[NEWS] Florida Considers Bringing Back Cursive in Schools with New Proposal

Florida lawmakers are looking at a bill that could bring cursive back to schools for kids in grades 2-5. The Florida House just passed a bill that would make schools actually evaluate cursive writing skills, not just teach it and hope for the best. This is a big deal considering a lot of kids these days can barely read a handwritten note, let alone write one.

Republican Rep. Toby Overdorf’s HB 921 is pushing for mandatory cursive instruction from second through fifth grade. And not just “here’s how to do it” levels of teaching, kids would have to prove they can write uppercase and lowercase letters, form readable words and sentences, and even apply cursive to essays and assignments. Basically, if this bill goes through, messy cursive won’t cut it anymore.

Right now, cursive is technically part of the Florida curriculum for grades 3 to 5, but teachers aren’t required to assess how well students are actually learning it. That might change soon.

During discussions, Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka shared a heartfelt story about her 21-year-old son, Charlie, who has autism. She talked about how learning cursive became a game-changer for him.

“One of the most beautiful things I’ve witnessed was when he learned to write in cursive,” she said. “His grandmother taught him, and when he sits down with that pen, he focuses so deeply. His handwriting could use some improvement, but his cursive? Perfect.”

Rep. Overdorf made a strong case for why cursive still matters, even in a world glued to screens.

“Cursive isn’t just about handwriting. It connects us to our past, sharpens young minds, and gives kids a sense of independence,” he said. “Without it, they can’t read the Declaration of Independence, their grandparents’ notes, or even sign a mortgage with confidence. This isn’t nostalgia, it’s about giving them the tools to step into the world with a signature that’s truly theirs.”

Supporters of the bill argue that cursive isn’t just about making your signature look cool. They say it helps with fine motor skills, literacy, and, you know, actually being able to read historical documents without needing a typed translation.

The House seems pretty locked in on this, but the Senate still needs to sign off. Sen. Erin Grall’s version of the bill has a few committee stops ahead, so for now, Florida’s cursive future is almost written in ink, but not quite yet.

If the bill passes, Florida would be stepping up its cursive game, joining other states that have already made it a requirement. For now, we’ll just have to wait and see if students will be swapping their keyboards for cursive worksheets next school year.