Florida students will soon spend more time learning cursive writing in the classroom under new legislation signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
According to the legislation, students in grades 2 through 5 will be required to receive instruction in cursive writing and develop skills needed for legible handwriting. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.
What’s Changing
The measure adds cursive writing instruction to Florida’s required curriculum for elementary students.
Under the law, instruction must include:
- Letter formation
- Proper spacing and alignment
- Practice writing complete words and sentences in cursive
Students must also demonstrate proficiency in cursive writing by the end of fifth grade, as determined by an evaluation of their written work.
State lawmakers defined proficiency as the ability to:
- Write uppercase and lowercase cursive letters
- Write words and sentences legibly with proper spacing and alignment
- Read and apply cursive writing in ways that support literacy development, including essays and classroom assignments
Why It Matters for Local Families
The change will affect elementary students attending public schools across Florida, including those in Gainesville, Alachua County and North Central Florida communities.
For parents, the new requirement provides a statewide standard for cursive instruction. While some schools and teachers already incorporate handwriting lessons, the law establishes consistent expectations and a proficiency benchmark for students before they leave elementary school.
Educators will have until the 2026-27 school year to implement the requirements after the law takes effect.
Key Takeaways
- Florida students in grades 2–5 will receive required cursive writing instruction.
- Students must demonstrate cursive proficiency by the end of fifth grade.
- Instruction will include letter formation, spacing, alignment and sentence writing.
- The law takes effect July 1, 2026.
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