Digital Citizenship & CIPA Certification

GCS Library Media Services supports the use of the Common Sense Education curriculum to teach digital citizenship lessons and meet the requirements of the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA).

GCS staff will use resources from the Common Sense curriculum to teach lessons to all K-12 students as required by the Children's Internet Protection Act on the topics of:

GCS SLMCs will certify each year that CIPA Digital Citizenship requirements have been met for their school. 

• Certification is due for the 2025-2026 school year via this form by January 23, 2026.

Per state law (HB 959):

§ 115C-81.26.  Social media and mental health. 

The standard course of study shall include instruction on social media and its effects on health, including social, emotional, and physical effects. Instruction shall be provided once during elementary school, once during middle school, and twice during high school. Instruction on this topic shall include at least the following: 

(1) Negative effects of social media on mental health, including addiction. 

(2) The distribution of misinformation on social media. 

(3) Methods of manipulating behavior using social media. 

(4) The permanency of information shared online. 

(5) How to maintain personal security. 

(6) How to identify cyberbullying, predatory behavior, and human trafficking on the internet. 

(7) How to report suspicious behavior encountered on the internet. 

(8) Personal and interpersonal skills or character education that enhances individual level protective factors and mitigates or reduces risk-taking or harmful behavior.