TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV/Gray Florida Capital Bureau) – Elementary students across Florida could soon be required to learn to write and read in cursive.
House Bill 127, sponsored by State Representatives Toby Overdorf (R-Palm City) and Dana Trabulsy (R-Fort Pierce), is ready for a vote in the House. The bill requires cursive instruction for students in grades 2 through 5.
Fifth graders would be required to pass a test showing they can read and write in cursive. Under the bill, students will learn letter formation, proper spacing and alignment, and complete-word and sentence writing in cursive.
The legislation also encourages the State Board of Education to establish standards and assessments to support cursive instruction across Florida schools.
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Overdorf said it’s important for Florida students to learn cursive for understanding history and personal development.
“Cursive, as a skill and a writing style, is very much alive,” said Overdorf. “America’s founding documents that our children are taught about in history class are written in cursive. If you ask those same kids to read it and recite it, you might have some big gaps. Cursive is an indispensable, lifelong tool, even in the so-called digital age. It connects us to our history, and there simply is no replacement.”
Trabulsy emphasized the practical benefits of cursive writing skills.
“We can even look beyond the fact that cursive improves comprehension,” said Trabulsy. “Having a student craft their personal signature with cursive is an identifying trait, unique to them, that they’ll have for the rest of their life—on legal documents, checks, deeds, titles. The list goes on. Florida is ensuring students have the proper skills to connect with their American roots and thrive in the future.”
If passed, the law would take effect on July 1, 2026.
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