New Jersey Brings Cursive Back to Schools

New Jersey is bringing things back to schools, and it’s time to swoop those letters again. Philip D. Murphy of New Jersey signed into law a new bill requiring all third, fourth, and fifth graders in the state to learn cursive. This is HUGE as he signed this on his last full day in the office on Monday.

Of course, cursive is not used often, but it is a necessary skill that many do not know how to do anymore. New Jersey now joins two dozen other states that recently added these rules. In 2010, the federal government removed cursive from the Common Core Standards. This affected students in kindergarten through the 12th grade. Now, many want to bring it back to the school systems.

Officials say that the lessons will begin this fall for the next school year. Cursive instructions will begin in third grade and go through fifth grade. Schools will begin to introduce the writing style part of their regular coursework for the year.

Learning cursive allows New Jersey students to gain important skills that will last them throughout their adult life.

“The return to including cursive instruction is especially meaningful as New Jersey celebrates the upcoming 250th anniversary of our country’s founding – giving our students the skills they need to read our nation’s founding documents and complete tasks like opening a bank account or signing a check, in addition to offering cognitive benefits,” Murphy said in a press release.

New Jersey’s Education Commissioner, Kevin Dehmer, also made his remarks regarding the new skill.  “Ensuring that all students learn cursive handwriting reinforces not just a traditional skill, but developmental foundations that support fine motor development, literacy skills, and student confidence,” Mr. Dehmer said in a statement.

Beginning next school year, your child will begin learning their cursive skill set. Do you think this will be a good addition to the school systems?

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