Schools; media literacy and cybersecurity to be taught in sixth, seventh, or eighth grades; State Department of Education to adopt curriculum standards; effective date.

HB 1983 requires Oklahoma public schools to teach media literacy and cybersecurity to students in sixth, seventh, or eighth grade starting in the 2027-2028 school year. The bill mandates instruction covering topics like identifying online scams, fake news, deepfakes, password security, and protecting personal information. Schools must offer a one-half unit course meeting state-developed curriculum standards, with the State Department of Education creating guidelines, teacher training, and resources. The bill takes effect November 1, 2025, directly affecting all Oklahoma public school students in grades 6-8.