An act to amend Sections 51928 and 51929 of the Education Code, relating to pupil instruction.
Summary
AB 2071 would require the California Department of Education, by January 1, 2028, to develop a plan to expand digital wellness instruction in California public schools. The bill defines digital wellness as healthy and balanced technology use that supports physical and mental health, social connection, and overall quality of life, and it also defines related terms such as artificial intelligence and media literacy. The measure is aimed at middle school and high school pupils and is framed as a response to the growing role of digital media, social media, and AI in students’ daily lives.
The required plan would need to include recommendations for age-appropriate curriculum frameworks, strategies to keep instruction current with rapidly changing digital and AI technologies, guidance for schools with limited technology resources, family engagement components, methods to assess effectiveness, and educator training and support. The bill also contemplates collaboration with technology companies, mental health organizations, and media literacy experts, as appropriate. It does not itself mandate a specific curriculum statewide, but instead directs the department to create a plan for expanding instruction.
Impact
AB 2071 would amend Education Code Sections 51928 and 51929 to add digital wellness to the state’s pupil instruction framework and to require a new department plan by January 1, 2028. In practice, it would expand the State Department of Education’s responsibilities to include planning for instruction on healthy technology use, media literacy, and responsible use of AI in middle and high schools. Because the bill is a planning measure rather than a direct program mandate, its immediate legal effect is to require state-level development of recommendations and implementation guidance rather than to impose new local instructional requirements.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have received broadly positive and noncontroversial treatment in committee. The recorded vote on April 8 was 9-0, and the later committee action on June 22 reported a 7-0 do pass recommendation with referral to Appropriations and a recommendation to place it on the consent calendar. That voting pattern suggests general agreement with the bill’s goals of addressing student mental health, digital literacy, and the effects of technology use on youth.
Contention
There is little evidence of active opposition in the available record, but the bill’s policy choices suggest a few potential areas of concern. One issue is implementation: the Department of Education would need to develop curriculum guidance that stays current with rapidly evolving AI and digital platforms. Another possible point of tension is resource equity, since the bill specifically calls for guidance for schools with limited technology resources, implying uneven capacity across districts. The bill also references collaboration with technology companies, which could raise questions about influence, although no formal opposition is reflected in the vote history provided.
An act to amend Sections 44671 and 49600 of, and to add Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 52210) to Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of, the Education Code, relating to pupil instruction.
An act to add Article 9.5 (commencing with Section 51805) to Chapter 5 of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of, and to repeal Section 51805.8 of, of the Education Code, relating to pupil instruction.