Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

 

Committee Report

February 28, 2024

 

H. 4709

 

Introduced by Reps. Rivers, Atkinson, Henegan, McDaniel, Gilliard, Bernstein, Landing, Bustos, Hartnett, King, Herbkersman, Erickson, Bradley, Ballentine, Pedalino, McGinnis and Schuessler

 

S. Printed 02/28/24--H.

Read the first time January 09, 2024

 

________

 

The committee on House Education and Public Works

To whom was referred a Bill (H. 4709) to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws by amending Section 59-29-15, relating to the requirement that cursive writing be taught in public elementary schools, so, etc., respectfully

Report:

That they have duly and carefully considered the same, and recommend that the same do pass:

 

SHANNON ERICKSON for Committee.

 

 

statement of estimated fiscal impact

Explanation of Fiscal Impact

State Expenditure

This bill requires each school district to provide instruction in cursive writing beginning in second grade and continuing in third grade, fourth grade, and fifth grade.

 

S.C. Department of Education. This bill will have no expenditure impact on SCDE. The department anticipates that it can manage the provisions of the bill with existing appropriations if SCDE is not required to provide instructional materials or resources related to the cursive writing initiative to the local school districts. 

 

State Agency Schools. This bill will have no expenditure impact on the state agency schools. The Governor's School for Agriculture at John de la Howe, the Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities, the Governor's School for Science and Mathematics, and the Wil Lou Gray Opportunity School do not teach second through fifth grades and, therefore, will not be impacted by the bill. The School for the Deaf and Blind indicates that any expenses can be managed with existing appropriations.

Local Expenditure

This bill requires each school district to provide instruction in cursive writing beginning in second grade and continuing in third grade, fourth grade, and fifth grade.

 

The overall expenditure impact of this bill on the local school districts is undetermined. SCDE surveyed the seventy-three regular school districts and three charter school districts and received responses from nine districts. Three of the responding districts indicate that the bill will have no expenditure impact. One district anticipates the need to develop new curriculum but reports that the cost is currently undetermined. This district also reports that it may need to expand the school day or hire additional staff in order to provide the required instruction in cursive writing. The five remaining districts indicate that implementing the provisions of the bill will increase expenses by an amount ranging from $5,000 to $100,000 per year beginning in FY 2024-25 to purchase additional instructional materials and supplies.

 

 

Frank A. Rainwater, Executive Director

Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office

 

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A bill

 

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 59-29-15, RELATING TO THE REQUIREMENT THAT CURSIVE WRITING BE TAUGHT IN PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, SO AS TO SPECIFY THAT THE CURSIVE WRITING INSTRUCTION MUST BEGIN IN SECOND GRADE AND CONTINUE IN EACH GRADE THROUGH FIFTH GRADE.

 

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

 

SECTION 1.  Section 59-29-15(A) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 

    (A) In addition to the requirements that writing and arithmetic be subjects of instruction in each school district pursuant to Section 59-29-10, each school district shall:

       (1) provide instruction in cursive writing beginning in second grade and continuing in third grade, fourth grade, and fifth grade to ensure that students can create readable documents through legible cursive handwriting by the end of fifth grade; and

       (2) require students to memorize multiplication tables to ensure that students can effectively multiply numbers by the end of fifth grade.

 

SECTION 2.  This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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