In the near future, I plan to introduce legislation requiring cursive handwriting to be taught in Pennsylvania schools.

Cursive writing has long been a cornerstone of elementary education, promoting fine motor skills, literacy, and cognitive development. However, its instruction has significantly declined in recent years due to the increasing emphasis on digital literacy and standardized testing. Despite these trends, cursive writing remains an essential skill that supports broader educational and developmental outcomes.

At least 18 states currently mandate the teaching of cursive, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.

By reintegrating cursive into the curriculum, we are investing in our students' cognitive development, legal preparedness, and historical literacy. Therefore, my legislation will mandate the teaching of cursive handwriting in Pennsylvania schools at an appropriate grade level.

This legislation was previously introduced as Senate Bill 1318. Previous co-sponsors of this legislation include: Costa, Rothman, Stefano, Vogel, Culver, Pennycuick, Brown, and J. Ward.

Please join me in co-sponsoring this important legislation.

Statutes/Laws affected:
Printer's No. 657 (Apr 21, 2025): P.L.30, No.14, P.L.765, No.181