittedfromthepilotprogramsitesandsubmita
71summaryreporttothegeneralassemblycontainingatleastthefollowinginformation:
72 (1)Qualitativeandquantitativeinsightsonhowthepilotprogramsites
73addressedmedialiteracy;
74 (2)Acompendiumofhigh-qualitystrategiesandresourcesusedbyeducators;
75 (3)Anyprofessionaldevelopmentusedorrequired;
76 (4)Recommendationsaboutwhatfacilities,instructionalmaterials,and
77technologiesareneededtoimplementamedialiteracyandcriticalthinkingprogram
78statewide;
79 (5)Explorationofadditionalpolicies,administrativemechanisms,andlegislative
80recommendationsforimplementingbestpracticesandstandardsstatewide;and
81 (6)Adraftofproposedclear,inclusivemedialiteracyandcriticalthinkingstate
82standardsforpreschooltogradetwelve,compiledbydrawingfromkeymedialiteracy
83skillsandcompetenciesinexistingstatestandardsandfromthepilotprogramresults.
84 10.Standardsdevelopedunderthissectionshallbeincludedforconsideration
85bythedepartmentofelementaryandsecondaryeducationduringthestatestandards
86reviewimmediatelyfollowingtheterminationofthepilotprogram.
87 11.Themedialiteracyandcriticalthinkingpilotprogramshallterminateon
88June30,2028.
HB116 3 89 12.ThissectionshallexpireonDecember31,2028.
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