• About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
Saturday, September 30, 2023
The Iowa Torch
  • Home
  • State Government
  • Federal Government
  • Local Government
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • State Government
  • Federal Government
  • Local Government
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Opinion
The Iowa Torch
The Iowa Torch
No Result
View All Result
Home Education

Bill requiring cursive in Iowa schools headed to Iowa Senate floor

The Iowa Senate is considering requiring school districts to teach proficiency in cursive reading and writing by the end of third grade.

Mary StrokabyMary Stroka
February 25, 2022
in Education, State Government
Reading Time: 2 mins read
Bill requiring cursive in Iowa schools headed to Iowa Senate floor

Photo by Poppy Thomas Hill from Pexels.

ADVERTISEMENT

(The Center Square) – The Iowa Senate is considering requiring school districts to teach proficiency in cursive reading and writing by the end of third grade.

RELATED POSTS

Reynolds announces a state budget surplus of $1.83 Billion

Pate, county auditors urge Iowans to seek trusted sources for election information

Reynolds, Governors demand ‘honest, accurate’ information about relocated illegal immigrants.

The Iowa Senate Education Committee passed the bill last week by a party-line vote.

State Senator Jim Carlin, R-Sioux City, the bill’s floor manager, told The Center Square in a phone interview Wednesday that the Iowa Senate is looking at reinserting cursive into the curriculum because of benefits for cognitive development and to encourage students’ ability to read the Founding Fathers’ documents for themselves. It’s also a method of expressing individuality, he said.

He said most of the studies he read concluded cursive writing is significantly beneficial. Studies he read indicated cursive writing facilitates motor pathways for learning and language skills. One study with these findings was published in 2020.

“It’s not my intention to be disrespectful. I just want to put children in the best possible position to succeed academically,” he said. “There’s a lot of issues in Iowa schools right now related to proficiency that are very concerning.”

He said academic success will encourage economic growth and he’s not presenting the concern to question curriculum developers.

“I’m not holding myself out to be some expert on education because I’m clearly not,” he said. “I do, however, research things, and if something makes sense to me and does not appear to be unduly burdensome on the process because it has a history of working, then I think it should be put back in. Not everything that gets done in education, however well-intentioned it may be, is progress.”

ADVERTISEMENT

This is one of three bills Carlin authored that have made it out of Education Committee. His other bills look at achievement gaps between students of minority groups and an examination of the impact of cellphone technology on cognitive development, socialization, mental health and attention span.

“We need to have more self-awareness of what is shaping the minds and neural pathways in those early years and realize the implications are very serious and if conducted properly, can bring about much, much better results,” he said.

A fiscal note on the bill, Senate File 2351, said school districts’ estimated costs for the curriculum would be about $10 to $15 per student and $25 per teacher. Statewide teaching of the curriculum would cost an estimated $400,000 to $575,000. Under the bill, public school districts would use a portion of their state school foundation aid to fulfill the requirements, with no additional funding from the state. As of 2020, 21 states require cursive writing instruction, the fiscal note said.

Tags: 2022 Iowa Legislative Session89th General Assemblycursive writingIowa SenateIowa Senate Education CommitteeJim Carlin
ShareTweetShare
ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

Thirty-four Iowa Senate seats will be on the ballot in 2022

Next Post

Grassley, Ernst respond to nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to Supreme Court

Mary Stroka

Mary Stroka

Mary Stoka is a freelance writer, editor, journalist, and public relations professional who lives in Chicago, Ill.

Related Posts

Reynolds signs bill phasing in 3.9 percent flat tax
Opinion

Hendrickson: Iowa – the gold standard leader in state tax reform

July 27, 2023
State Government

The Iowa House and Senate pass different property tax relief bills

April 20, 2023
white tiled wall with men s restroom sign
State Government

School restroom bill heads to Reynolds’ desk

March 20, 2023
Iowa lawmakers approve prohibiting ‘gender transitioning procedures’ for minors
State Government

Iowa lawmakers approve prohibiting ‘gender transitioning procedures’ for minors

March 9, 2023
State Government

Iowa Senate passes government reorganization bill

March 8, 2023
Reynolds signs bill creating education savings accounts
State Government

Reynolds signs bill creating education savings accounts

January 24, 2023
Next Post
Grassley, Ernst respond to nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to Supreme Court

Grassley, Ernst respond to nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to Supreme Court

Hendrickson: Fiscal Conservatism Works

Hendrickson: Governor Reynolds and Iowa Legislature deliver for taxpayers

Sign-Up For Our Daily Updates

Get The Iowa Torch right in your inbox!

Please wait...

Thank you for signing up!

Recommended Articles

Ernst Expresses Concern About Trump’s Upcoming Senate Impeachment Trial

Ernst: Annual Defense Bill a Win for National Security, Servicemembers, and Veterans

December 21, 2021
Grassley: U.S. Military Placed In ‘Impossible Situation’ During Afghanistan Exit

Grassley: U.S. Military Placed In ‘Impossible Situation’ During Afghanistan Exit

September 16, 2021
Domestic Violence Fatality Report Shines Light on Pandemic’s Cost to Victims

Domestic Violence Fatality Report Shines Light on Pandemic’s Cost to Victims

October 26, 2021

Popular Stories

  • gray electric car parked on a charging bay

    Miller-Meeks: Putting the brakes on Biden, protecting Americans’ vehicle choice

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • New ad features DeSantis plan for southern border

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Iowa Schools Now Required to Lead Students in Pledge of Allegiance

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Pate, county auditors urge Iowans to seek trusted sources for election information

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Hendrickson: Reynolds wants more tax cuts

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

The Iowa Torch

The Iowa Torch​ is a for-profit, news organization that focuses on political news as it relates to Iowans

Categories

  • Education
  • Federal Government
  • Iowa History
  • Local Government
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • State Government
  • Uncategorized
  • Uncategorized

Newsletter

Please wait...

Thank you for signing up!

© 2022 The Iowa Torch, a publication of 4:15 Communications, LLC.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • State Government
  • Federal Government
  • Local Government
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Opinion

© 2022 The Iowa Torch, a publication of 4:15 Communications, LLC.