Career Standards and Assessment Services (CSAS) Menu

The following sub-menu can be used to navigate within the CSAS Team web pages.

Handwriting

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.

Handwriting Standards & Resources

 TitleDescription
Kansas Handwriting Curricular Standards (PDF)Kansas Handwriting Curricular Standards adopted by the Kansas State Board of Education in February 2020.
Kansas Handwriting Curricular Standards (Word)Kansas Handwriting Curricular Standards adopted by the Kansas State Board of Education in February 2020.
Central Comprehensive Center at the University of Oklahoma (C3) 
Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes (CEELO)  

English Language Arts Consultant
Joann McRell
(785) 296-2144
jmcrell@ksde.org

Deputy Commissioner
Division of Learning Services

Dr. Ben Proctor
(785) 296-2303
bproctor@ksde.org

Director
Career, Standards and Assessment

Beth Fultz
(785) 296-3142
bfultz@ksde.org

Assistant Director
Career and Technical Education

Natalie D. Clark
(785) 296-4351
​ndclark@ksde.org

Assistant Director
Curricular Standards

Dr. David Fernkopf
(785) 296-8447
dfernkopf@ksde.org

Assistant Director
Assessment

Julie Ewing
(785) 296-2325
jewing@ksde.org

Assistant Director
Kansas Volunteer Commission

Dr. Jessica Dorsey
(785) 296-3163
jdorsey@ksde.org

Copyright 2024 by Kansas State Department of Education | 900 SW Jackson St. | Topeka, KS 66612 Privacy Statement  |  Terms Of Use  |  System Maintenance Notices  |  Open Records (PDF)

The Kansas State Department of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities. (more information...)


To accommodate people with disabilities, on request, auxiliary aides and services will be provided and reasonable modifications to policies and programs will be made. To request accommodations or for more information please contact the Office of General Counsel at gc@ksde.org or by 785-296-3201.