February 3, 2025 - Introduced by Senators Nass, Cabral-Guevara and Wanggaard, cosponsored by Representatives Melotik, Behnke, Brill, Dittrich, Donovan, Goodwin, Gundrum, Knodl, Kreibich, Murphy, Mursau, Tusler, Vos, Wichgers and Piwowarczyk. Referred to Committee on Education.
SB13,1,4
1An Act to create 115.28 (55p), 118.40 (2r) (b) 2. m., 118.40 (2x) (b) 2. m., 118.60 2(2) (a) 10., 119.23 (2) (a) 10. and 121.02 (1) (k) 4. of the statutes; relating to:
3incorporating cursive writing into the state model English language arts
4standards and requiring cursive writing in elementary grades. Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill requires the state superintendent of public instruction to incorporate cursive writing into the model academic standards for English language arts. The bill also requires all school boards, independent charter schools, and private schools participating in a parental choice program to include cursive writing in its respective curriculum for the elementary grades. Specifically, each elementary school curriculum must include the objective that pupils be able to write legibly in cursive by the end of fifth grade.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
SB13,15Section 1. 115.28 (55p) of the statutes is created to read: SB13,2,2
1115.28 (55p) English language arts standards. Incorporate cursive 2writing into the model academic standards for English language arts. SB13,23Section 2. 118.40 (2r) (b) 2. m. of the statutes is created to read: SB13,2,64118.40 (2r) (b) 2. m. If the contract is for the operation of a charter school that 5includes the elementary grades, a requirement that the charter school’s curriculum 6include the academic objective in s. 121.02 (1) (k) 4. SB13,37Section 3. 118.40 (2x) (b) 2. m. of the statutes is created to read: SB13,2,108118.40 (2x) (b) 2. m. If the contract is for the operation of a charter school that 9includes the elementary grades, a requirement that the charter school’s curriculum 10include the academic objective in s. 121.02 (1) (k) 4. SB13,411Section 4. 118.60 (2) (a) 10. of the statutes is created to read: SB13,2,1312118.60 (2) (a) 10. If the private school operates elementary grades, the private 13school includes in its curriculum the academic objective in s. 121.02 (1) (k) 4. SB13,514Section 5. 119.23 (2) (a) 10. of the statutes is created to read: SB13,2,1615119.23 (2) (a) 10. If the private school operates elementary grades, the private 16school includes in its curriculum the academic objective in s. 121.02 (1) (k) 4. SB13,617Section 6. 121.02 (1) (k) 4. of the statutes is created to read: SB13,2,2118121.02 (1) (k) 4. By July 1, 2026, include in a language arts curriculum plan 19under this paragraph the academic objective that pupils be able to write legibly in 20cursive by the end of grade 5. This subdivision does not apply to union high school 21districts. SB13,722Section 7. Initial applicability. SB13,3,223(1) Independent charter school contracts. The treatment of s. 118.40
1(2r) (b) 2. m. and (2x) (b) 2. m. first applies to a contract that is entered into, 2renewed, or modified on the effective date of this subsection. SB13,3,63(2) Private schools participating in a parental choice program. The 4treatment of ss. 118.60 (2) (a) 10. and 119.23 (2) (a) 10. first applies to an 5application to attend a private school under a parental choice program in the 2026-627 school year.
