Florida bill wants to define fine print when it comes to learning cursive in schools

Push to strengthen cursive handwriting

A new bill being discussed this week in Tallahassee adds cursive writing to the statutorily required instruction for students in grades 2-5. FOX 13’s Regina Gonzalez reports.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - There’s a new push to have Florida students become more proficient in cursive writing.

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During this legislative session, the House Student Academic Success Subcommittee will consider proposed legislation requiring instruction on cursive writing in grades 2-5.

By the end of fifth grade, students will then need to have a written evaluation to show they are proficient in cursive handwriting. This comes as a growing number of school districts across the country are stressing the importance of this old-fashioned skill.

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Florida is currently one of 23 states in the U.S. that requires students to be taught some sort of cursive lesson.

Kids can learn it from third grade to fifth grade as part of the English language arts curriculum.

But, under the standards, schools are not explicitly required to ensure that students can read and comprehend it, and it does not require schools to give any cursive writing exams. So, this legislation strives to make it mandatory and help create more of a fine print for educators.

Click here to read the bill analysis.

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The Source: This story was written with information gathered by FOX 13's Regina Gonzalez.

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