A bill that requires all Oklahoma public and charter schools to teach cursive writing to students in third through fifth grades has been signed into law.
The Oklahoma House of Representatives said Gov. Kevin Stitt signed the bill, House Bill 3727, into law on Tuesday.
Oklahoma House Representative Jason Lowe, D-Oklahoma City, created the bill with Senate author Sen. Kevin Matthews, D-Tulsa.
“I am very pleased that my legislation, House Bill 3727, is now law,” Lowe said in a statement released on Wednesday. “Elementary students from 3rd through 5th grade will now benefit from learning to write in cursive. This important skill will help them in many ways throughout their lives. Learning cursive handwriting is proven to improve students’ neural and motor function, as well as their grammar, handwriting, and spelling. It can also assist them with reading historical documents.”
The Oklahoma House said there are 24 states that require cursive handwriting instruction.
“I feel that children should be able to uniquely sign their name, read historical documents and understand what their grandparents and relatives have written in the past,” said Sen. Matthews.
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