Senate Bill 13 mandates the incorporation of cursive writing into the state model academic standards for English language arts, requiring that all school boards, independent charter schools, and private schools participating in a parental choice program include cursive writing in their elementary curricula. Specifically, the bill stipulates that by the end of fifth grade, students must be able to write legibly in cursive. The bill introduces several new sections to the statutes, including 115.28 (55p), which outlines the requirement for cursive writing in the English language arts standards, and 121.02 (1) (k) 4., which sets the objective for students to achieve cursive writing proficiency.

The bill also specifies that the requirements apply to charter schools and private schools that operate elementary grades, ensuring that their curricula align with the new standards. The initial applicability of these provisions is set for contracts entered into or modified on the effective date of the bill for charter schools, and for applications to attend private schools under a parental choice program starting in the 2026-27 school year.