1Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
2act relating to the public school system, including certain
3provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
4schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
5laws relating thereto," in terms and courses of study,
6providing for Internet safety education curriculum.

7The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8hereby enacts as follows:

9Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
10as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
11section to read:

12Section 1554. Internet Safety Education Curriculum.--(a)
13The department, in consultation with the Office of Attorney
14General, shall establish an age-appropriate curriculum for
15Internet safety instruction of students in kindergarten through
16grade twelve (12). Beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, a
17school district shall incorporate into the school curriculum a
18component on Internet safety to be taught at least once each

1school year to students in kindergarten through grade twelve
2(12). The school board shall determine the scope and duration of
3this unit of instruction. The age-appropriate unit of
4instruction may be incorporated into the current courses of
5study regularly taught in the district's schools, as determined
6by the school board. Such instruction shall be chosen from a
7menu of options developed by the department, which shall
8include, but not be limited to, the following topics:

9(1) Safe and responsible use of social networking websites,
10chat rooms, electronic mail, bulletin boards, instant messaging
11and other means of communication on the Internet.

12(2) Recognizing, avoiding and reporting online solicitations
13of students, their classmates and their friends by sexual
14predators.

15(3) Risks of transmitting personal information on the
16Internet.

17(4) Recognizing and avoiding unsolicited or deceptive
18communications received online.

19(5) Recognizing and reporting online harassment and cyber
20bullying.

21(6) Reporting illegal activities and communications on the
22Internet.

23(7) Copyright laws on written materials, photographs, music
24and video.

25(b) The department may develop curriculum to serve the
26instructional needs of multiple grades of students, such as one
27curriculum for elementary school students, one curriculum for
28middle school students and one curriculum for high school
29students.

30(c) In developing the Internet safety education curriculum,

1the department shall take into consideration similar curriculum
2in other states and other curricular materials suggested by
3education experts, child psychologists or technology companies
4that work on child online safety issues. The department shall
5also conduct a thorough review of publicly available materials
6available on the topics of safe online communications, privacy
7protection, cyber bullying, viewing inappropriate material,
8file-sharing and the importance of open communications with
9responsible adults. The department shall make such resource
10materials that it deems appropriate available on its publicly
11accessible Internet website.

12(d) Curricula devised in accordance with subsection (a)
13shall be developed within six (6) months of the effective date
14of this section.

15(e) A parent or legal guardian of a student who is under
16eighteen (18) years of age, within a reasonable period of time
17after the request is made, shall be permitted to examine the
18Internet safety curriculum instructional materials at the school
19in which the student is enrolled.

20(f) At the request of a parent or guardian, a student shall
21be excused from all or parts of the Internet safety curriculum
22instruction. The principal shall notify all parents or guardians
23of their ability to withdraw their children from instruction in
24the curriculum by returning a signed opt-out form.

25(g) As used in this section, the following words and phrases
26shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection:

27"Department." The Department of Education of the
28Commonwealth.

29"Office of Attorney General." The Office of Attorney General
30of the Commonwealth.

1Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.