Florida Senate - 2023                                    SB 1116
       
       
        
       By Senator Polsky
       
       
       
       
       
       30-01229-23                                           20231116__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to required instruction; amending s.
    3         1003.42, F.S.; requiring that instruction on
    4         information literacy be taught in public schools;
    5         defining the term “information literacy”; providing a
    6         requirement for the development of curriculum;
    7         providing an effective date.
    8          
    9  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   10  
   11         Section 1. Paragraph (u) is added to subsection (2) of
   12  section 1003.42, Florida Statutes, to read:
   13         1003.42 Required instruction.—
   14         (2) Members of the instructional staff of the public
   15  schools, subject to the rules of the State Board of Education
   16  and the district school board, shall teach efficiently and
   17  faithfully, using the books and materials required that meet the
   18  highest standards for professionalism and historical accuracy,
   19  following the prescribed courses of study, and employing
   20  approved methods of instruction, the following:
   21         (u)1. Information literacy. For purposes of this
   22  subsection, the term “information literacy” means the skill set
   23  that allows a student to recognize that more information is
   24  needed, where that information may be located, and how that
   25  information may be effectively applied. The term includes, but
   26  is not limited to, digital, visual, media, and technological
   27  literacy.
   28         2. Each school’s library media specialist must be included
   29  in the development of the curriculum.
   30  
   31  The State Board of Education is encouraged to adopt standards
   32  and pursue assessment of the requirements of this subsection.
   33  Instructional programming that incorporates the values of the
   34  recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor and that is
   35  offered as part of a social studies, English Language Arts, or
   36  other schoolwide character building and veteran awareness
   37  initiative meets the requirements of paragraph (t).
   38         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.