Digital citizenship prepares students to make safe, responsible, and informed choices in a changing digital world. Students need the skills to communicate respectfully, protect their privacy, recognize cyberbullying, evaluate information, understand AI, and use social media wisely. Schools must teach these skills each year to meet the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) and related federal requirements that enable us to get eRate funding to provide internet access to our schools.
This page explains what schools must teach, which curriculum options they may use, how educators can strengthen their practice, and how schools certify compliance. Middle and high schools must also teach students about social media risks and online hate, as required by Local Law 83.
Schools Must Teach, Certify, and Build Awareness
Schools must teach digital citizenship each year, certify that instruction was provided, and meet student awareness requirements. Digital Citizenship Week is a strong time to launch this work by building schoolwide awareness, introducing grade-appropriate lessons, and engaging families. Continue instruction throughout the year so students can build and apply these skills over time.
Certify
Schools may use the curricula below to teach safe online behavior, responsible social media use, and cyberbullying prevention. After providing this instruction as required by CIPA, schools must certify compliance. The deadline for the 2026-27 school year is March 31, 2027.
Build Awareness
In addition to meeting CIPA requirements, middle and high schools must make sure students receive age-appropriate information and resources from the Digital Citizenship page on the family website. Local Law 83 requires schools to address the risks of social media and online hate. The Lessons and Videos to Meet Local Law 83 Requirements section below includes resources schools can use to meet these requirements.
Curriculum to Meet CIPA Requirements
Choose any approved option below.
Free Curriculum Options (Listed in alphabetical order)
- Be Internet Awesome: Google's Be Internet Awesome helps students in grades 2-7 explore the online world safely and with confidence.
- Common Sense Media: Common Sense Media offers a free, research-based K-12 curriculum with lessons on cyberbullying, privacy, safety, and AI literacy.
- Digital4Good x #ICANHELP: Digital4Good x #ICANHELP offers free tools for students, families, educators, and school communities:
- The Club Starter Kit: Helps students challenge online negativity by starting a Digital4Good Club. Schools may use this work to teach appropriate online behavior.
- Parent Guidelines: Help families teach digital safety and respectful online behavior at home.
- The Social Media Emergency Plan: Gives school leaders tools for handling social media emergencies.
- Edpuzzle Originals - Digital Citizenship: These ready-made, state-aligned video lessons serve elementary, middle, and high school students. Videos are available in English and Spanish and include checks for understanding. Teachers can add questions, notes, and voiceovers.
- For access to the Digital Citizenship resources: email collette@edpuzzle.com to get your school’s unique link.
- EdPuzzle Promo Video
- EverFi- Ignition – Digital Wellness and Safety: Ignition gives students in grades 6-9 the skills to use technology safely, effectively, and with confidence.
- Teaching Digital Citizenship Through an Inquiry Lens: NYCPS Library Services aligned the Common Sense curriculum with the Empire State Information Fluency Continuum for inquiry-based learning in grades K-12.
Fee-Based Curriculum Options
- BrainPOP: FAMIS Vendor ID: BRA550283
- BrainPOP Jr.
- Includes lesson ideas, quizzes, games, and activities for grades K-3.
- BrainPOP Digital Citizenship
- Includes topics, learning paths, and support resources for grades 3 and up.
- Digital4Good x #ICANHELP (FAMIS Vendor ID: ICA589233)
- Digital Citizenship Curriculum Uses lessons and peer-to-peer learning to teach digital citizenship, safety, literacy, and well-being through issues students face.
- The Social Media Literacy Curriculum: Includes lessons and activities for safe and responsible social media use.
- Train the Trainer: Through regional training, Digital4Good prepares staff to train student peer mentors. The program supports positive online behavior, mental health awareness, and a healthy school culture.
Using Another Curriculum
To use another digital curriculum, confirm that the vendor has a "Completed" status in the Enterprise Request Management Application (ERMA). Check the EdTech Portal for the vendor's compliance status.
Lessons and Videos to Meet Local Law 83 Requirements
How to Use These Resources
These resources are for middle and high school students. Use these resources in three steps:
- Plan: Choose lessons and videos that fit your students' ages and needs.
- Teach: Use them in advisory, homeroom, library, technology, or other classes.
- Engage: Share resources and discussion ideas so families can keep talking at home.
Teacher Presentation and PSA Lesson Resources
Use the Lesson Resources for Social Media Safety PSAs presentation for teacher background on Local Law 83 and CIPA, guidance for discussing the student-created PSAs, and aligned Common Sense Media lesson extensions.
Aligned Videos and Lessons
The chart below aligns Common Sense Media lessons and resources with student videos accessible at this playlist to the three parts of Local Law 83. Choose what best fits your secondary students. Use them in class, advisory, library lessons, or family events. Teaching these lessons also meets CIPA requirements.
Local Law 83 Requirement | Student Videos: Video Playlist | Common Sense Media Lessons & Resources |
1. Risks and dangers associated with social media How social media can affect health, lead to unsafe contact, and cause bullying or other harm. | Digital Well-Being I Thought It Was Just Me. Digital Balance & Healthy Habits Talk to You Later, Balance Together! | • Social Media and How You Feel • The Health Effects of Screen Time |
2. Misinformation and disinformation How false information can spread hate or unfair ideas, and how students can check sources and facts. | Source Verification & Literacy Think, Check, Trust. AI & Responsible Use DUDE, that's AI! | Information & Media Literacy Collection • How to SIFT with AI | Common Sense Education • SIFT: A Strategy for Evaluating Online Sources • Hoaxes and Fakes |
3. Ways to prevent or reduce harm from social media Skills that help students stay safe, help others, respond to harm, and build healthy online habits. | Safety & Cyber-Resilience Words have Weight, Drop the Hate! | • Chatting and Red Flag Feelings • Offline Digital Citizenship: Soft Skills to Support Strong Online Habits |
Learning Opportunities
Build your skills through on-demand courses, live classes, partner certifications, and ready-to-use teaching resources.
On-Demand Professional Learning
WeLearn
Partner organizations offer on-demand digital citizenship classes through WeLearnNYC
Sign in to the WeLearn platform.
Search for a class below. After you enroll, it will appear in My Courses. Most classes also offer CTLE credit:
Google’s Be Internet Awesome: Grades 3-5
Common Sense Media: Grades K-12
Live Classes and Partner Certifications
Visit the Technology Professional Learning page to find classes including #NYCSchoolsTech Certification Program from partners such as Common Sense Media and EverFi.
Policies and Resources
- Social Media Guidelines for Staff
- Social Media Guidelines for Students
- Digital Citizenship Responsibilities
- Internet Acceptable Use Policy
- Cybersecurity awareness for Families
- Guidance on Artificial Intelligence and Screen Time
- Library Services
Teacher Digital Citizenship Responsibilities
Support Students
- Teach students to communicate, collaborate, and behave responsibly online.
- Review expectations for internet acceptable use, student social media guidelines, digital citizenship responsibilities, Guidance on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Screen Time, and NYCPS Discipline Code
- Protect student information as required by Chancellor’s Regulation A-820, FERPA, and the NYCPS Privacy Notice.
- If a student’s online access is restricted because of misuse, provide another way to complete the work.
Communicate with Families
- Tell families when students will communicate online with people outside the class, such as students from other classes, experts, or authors.
- Follow NYCPS consent and privacy requirements before sharing student information.
- Share resources for for families that are shared on the digital citizenship responsibilities webpage
- Ensure families understand student expectations for internet acceptable use, student social media guidelines, Parent Social Media Guide for Students, digital citizenship responsibilities, Guidance on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Screen Time, Cybersecurity awareness for Families, and NYCPS Discipline Code
Follow NYCPS Policies
- NYCPS uses internet filters to meet CIPA requirements. Report unsafe websites or filtering concerns to the principal.
- Report inappropriate technology use or communications that may violate NYCPS policies to a supervisor.
- Ensure you have knowledge and familiarity with the policies and guidelines required to support students.
- Review, understand, and follow the Teacher Guide to Student Social Media Guidelines