Florida Senate - 2025                                    SB 1394
       
       
        
       By Senator Grall
       
       
       
       
       
       29-01332A-25                                          20251394__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to required instruction in cursive
    3         writing; amending s. 1003.42, F.S.; requiring students
    4         in specified grades to receive instruction in cursive
    5         writing; providing requirements for such instruction;
    6         requiring students to demonstrate proficiency in
    7         cursive writing by the end of a specified grade;
    8         defining the term “proficiency in cursive writing”;
    9         providing an effective date.
   10  
   11  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   12  
   13         Section 1. Paragraph (w) is added to subsection (2) of
   14  section 1003.42, Florida Statutes, to read:
   15         1003.42 Required instruction.—
   16         (2) Members of the instructional staff of the public
   17  schools, subject to the rules of the State Board of Education
   18  and the district school board, shall teach efficiently and
   19  faithfully, using the books and materials required that meet the
   20  highest standards for professionalism and historical accuracy,
   21  following the prescribed courses of study, and employing
   22  approved methods of instruction, the following:
   23         (w)1. For students in grades 2 through 5, the study of
   24  cursive writing and the development of the skills necessary for
   25  legible cursive writing, including:
   26         a. Letter formation.
   27         b. Proper spacing and alignment.
   28         c. Practice in writing complete words and sentences in
   29  cursive.
   30         2. By the end of grade 5, each student must demonstrate
   31  proficiency in cursive writing through an evaluation of written
   32  work. For purposes of this subparagraph, the term “proficiency
   33  in cursive writing” means all of the following:
   34         a. The ability to write uppercase and lowercase letters of
   35  the alphabet in cursive writing.
   36         b. Writing words and sentences in cursive legibly and
   37  maintaining proper spacing and alignment.
   38         c. The ability to read and apply cursive writing in a
   39  manner that supports literacy development, including writing
   40  essays and assignments in cursive writing in accordance with
   41  state academic standards.
   42  
   43  The State Board of Education is encouraged to adopt standards
   44  and pursue assessment of the requirements of this subsection.
   45  Instructional programming that incorporates the values of the
   46  recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor and that is
   47  offered as part of a social studies, English Language Arts, or
   48  other schoolwide character building and veteran awareness
   49  initiative meets the requirements of paragraph (u).
   50         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.