South Carolina H 3264: Media Literacy and Critical Thinking Pilot Program

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3264 Text of Previous Version (Dec. 06, 2024) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 3264

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 
59-1-444 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SHALL 
ESTABLISH A PILOT PROGRAM ON MEDIA LITERACY AND CRITICAL THINKING INSTRUCTION 
IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Article 3, Chapter 1, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is 
amended by adding:

 Section 
59-1-444. (A) As used in this 
section, "media literacy" means:

 (1) 
the ability of an individual to access, analyze, evaluate, and participate with 
all forms of media, such as:

 (a) 
news in print; and

 (b) 
social media content, such as images, text, video, and other media content;

 (2) 
the ability of an individual to recognize bias and stereotypes in media 
messages;

 (3) 
the foundational skills of digital citizenship and internet safety; and

 (4) 
in the classroom, media literacy includes integrating the process of critical 
analysis of media messages into the daily classroom curricula.

 (B) 
The State Department of Education shall establish the "Media Literacy and 
Critical Thinking" pilot program which the department shall implement and 
administer during the 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 School Years.

 (C) 
Under the pilot program, the department shall select seven school districts in 
diverse parts of the State to participate in the pilot program and from which 
to study data related to the outcomes of the pilot program in the seven pilot 
sites.

 (D) A 
pilot program site shall:

 (1) 
address each component of media literacy;

 (2) 
develop successful strategies for student learning within the daily classroom 
curricula in all grades or for a selected preschool to grade twelve level;

 (3) 
identify high-quality resources for such pilot program; and

 (4) 
demonstrate and report how such site addresses the following in the classroom:

 (a) 
news content literacy, which is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and 
distinguish verified information from opinion and propaganda and the 
opportunity to practice verification;

 (b) 
visual literacy, which is the ability to find, interpret, and evaluate images 
and visual media such as photographs, videos, illustrations, drawings, maps, 
diagrams, and advertisements;

 (c) 
digital fluency, which is the ability to understand and follow the norms of 
safe and responsible technology use and how media influences attitudes and 
behaviors; and

 (d) 
digital literacy, which is the ability to be technically fluent and able to 
make informed decisions about content encountered online, recognize how 
networked technology affects behavior and perception, and create and 
effectively communicate with digital media tools.

 (E) 
Before August 1, 2028, each pilot program site shall submit a report to the 
department describing the implementation of and the information gained from the 
pilot program.

 (F) 
Before January 1, 2029, the department shall compile the reports submitted from 
the pilot program sites and submit a summary report to the House Education and 
Public Works Committee and the Senate Education Committee containing at least 
the following information:

 (1) 
qualitative and quantitative insights on how the pilot program sites addressed 
media literacy;

 (2) 
a compendium of high-quality strategies and resources used by educators;

 (3) 
any professional development used or required;

 (4) 
recommendations about which facilities, instructional materials, and 
technologies are needed to implement a media literacy and critical thinking 
program statewide;

 (5) 
exploration of additional policy, administrative mechanisms, and legislative 
recommendations for implementing best practices and standards statewide; and

 (6) 
a draft of proposed clear, inclusive media literacy and critical thinking state 
standards for preschool to grade twelve, compiled by drawing from key media 
literacy skills and competencies in existing state standards and from the pilot 
program results.

 (G) 
Standards developed under this section must be included for consideration by 
the state standards review immediately following the termination of the pilot 
program.

 (H) 
The media literacy and critical thinking pilot program shall terminate on June 
30, 2026, unless continued, expanded, or both, by the General Assembly.

 (I) 
Notwithstanding subsection (B), the department is required to establish the 
pilot program under this section only if the General Assembly appropriates 
money specifically for that purpose. If the General Assembly does not 
appropriate money specifically for that purpose, the department may, but is not 
required to, establish the pilot