Bill > HB116

This bill establishes the "Media Literacy and Critical Thinking Act" to create a pilot program in Missouri's education system focused on developing students' media literacy skills. The program will be implemented in 5-7 diverse school districts during the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years, with the goal of teaching students how to critically analyze media content across various platforms. The bill defines media literacy as the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and participate with different forms of media, recognize bias, understand digital citizenship, and apply critical analysis in the classroom. Participating school districts will develop strategies to teach students about news content literacy, visual literacy, digital fluency, and digital literacy, covering topics such as social media safety, cyberbullying prevention, identifying online misinformation, understanding digital ethics, and recognizing the importance of free speech. By January 1, 2029, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education must submit a comprehensive report to the state legislature detailing the pilot program's outcomes, including insights, resources, professional development recommendations, and proposed statewide media literacy standards for preschool through 12th grade. The pilot program will terminate on June 30, 2028, with the section of law expiring on December 31, 2028.

Education, Government Affairs

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB116&year=2025&code=R