Elementary school students in New Jersey will start to learn cursive again after Governor Phil Murphy signed a new bill into law.
On Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, Gov. Murphy signed S1783/A3865. The bill requires public school districts in New Jersey to incorporate instruction on cursive handwriting into curriculum for students in 3rd through 5th grades.
Senator Angela McKnight, Senator Shirley Turner, Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, Assemblywoman Shanique Speight, and Assemblywoman Rosaura Bagolie all co-sponsored the bill, which applies to the next full school year.
According to a spokesperson for Gov. Murphy, New Jersey was one of multiple states impacted by the adoption of the Common Core State Standards in 2010 which omitted handwriting from its curriculum. The spokesperson said New Jersey and several other states are now reversing the decision by requiring cursive instruction in schools, citing benefits for students.
“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,” Gov. Murphy said. “We owe it to our students to give them a well-rounded education that ensures they have the tools to fully understand our rich history and become competent leaders.”
