New Jersey Leads the Nation with Mandatory Critical Thinking and Information Literacy in K-12 Education

Trenton, NJ – In a groundbreaking move, New Jersey has become the first state to mandate that all K-12 students receive education on critical thinking skills and the production and dissemination of information online. The new initiative aims to combat the increasing spread of disinformation.

Governor Phil Murphy recently signed legislation introducing comprehensive literacy standards into the state's K-12 curriculum. This will empower students to distinguish between facts and opinions, fostering ethical practices in the creation and sharing of information across both digital and print platforms.

"Our democracy remains under sustained attack through the proliferation of disinformation that is eroding the role of truth in our political and civic discourse," Governor Murphy stated. "It is our responsibility to ensure our nation's future leaders are equipped with the tools necessary to identify fact from fiction. I am proud to sign legislation that is critical to the success of New Jersey’s students and essential to the preservation of our democracy.”

The new law will require the teaching of information literacy within New Jersey schools. Students will learn how to assess when information is needed, how to locate and effectively evaluate it, and how to utilize the information. These skills will be applied across textual, digital, visual, and technological media.

NJEA President Sean Spiller emphasized the importance of the legislation, stating, "At a time when misinformation and disinformation are eroding the foundations of that democracy, it is imperative that students have the tools they need to determine what information they can trust. This law will help ensure that New Jersey students are equipped to separate fact from fiction as they prepare for their role as citizens and future leaders."

A council of teachers and library-media specialists will be formed by the state's education commissioner to develop the new standards. The curriculum will cover understanding the research process, information creation and production, critical thinking skills, research methods, primary and secondary sources, the difference between facts, point of view, and opinion, accessing peer-reviewed and digital library sources, and understanding the economic, legal, and social issues around the use and ethical creation of information. The State Board of Education will hold hearings on the new standards before incorporating them into statewide learning standards.

The New Jersey Association of School Librarians (NJASL) and the New Jersey Library Association (NJLA) have been advocating for media literacy standards since 2016.

Jessica Trujillo, President of the New Jersey Library Association, expressed gratitude for the bill, stating, “We thank Governor Murphy and the Legislature for their support of information literacy education...This literacy bill will ensure that students are well prepared to navigate a world where misinformation and disinformation are prevalent.”