The national discussion around handwriting and keyboarding instruction in particular has been elevated since the release of the English Language Arts College and Career Ready Standards in 2010. With this in mind, the Kansas State Board of Education proceeded with discussions around this topic. After reviewing information from a state-wide survey about handwriting instruction and research from the National Association of State Boards the Education, the Kansas State Board of Education asked that a set of Kansas Handwriting Standards be written for Kansas educators. The focus of these standards is handwriting because Kansas already has technology standards that address keyboarding.
This statement from the Kansas State Board of Education validates the direction for writing these standards. The Kansas State Board of Education believes that cursive handwriting as a student skill still holds an important place in the instructional practice of every school’s curriculum and can be integrated in multiple content areas. Research supports the role that handwriting instruction plays in the cognitive development of children and this activity is even more important in an increasingly digital environment. The Board expects educators to ensure that all students can write legibly in cursive and comprehend text written in this manner.
Kansas State Department of Education developed these standards with help from the Central Comprehensive Center (C3) and Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes (CEELO). A Kansas committee of 15 educators provided periodic input at multiple levels, starting in January and continuing into July 2013. Committee members are listed within the document. Public feedback was elicited from educators and parents with over 200 responses. Most all of these responses are in favor of providing teachers with handwriting standards.