Establishes the Media Literacy and Critical Thinking Act
HB 3188 would create the “Media Literacy and Critical Thinking Act” and direct the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to run a pilot program during the 2027-28 and 2028-29 school years. The department would select five to seven diverse school districts to participate and study how media literacy can be incorporated into daily instruction across grade levels or selected grade spans. The bill defines media literacy broadly to include accessing, analyzing, evaluating, and participating with print and digital media, recognizing bias and stereotypes, and teaching digital citizenship and internet safety.
The pilot sites would be required to address news literacy, visual literacy, digital fluency, and digital literacy, and to develop strategies, resources, and classroom approaches for teaching students how to evaluate media and online content. The bill also directs the development of guidance for school districts on social media use, cyberbullying prevention, cybersecurity, digital ethics, algorithms, misinformation, respectful online discourse, and the importance of free speech in school-related online interactions. After the pilot ends, the department must compile site reports and submit a summary to the General Assembly with findings, recommended resources, and draft statewide standards for preschool through grade 12.
HB 3188 would add a new section to Chapter 161, RSMo, creating a temporary pilot program rather than an immediate statewide mandate. It would require the education department to study implementation in selected districts, report results, and develop proposed media literacy and critical thinking standards for later consideration in the state standards review process. The bill would affect public school districts, educators, and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education by establishing reporting, curriculum guidance, and potential future statewide policy recommendations, but the section would expire at the end of 2029.
The available record suggests generally favorable or at least constructive interest in the bill’s goals, as reflected by its focus on student media literacy, critical thinking, online safety, and misinformation awareness. However, there are no committee transcripts or recorded votes in the provided materials, and the bill was ultimately withdrawn in the House on February 4, 2026. Because of that, the public record here does not show a detailed floor or committee debate, and the overall sentiment can only be characterized as supportive in concept but not advanced to enactment.
The bill’s likely points of contention would center on whether the state should move from a pilot program to broader curriculum guidance, how much discretion should be given to the education department, and whether the bill’s references to social media, misinformation, algorithms, and free speech could raise concerns about curriculum content or classroom implementation. Another possible issue is the administrative burden on participating districts and the department, including reporting requirements and the development of draft statewide standards. No specific opponents or supporters are identified in the provided record.