SB873: Bill Text

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2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE

2023 Senate BILL 873

January 5, 2024 - Introduced by Senators Ballweg, Marklein, Nass, Taylor and Wanggaard, cosponsored by Representatives Melotik, Behnke, Dittrich, Edming, Goeben, Gundrum, Moses, Murphy, Mursau, Myers, Nedweski, O'Connor, Penterman, Schmidt and Vos. Referred to Committee on Education.

SB873,1,4 An Act to create 115.28 (55p), 118.40 (2r) (b) 2. m., 118.40 (2x) (b) 2. m., 118.60 (2) (a) 10., 119.23 (2) (a) 10. and 121.02 (1) (k) 4. of the statutes; relating to: incorporating cursive writing into the state model English language arts standards and requiring cursive writing in elementary grades.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill requires the state superintendent of public instruction to incorporate cursive writing into the model academic standards for English language arts. The bill also requires all school boards, independent charter schools, and private schools participating in a parental choice program to include cursive writing in its respective curriculum for the elementary grades. Specifically, each elementary school curriculum must include the objective that pupils be able to write legibly in cursive by the end of fifth grade.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB873,1 Section 1 . 115.28 (55p) of the statutes is created to read:

SB873,2,2 115.28 (55p) English language arts standards. Incorporate cursive writing into the model academic standards for English language arts.

SB873,2 Section 2. 118.40 (2r) (b) 2. m. of the statutes is created to read:

SB873,2,6 118.40 (2r) (b) 2. m. If the contract is for the operation of a charter school that includes the elementary grades, a requirement that the charter school's curriculum include the academic objective in s. 121.02 (1) (k) 4.

SB873,3 Section 3. 118.40 (2x) (b) 2. m. of the statutes is created to read:

SB873,2,10 118.40 (2x) (b) 2. m. If the contract is for the operation of a charter school that includes the elementary grades, a requirement that the charter school's curriculum include the academic objective in s. 121.02 (1) (k) 4.

SB873,4 Section 4. 118.60 (2) (a) 10. of the statutes is created to read:

SB873,2,13 118.60 (2) (a) 10. If the private school operates elementary grades, the private school includes in its curriculum the academic objective in s. 121.02 (1) (k) 4.

SB873,5 Section 5. 119.23 (2) (a) 10. of the statutes is created to read:

SB873,2,16 119.23 (2) (a) 10. If the private school operates elementary grades, the private school includes in its curriculum the academic objective in s. 121.02 (1) (k) 4.

SB873,6 Section 6. 121.02 (1) (k) 4. of the statutes is created to read:

SB873,2,21 121.02 (1) (k) 4. By July 1, 2024, include in a language arts curriculum plan under this paragraph the academic objective that pupils be able to write legibly in cursive by the end of grade 5. This subdivision does not apply to union high school districts.

SB873,7 Section 7. Initial applicability.

SB873,2,25 (1) Independent charter school contracts. The treatment of s. 118.40 (2r) (b) 2. m. and (2x) (b) 2. m. first applies to a contract that is entered into, renewed, or modified on the effective date of this subsection.

SB873,3,3 (2) Private schools participating in a parental choice program. The treatment of ss. 118.60 (2) (a) 10. and 119.23 (2) (a) 10. first applies to an application to attend a private school under a parental choice program in the 2024-25 school year.

SB873,3,4 (End)