A new Pennsylvania law signed by Gov. Josh Shapiro on Feb. 11 requires public and private elementary schools to teach cursive handwriting. The measure, which passed with broad bipartisan support, takes effect April 12.
Pennsylvania will again require cursive handwriting instruction in its schools under a new state law signed by Gov. Josh Shapiro.
Legislative records show Shapiro approved House Bill 17 on Feb. 11, 2026, enacting it as Act 2 of 2026. The law takes effect 60 days later—April 12, 2026—and amends the state’s Public School Code to add cursive handwriting among required subjects taught in public and private elementary schools.
The bill moved through the General Assembly with sizable majorities. It passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives 195–8 on June 24, 2025, and cleared the Senate 42–5 on Feb. 3, 2026.
In statements circulated by supporters of the legislation, state Sen. Wayne Langerholc, a sponsor, said restoring cursive instruction would support students’ cognitive development, improve “legal preparedness,” and help preserve “historical literacy.” Rep. Dane Watro, a cosponsor, described cursive as “more than handwriting” and “a bridge” to history and learning.
The renewed mandate comes after years of debate over cursive instruction in U.S. classrooms. The 2010 Common Core State Standards did not require cursive handwriting, emphasizing keyboarding and other writing skills instead.
Research on handwriting has also been cited in the debate. One paper highlighted by proponents, titled “The Neuroscience Behind Writing,” reported that cursive writing is associated with greater activation in certain brain regions involved in motor control and coordination.
Other states have recently taken similar steps. In New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy signed a law on Jan. 19, 2026—P.L. 2025, c.284—requiring public schools to provide cursive instruction for students in grades three through five beginning in the 2026–2027 school year, according to guidance issued by the New Jersey Department of Education.
Separately, proponents of the Pennsylvania bill pointed to broader national momentum for cursive instruction; however, the specific claim that “nearly half” of states require or encourage cursive could not be independently verified through official state-by-state tallies in the provided source material.
