Which US states still require students to learn cursive handwriting?

As the world rapidly moves away from the need to write information by hand, there are still many U.S. states still teaching cursive instruction to American children.  

California and New Hampshire became the most recent states to pass legislation making cursive handwriting instruction mandatory. At least 25 other states require a similar form of instruction in schools, and another five states have legislation pending, according to data tracked by the American Handwriting Analysis Foundation. 

Other states, including Maine, Montana, New Mexico, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and Wyoming, leave it up to the individual school district.

Nearly 200 years ago, cursive writing was introduced and widely taught in schools, according to the National Museum of American History. But 21st century technology has drastically changed the way we communicate, moving from handwritten letters to more texting and typing with autocorrect. 

So why did cursive seemingly fall out of favor for some states, and what has inspired the renewed push for cursive writing in schools?

Cursive wanes with Common Core

Starting in 2010, the Common Core State Standards were adopted by most U.S. states with the goal of better preparing the nation’s students for college or a job. 

They established benchmarks for reading and math, replacing education goals that varied widely from state to state. 

The Common Core standards didn’t include cursive in the recommended curriculum, and instruction on this form of penmanship largely waned.

Renewed interest in cursive amid technological advances

In recent years, requirements for cursive instruction have increased. 

In 2016, 14 states required schools to teach cursive writing. By 2019, 20 states had enacted legislation requiring it, according to mycursive.com, a website that tracks cursive writing requirements nationwide.

Kentucky, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nevada, and Wisconsin all currently have legislation pending, data from the American Handwriting Analysis Foundation shows.

What research says about cursive writing

With many teachers today feeling overwhelmed by a packed curriculum and complex social issues, some believe that cursive handwriting is becoming obsolete and shouldn’t be a priority in an increasingly digital age. But others point to its learning advantages.

Studies have suggested that handwriting can significantly help with learning in both kids and adults, including with reading, comprehending, recalling words and meaning, skillful writing, and mathematics. 

"Findings from repeated studies at universities in the US, Europe, Australia, Japan, and China over the past fifty years confirm that those who are well-practiced in handwriting accomplish reading, writing, memory, and comprehension tasks more quickly and deeply than those who type on keyboards, tap, or use point-and-click devices," Dr. Jane Yank, the American Handwriting Analysis Foundation’s research chair, wrote in a paper in support of handwriting.

Meanwhile, researchers have found that laptop users tend to take more notes, transcribing things verbatim compared to the handwritten note-takers. But the process of transcribing on paper enabled the students recall more information than the laptop users.

Some educators are in support of both, noting the development of handwriting recognition apps, like Google Handwriting Input, Pen to Print, or WritePad for iPad, which can scan and digitize handwritten notes.

The National Education Association (NEA), the largest labor union in the U.S. representing public school teachers and other support personnel, posed the question to its followers on social media and received a mix of responses from educators.

"Cursive is more than just a way to write. It strengthens the cross hemi-sphere connections in the brain," one teacher wrote. "Helps students later with problem-solving and abstract thinking. As a math teacher, I think students should learn cursive to help their brains develop those connections needed later in life."

But others called the practice "outdated" and noted the ongoing need for typing skills in the future.

"Cursive is outdated. Typing is a current skill that students need. There is only so much time in the school day," one educator told the NEA. "Most documents are signed online now, which even further makes the point that new skills are necessary for our students to be productive in this century."

Meanwhile, several said they were on Team "Both." 

"I'm Team Both. Kids need to learn how to print properly, then write in cursive. They also need to learn how to properly type on a keyboard. I teach middle school and most kids don't know how to print properly, they don't know cursive at all and they hunt and peck to type on their Chromebooks/computers," one teacher wrote.

"They need both. But, if they don't learn to spell, whether they type or write, their ability to communicate is adversely impacted," another added.

This story was reported from Cincinnati.