Pupil instruction: digital wellness

The plan is intended to help students use technology and artificial intelligence in ways that support health, relationships, and learning while recognizing online harms. It pairs digital wellness with media literacy, family education, and teacher support.

What the law does ​

• Requires the California Department of Education to develop a plan for expanding digital wellness instruction in public elementary, middle, and high schools by January 1, 2028.
• Requires the plan to recommend age-appropriate instructional resources and ways to keep curriculum current as digital and AI technology changes.
• Requires guidance for schools with limited technology resources, family-engagement components, methods to assess instructional effectiveness, and educator support and professional development strategies.
• Defines digital wellness as using technology in ways that support physical and mental health, social connections, and quality of life while minimizing harms.

Who it affects ​

• Public-school students in elementary, middle, and high school.
• Educators, school staff, and families involved in digital wellness instruction.
• The California Department of Education.

Context ​

The law adds digital wellness planning alongside the department's existing duty to plan for expanded mental health instruction.