SACRAMENTO – Legislation to introduce media literacy education into school curriculums passed the State Senate on Tuesday afternoon.

Senate Bill 135, authored by Sen. Bill Dodd (D-Napa), aims to combat fake news and ensure students have the tools to succeed in the digital age.

Media literacy is the ability to analyze and evaluate information consumed from various media sources such as Web sites, social networking sites, television, print and radio.

“While we already require critical thinking skills in our school, those skills haven’t kept up with the emerging technologies. Crafting a comprehensive curriculum for media literacy education is essential to combating fake news,” said Sen. Dodd. “While information is more accessible than ever, many people lack the tools to identify fake or misleading news and information. By giving students the tools to analyze the media they consume, we can empower them to make informed decisions.”

A rise in fake news was widely noted during the most recent presidential election, where it became increasingly difficult for the public to note the difference between a reputable news publication and Web sites that publish false or misleading claims.

The practice of advertisements masquerading as news has also seen an increase in recent years.

A recent Stanford study found that 82 percent of middle school students struggled to distinguish advertisements from news stories.

The same study also found a significant percentage of high school and college students scored poorly in media literacy evaluations.

"There has never been a more important time to address the issue of media literacy in schools,” said Michelle Ciulla Lipkin, executive director for the National Association for Media Literacy Education. “Our students are growing up in the midst of a complicated and diverse media landscape which they need to understand in order to fully engage and participate in today’s world. We must continue to fight for media literacy education for students of all ages. We applaud Sen. Dodd for taking on this important issue and moving it forward.”

Dodd’s bill would empower the California Board of Education’s Instructional Quality Commission to develop a model framework necessary for incorporating media literacy into school curriculums.

The legislation will also advance media literacy training opportunities for teachers in California.

The bill now moves on to the Assembly, where it will be heard in the Assembly Education Committee this summer.