Assembly panel considers mandatory cursive bill

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin lawmakers are considering a bill that would require schools to teach cursive writing.

Rep. Jeremy Theisfeldt is the bill’s chief Assembly sponsor. He told the Assembly’s state affairs committee Wednesday that writing in cursive can help children read and create neurological connections.

The bill would require schools to incorporate cursive in elementary curriculums with the goal of having students write legibly in cursive by the end of fifth grade.

State education officials estimate public and charter schools would have to spend between $1.7 million to $5.95 million on student materials annually and between $250,000 and $1.6 million on teacher training in at least the first year of the requirement.

Voucher schools would face costs of up to $595,000 annually for materials and up to $160,000 on teacher training in the first year.