Adds to existing law to provide for a cursive handwriting proficiency requirement in public schools.
Summary
Senate Bill 1044 would add a new section to Idaho education law requiring Idaho public schools to ensure students achieve cursive handwriting proficiency by the end of grade 5. The bill defines proficiency as the ability to write legibly in cursive, directs the State Board of Education to require cursive instruction by grade 3, and requires the State Department of Education to establish benchmarks, assessment guidance, and instructional resources for teachers.
The bill also sets a compliance deadline of the start of the 2025-2026 school year and requires additional instruction for any student who has not demonstrated proficiency by the end of grade 5. It includes an emergency clause, making it effective July 1, 2025.
Impact
This bill would create a new statewide instructional and proficiency mandate for Idaho public schools, adding cursive handwriting to the required elements of elementary education. It would require state education agencies and local schools to adopt standards, assess student progress, and provide remediation for students who do not meet the benchmark, thereby affecting curriculum planning, teacher instruction, and student assessment practices across public school districts.
Sentiment
The voting history suggests the bill had broad support in both chambers, passing the Senate 29-6 and the House 58-10. The bill text frames cursive as a vital skill and presents the measure as a straightforward educational requirement, indicating generally favorable sentiment toward preserving cursive instruction. The absence of committee transcript material limits insight into detailed debate, but the strong margins imply the proposal was largely viewed positively.
Contention
The main point of contention appears to be whether the state should mandate cursive instruction and proficiency at all, rather than leaving it to local districts or individual teachers. Likely concerns include added instructional time, testing or assessment burdens, and whether cursive remains a necessary skill in modern education. The recorded dissent in both chambers shows that a minority of legislators opposed the mandate, but no specific arguments are available from committee discussion.