SB 1378 would authorize, but not require, Missouri school districts and charter schools to establish a cursive-writing program. The bill’s stated goal is to ensure elementary students receive instruction in cursive so they can produce readable documents through legible cursive handwriting by the end of fifth grade. It also contemplates that students would demonstrate proficiency on a teacher-constructed test covering both reading and writing cursive.
The measure is framed as a local option for districts and charter schools rather than a statewide mandate. It would add a new section to Chapter 170 of the Missouri statutes, which governs education, and would create a statutory basis for schools that choose to include cursive instruction in their elementary curriculum.
Impact
If enacted, SB 1378 would amend Missouri education law by adding section 170.025 to Chapter 170, RSMo. The practical effect would be to permit school districts and charter schools to adopt cursive-writing programs and set expectations for fifth-grade proficiency, while leaving implementation details to local school authorities. Because the bill uses permissive language, it would not impose a direct statewide requirement on all schools, but it could influence curriculum standards, teacher assessment practices, and elementary literacy instruction in participating districts.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes, the overall sentiment appears neutral to supportive of preserving cursive instruction in schools. The bill’s sponsor appears to be advancing a traditional literacy skill as part of elementary education, and the measure is structured in a way that avoids a mandatory statewide mandate. No recorded opposition, amendments, or vote history is available in the provided materials.
Contention
The main point of potential contention is whether cursive instruction should be encouraged at all, and if so, whether it should be a local option or a statewide requirement. Supporters are likely to view cursive as an important educational and historical skill, while critics may question the need to devote classroom time to it given competing instructional priorities and the increasing use of digital communication. Another possible issue is the bill’s reliance on a teacher-constructed proficiency test, which could raise concerns about consistency and implementation across districts and charter schools.