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Pennsylvania House of Representatives
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20170&cosponId=23421
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House of Representatives
Session of 2017 - 2018 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: March 28, 2017 03:33 PM
From: Representative Angel Cruz
To: All House members
Subject: Amend Public School Code Handwriting Instruction Required
 
In the near future, I intend to introduce legislation that would amend the Public School Code of 1949 to require handwriting instruction, specifically print and cursive handwriting.

The current Common Core Standards for education with its focus on testing for mathematics and language no longer requires the teaching of cursive handwriting in schools. Given the current budget crises and unfunded mandates faced by our schools, if a course of study is not a requirement it likely will not be taught. Additionally, advances in technology have made handwriting obsolete with pen and paper replaced by smart devices.

Research has uncovered that handwriting offers benefits that extend far beyond the act of writing, with benefits including: better hand-eye coordination, greater rates of comprehension and information retention, improved achievements in reading, writing and math, and increased and expanded neural development in areas of language, memory, word recognition and emotion. Moreover, electronic devices can fail or be unavailable. According to the Child Trends Data Bank, as recently as 2013, only 79% of American homes had computers with the fewest in homes with African-American or Hispanic children. Most importantly, great national treasures and cornerstones to our democracy, such as the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and the Gettysburg Address will be incomprehensible in their original format if handwriting instruction does not continue to be taught.

My legislation will amend the Public School Code to require handwriting instruction in kindergarten through fifth grade ensuring students have the ability to legibly print by third grade and to write in cursive by the end of fifth grade. By co-sponsoring this legislation, you join me in adding Pennsylvania to the growing number of states who have recognized the vital impact handwriting has in learning and introduced or passed legislation. Thank you in advance for your consideration.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact my Harrisburg office at 717-705-1925.



Introduced as HB1083