Fit for print: House passes bill requiring 5th graders to prove they can read, write cursive

Perfect penmanship for Florida students is closer than ever, as the Florida House passes a bill requiring instruction and evaluations of cursive writing skills.

Republican Rep. Toby Overdorf’s HB 921 would mandate instruction in cursive from second through fifth grades. Students would take a written exam showing their skills in writing uppercase and lowercase letters in cursive, along with legible words and sentences. They would also have to be able to read and apply cursive to essays and other assignments.

Cursive writing is currently taught in grades 3 through 5, but the Florida curriculum doesn’t require educators to evaluate the skill.

In support of the bill, Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka talked of her son Charlie, a 21-year-old with autism, and how learning cursive helped him.

“One of the beautiful things that I’ve had the privilege to witness was when he learned to write in cursive. His grandmother taught him how to write in cursive, and when he takes that pen and gets down and focuses on that piece of paper, he is so focused, he takes his time and it is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever witnessed,” she said. “The handwriting needs to be improved, but the cursive writing is perfect.”

In his close, Overdorf argued for cursive’s importance and timelessness.

“In a world glued to screens, cursive just isn’t handwriting. It’s a master key to our past, a rocket boost for sharp minds and a ticket to adult independence. Without it, kids can’t read the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, a grandparent’s note, or even sign their name on a mortgage with pride. Members, this isn’t nostalgia. It’s about empowering them to claim their heritage, unleash their potential, and step into life’s big moments with a signature that’s all their own.

While the future of the House bill appears to be written in clear, indelible ink, the script for the Senate version has yet to be penned. Sen. Erin Grall’s bill has three committee references ahead, but has yet to be scheduled for a hearing.