Bills › 89th General Assembly
Requiring cursive instruction for students enrolled in public elementary schools
Sponsored by the Senate Education Committee
Topics:K–12 education
Same legislation: SF 89
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedJanuary 19, 2021
- Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 21, 2021
- Done: Senate committeeFebruary 21, 2022
- Stopped: Passes the SenateDied when the General Assembly ended
- Next: House committee
- Next: Passes the House
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Died when the session ended The 2022 session adjourned on May 24, 2022, the General Assembly’s last regular session. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
AI summary Public school districts must teach students how to read and write in cursive so they are skilled at it by the end of third grade. These new rules do not apply to private schools. Any costs for this change will be paid for using the state money the school districts already receive.1
Read the official explanation
This bill requires school districts to incorporate cursive handwriting instruction into the curriculum with the goal of making students proficient in reading cursive and legibly writing in cursive by the end of the third grade. The provisions of the bill do not apply to nonpublic schools.3.16.2. The inclusion of this specification is intended to reinstate the requirement of political subdivisions to comply with any state mandates included in the bill.
Fiscal note
Cost: up to $575,000 Compare with other bills
AI summary This bill requires school districts to teach students how to read and write in cursive by the end of third grade. There is no fiscal impact to the state, but school districts are expected to spend an estimated $400,000 to $575,000 to provide the necessary curriculum. These costs for students and teacher support materials would be paid by school districts from the State Foundation Aid appropriation.3
Read the fiscal note
Description
Senate File 2351 requires each school district to incorporate cursive handwriting instruction into the curriculum to make students proficient in reading cursive and writing in cursive by the end of the third grade.
Background
The Department of Education (DE) oversees the Iowa Core Literacy Standards for grade levels 1 through 12. Cursive writing is not currently included in those standards. As of 2020, 21 states require cursive writing.
Assumptions
- The DE anticipates no fiscal impact. The Iowa Core Literacy Standards may need to be updated to incorporate the requirements of this Bill.
- School districts will be required to provide student curriculum at an estimated cost of $10 to $15 per student. School districts will be required to provide teacher support materials at an estimated cost of $25 per teacher.
- According to the DE, there are 35,253 students enrolled in the third grade. The average third grade class size is estimated to be 20.8 students, and therefore, 1,695 teachers will require support materials.
Fiscal Impact
Senate File 2351 does not have a fiscal impact to the State. The number of school districts that currently have cursive writing curriculum in place is unknown. The cost for cursive curriculum to be taught at one grade level statewide is expected to be an estimated $400,000 to $575,000. Senate File 2351 may include a State mandate as defined in Iowa Code section 25B.3 and requires that any State mandate in the Bill be paid by a school district from the State Foundation Aid appropriation.
Sources
- Department of Education
- Rural School Advocates of Iowa
- Urban Education Network
- Cursive Writing, Educational Requirement · February 22, 2022 · $575,000
Family tree
89th General Assembly
Tried before
This idea has been filed in an earlier General Assembly. None got through a chamber.
- HF 2385 Requiring that the United States history unit requirement under the state’s educational st…88th General Assembly · In committee · similarCleared committee
- HF 194 Directing that students be required to read and demonstrate comprehension of excerpts from…88th General Assembly · In committee · similarCleared committee
Similar bills this General Assembly
- HF 879 Providing that the United States history unit requirement under the state’s educational st…89th General Assembly · In committeeSimilar
Matched by wording or an identical title.