HB 332 — An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in terms and courses of study, providing for media literacy education.

PRINTER'S NO.    287

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 332
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY BRIGGS, WAXMAN, GIRAL, WEBSTER, HILL-EVANS,
        PIELLI, KENYATTA, BRENNAN, SANCHEZ, GUENST, ISAACSON,
        DONAHUE, KHAN, CIRESI, FREEMAN, OTTEN, HOHENSTEIN, CERRATO
        AND GREEN, JANUARY 27, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JANUARY 27, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
 2      act relating to the public school system, including certain
 3      provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
 4      schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
 5      laws relating thereto," in terms and courses of study,
 6      providing for media literacy education.
 7      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 8   hereby enacts as follows:
 9      Section 1.    The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
10   as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
11   section to read:
12      Section 1556.    Media Literacy Education.--(a)     The Department
13   of Education, in consultation with the State Board of Education,
14   shall:
15      (1)   Develop, within six (6) months of the effective date of
16   this section, an age-appropriate model curriculum for students
17   in kindergarten through grade twelve for media literacy
18   instruction. Beginning with the school year that commences after
19   the effective date of this section, a school district shall
 1   incorporate into the school curriculum a component regarding
 2   media literacy.
 3         (2)    The curriculum may include, but need not be limited to:
 4         (i)    developing critical thinking skills;
 5         (ii)    understanding how media messages shape culture and
 6   society;
 7         (iii)    identifying target-marketing strategies;
 8         (iv)    naming techniques of persuasion used;
 9         (v)    recognizing bias and misinformation;
10         (vi)    discovering parts of a story that are not being told;
11   and
12         (vii)    evaluating media messages based on personal
13   experiences, skills, beliefs and values.
14         (3)    The State Board of Education shall make this curriculum
15   available on the State Board of Education's publicly accessible
16   Internet website.
17         (4)    The Department of Education shall make available to
18   school districts on the Department of Education's publicly
19   accessible Internet website a list of resources and materials on
20   media literacy and shall ensure that approved media literacy
21   training opportunities are made available for use in
22   professional development programs for teachers.
23         Section 2.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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