Module 04 of 06
What the Law Now Requires
"This isn't optional anymore — for schools or for us."
"This isn't optional anymore — for schools or for us."
A month after the counselor visit, Sarah went to a parent night at her daughter's school. The principal mentioned — almost in passing — that the school would be implementing new digital safety curriculum in the fall. Required by state law.
Sarah raised her hand. "What exactly will they be teaching?" The room went quiet in a way that told her most parents had no idea this was happening. The answer was both reassuring and insufficient. The school was going to teach something. They just hadn't figured out how yet.
Sarah drove home thinking: the law is a start. But a single class period about social media isn't going to be the thing that keeps Lily safe. That's still my job. The law just gave me a framework to work with.
Across the United States, lawmakers are responding to what parents, educators, and law enforcement have been saying for years: children are not safe online, and schools are not adequately prepared to address it. The legislative response has been significant — and it's accelerating.
US states have enacted school cellphone restriction policies as of 2026
Source: Carolina Public Press / NCSL 2026
States have passed or introduced social media safety or literacy legislation
Source: National Conference of State Legislatures
The year most new state digital safety requirements take effect in schools
Source: NCSL / State Education Agencies
While requirements vary by state, the national consensus on what digital safety education should cover has become clear. The following six topics appear in virtually every state's current or pending legislation:
Visit ncsl.org (National Conference of State Legislatures) and search your state name + "social media schools" or "digital literacy" to find current legislation. Your state's Department of Education website will have the most current curriculum guidance. If your school district has a Digital Safety Officer or Technology Coordinator, they can tell you exactly what your child's school is teaching.
The law is doing what laws do — setting a floor. You are the ceiling. Your child's school will teach something. Your conversations at home, your family agreement from Module 3, and your toolkit from Module 5 are what convert a school lesson into a real behavior change. This course exists to give you what the law doesn't provide.
Complete the quiz above to unlock Module 5.