TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – With the latest Legislative session underway, Florida lawmakers are already hashing it out over different bills to determine what legislation will become Florida law.
As part of the kerfuffle, a couple of these bills aim to bring required topics into the classroom. House Bill 921 is one such bill, as it would require students in grades 2-5 to learn how to write in cursive.
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Per the bill’s text, HB 921 claims that these students must develop the skills “necessary for legible cursive writing,” including letter formation, proper spacing and alignment, and practice with writing complete words in cursive.
“By the end of grade 5, each student must demonstrate proficiency in cursive writing through an evaluation of written work,” the bill reads.
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According to the text, “proficiency” means that students can write in both uppercase and lowercase cursive letters, as well as write essays and assignments in cursive writing.
Florida dropped cursive writing from its academic standards in 2010, though the subject was reinstated just a few years later. Now, cursive writing is required as part of B.E.S.T. ELA standards for grades 3-5, though students don’t necessarily have to be able to read or comprehend cursive.
As a result, HB 921 would extend the range of students who have to learn cursive, as well as mandate that schools make sure students know how to write and read it.
But HB 921 isn’t the only bill to require certain subjects in the classroom.
“SMART LIVING” COURSES
House Bill 1261 — dubbed the “Smart Living Curriculum Act” — would require a “Smart Living” course in schools beginning in 2026.
This curriculum would be implemented as two stand-alone courses in grades 8 and grades 9-12, respectively.
“The curriculum must cover practical subjects deemed necessary to transition effectively to and function in adulthood,” the bill reads. “Such subjects shall be divided appropriately between the two courses.”
The subjects taught as part of these courses would include subjects like financial literacy and future planning, covering the following:
- How to create a personal budget
- How personal credit works, such as using credit cards and applying for loans
- How to manage debt
- How to file a tax return
- The home-buying process, including home insurance
- Career readiness, such as exploring a student’s own “personality and passions”
- Post-graduation paths, such as college, trade school, and full-time employment
- Creating a resume, applying for scholarships, and filling out a FAFSA application
Another bill (SB 816) seeks to implement similar measures, requiring that high school students learn about career readiness, financial literacy, and home economics.
If any of these bills manage to get approved by lawmakers and Gov. Ron DeSantis, then they’re slated to take effect on July 1.