Madison Reporter

This new bill, authored by State Sen. Rachael Cabral-Guevara, seeks to require cursive writing instruction in Wisconsin elementary schools to ensure students develop legible cursive skills, according to the Wisconsin State Senate.

According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "incorporating cursive writing into the state model English language arts standards and requiring cursive writing in elementary grades. (FE)".

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill mandates the incorporation of cursive writing into the state model English language arts standards, requiring all school boards, independent charter schools, and private schools in Wisconsin that participate in a parental choice program to include cursive writing in their elementary grades curriculum. The academic objective is for students to be able to write legibly in cursive by the end of fifth grade. This requirement is to be implemented by July 1, 2026, with applicability to relevant independent charter school contracts and applications for private schools in the 2026-27 school year. Union high school districts are exempt from this requirement.

The bill was co-authored by Representative Paul Melotik (Republican-22nd District) Senator Van H. Wanggaard (Republican-21st District). It was co-sponsored by Representative Elijah R. Behnke (Republican-6th District), Representative Lindee Rae Brill (Republican-27th District), and Representative Barbara Dittrich (Republican-99th District), along nine other co-sponsors.

Rachael Cabral-Guevara has authored another six bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.

Cabral-Guevara graduated from Mount Mary University in 2000 with a BS and again in 2004 from the University of Wisconsin- Oshkosh with a BS.

Cabral-Guevara, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 2023 to represent the state's 19th Senate district, replacing previous state senator Roger Roth.

In Wisconsin, the legislative process starts when a senator, constituent, group, or agency proposes an idea for a bill. After drafting, the bill is introduced, numbered, and referred to a committee for review and public input. If approved, it moves through three readings and votes in both the Senate and Assembly. Once both chambers pass the same version, the bill goes to the governor, who can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Only a small share of bills introduced each session ultimately become law. You can learn more about the Wisconsin legislative process here.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
SB13	02/03/2025	Incorporating cursive writing into the state model English language arts standards and requiring cursive writing in elementary grades. (FE)
SB12	02/03/2025	A sales and use tax exemption for the sale of gun safes. (FE)
SB11	02/03/2025	Allowing representatives of certain federally chartered youth membership organizations to provide information to pupils on public school property
SB10	02/03/2025	Access to public high schools for military recruiters
SB7	01/24/2025	Prohibiting a foreign adversary from acquiring agricultural or forestry land in this state
SB4	01/24/2025	Agreements for direct primary care