New bill would require NJ elementary schools to teach cursive

A new bill introduced by a New Jersey assemblywoman would require all state elementary schools to teach students how to read and write in cursive.

Democratic Assemblywoman Angela McKnight’s bill would “require elementary school curriculum to include activities and instructional materials to help students become proficient in reading and writing cursive by the end of third grade.”

McKnight cites research that suggests that learning how to read and write in cursive helps students develop cognitive, motor and reading skills. She says that it may also help students with learning disabilities.

“Our world has indeed become increasingly dependent on technology, but how will our students ever know how to read a scripted font on a word document, or even sign the back of a check, if they never learn to read and write in cursive?” said McKnight in a statement.

Many New Jersey schools have opted not to include cursive in the curriculum ever since it was dropped as a Common Core requirement in 2010.

But nearly two dozen states have been making efforts to reintroduce teaching the practice.

If passed, McKnight’s bill would apply to the first full school year following its date of enactment.