US Schools Revive Cursive as AI Cheating Concerns Grow

Cursive writing, once pushed aside as typing and digital devices became central to US classrooms, is regaining attention in the era of generative artificial intelligence. Advocates say the skill helps students read historical documents, preserves cultural literacy and may support memory, cognition and fine-motor development. Handwritten work also gives teachers a more direct way to assess whether students produced an assignment themselves rather than relying on AI-generated text.

More than 25 US states now require schools to teach cursive, reflecting both a broader reassessment of handwriting instruction and mounting concern over AI-assisted cheating. Some educators are also bringing back handwritten assignments as a practical verification tool. Implementation remains uneven, however, because many teachers were never trained to teach cursive, instructional materials and assessment standards vary, and schools must fit the subject into schedules already crowded with literacy, mathematics and technology requirements.