TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — If a bill submitted to the Florida House passes, public elementary school students would be required to learn cursive writing in grades two through five.
House Bill 127 would go into effect on July 1, 2026, which means the requirement would start in the 2026-2027 school year.
The bill would require students to be tested by the end of fifth grade to prove that they are proficient in cursive writing.
Jenifer Schneider, the interim dean for the College of Education at the University of South Florida, said studies have shown that teaching handwriting is important for students.
“There is science behind it,” said Schneider, who is also a professor of literacy studies at USF. “There’s research behind it that it shows that it’s beneficial for students to learn letter formation and to do it quickly so that they can ease up their brain power for the things that matter.”
Schneider said cursive is another tool for students to get their ideas down on paper. Whether it’s print or script, Schneider said, the cognitive benefits of handwriting are similar, but noted that learning cursive adds a cultural benefit.
“You could read an old document. You could read handwritten notes from different generations,” Schneider said. “So, there’s the ability to read cursive writing, if you learn cursive letters.”
While instruction on cursive writing is currently required by Florida’s B.E.S.T. Standards for English Language Arts for grades three through five, there is no requirement to test students’ proficiency, which would change if House Bill 127 is passed.
The bill, which was filed by state Reps. Toby Overdorf and Dana Trabulsy, is now in the Florida House’s Student Academic Success Subcommittee.
The regular legislative session begins in January.
Tyler O’Neill
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