Missouri 2026 Regular Session Status: In Committee 2 R cosponsors

HB 2115 — Requires school districts to provide instruction in cursive writing

Last action — Placed Back on Formal Perfection Calendar (H)

Track this bill free

No card. One bill, free forever — alerts when it moves.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced December 02, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the House.

Prognosis

Advancing 38% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 2 sponsors

    1 primary, 1 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (2 R).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 2 recorded votes so far.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

14 added · 19 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent changes to Bill HB 2115 include the addition of a requirement for fifth-grade students to take a teacher-constructed test in cursive writing starting in the 2028-29 school year. The previous language stated that students must demonstrate proficiency by the end of fifth grade but did not specify a testing requirement. This change is important because it sets a clear standard for students' cursive writing skills and ensures that they have a formal assessment of their abilities. Additionally, it allows schools to decide how to implement cursive instruction, giving them flexibility in how they teach this skill.

→
Previous
Latest
SECOND REGULAR SESSION HOUSE BILL NO.
SECOND REGULAR SESSION HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE BILL NOS.
2115 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE MCGAUGH.
2115 & 1876 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY 4925H.02C JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk AN ACT To amend chapter 170, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to instruction in cursive writing.
4925H.01I JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk AN ACT To amend chapter 170, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to instruction in cursive writing.
SectionA.
Section A.
(1) Each elementary school under the control of such school district or charter school provides instruction in cursive writing so that students create readable documents through legible cursive handwriting by the end of the fifth grade;
(1) Each elementary school under the control of such school district or charter school provides instruction that includes cursive writing, in a manner determined by the district or charter school, so that students can demonstrate an ability to read documents written in cursive and create readable documents through legible cursive handwriting;
and (2) Each student passes with proficiency a teacher-constructed test demonstrating competency in both reading and writing cursive.
and (2) Beginning in the 2028-29 school year and for all subsequent school years, each student in grade five takes a teacher-constructed test to demonstrate the student's competency in both reading and writing cursive.
The department of elementary and secondary education may promulgate rules to implement the provisions of this section.
Each local school board or governing board of a charter school shall be responsible for the approval and adoption of curriculum and standards for competency that will be used by the school district or charter school.
Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028.
✔ EXPLANATION — Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is intended to be omitted from the law.
This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority EXPLANATION — Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is intended to be omitted from the law.
HB 2115 2 and any rule proposed or adopted after the effective date of this section shall be invalid and void.
⬇ Download PDF
View plain text versions (2)

How this bill changes current law

1 change Share ↗

AI-generated reading aid from the bill's amendatory text — verify against the official bill.

This bill amends 1 section(s) of the Missouri Revised Statutes: Section 170.025, RSMo.

  • Section 170.025, RSMo

    (1) Each elementary school under the control of such school district or charter school provides instruction that includes cursive writing, in a manner determined by the district or charter school, so that students can demonstrate an ability to read documents written in cursive and create readable documents through legible cursive handwriting; and (2) Beginning in the 2028-29 school year and for all subsequent school years, each student in grade five takes a teacher-constructed test to demonstrate the student's competency in both reading and writing cursive. 2.h local school board or governing board of a charter school shall be responsible for the approval and adoption of curriculum and standards for competency that will be used by the school district or charter school. bold-face

    amended

Amendments

3 amendments

Click Show changes on an amendment above to see how it modifies the bill.

Action History

  1. Placed Back on Formal Perfection Calendar (H)

  2. Placed on the Informal Perfection Calendar (H)

  3. Placed Back on Formal Perfection Calendar (H)

  4. Placed on the Informal Perfection Calendar (H)

  5. Placed Back on Formal Perfection Calendar (H)

  6. Placed on the Informal Perfection Calendar (H)

  7. Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 8 NOES: 2 PRESENT: 1

  8. Voted Do Pass (H)

  9. Executive Session Completed (H)

  10. Referred: Rules - Administrative(H)

  11. HCS Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 13 NOES: 4 PRESENT: 3

  12. HCS Voted Do Pass (H)

  13. Executive Session Completed (H)

  14. Public Hearing Completed (H)

  15. Referred: Elementary and Secondary Education(H)

  16. Read Second Time (H)

  17. Read First Time (H)

  18. Prefiled (H)

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 1 co-sponsors · 197 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (1)

Not signed on (197)

197 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 197 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Subjects

education
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors HB 2115?
HB 2115 is sponsored by Jim Kalberloh (Republican) and Peggy McGaugh (Republican).
What is the current status of HB 2115?
This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced December 02, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track HB 2115?
Track HB 2115 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

Make your voice heard on HB 2115

Find the representatives who decide this bill and tell them where you stand — for yourself, or mobilize your whole list in one click with One Click Politics advocacy software.

Find my representatives → Run a campaign

Stay ahead of HB 2115

Last checked for changes 2 months ago · updated continuously

One Click Politics tracks every bill in Congress and all 50 states.

Track this bill →