TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Two proposals aiming to introduce new curriculum requirements in Florida schools made small steps this week toward becoming law.

One such bill (HB 1261) got its chance to shine during a state House committee meeting on Wednesday, giving some lawmakers a chance to hear about the new subjects it would bring to Florida classrooms.

More specifically, HB 1261 would introduce a “Smart Living” course in schools beginning in 2026.

This curriculum would be implemented as two stand-alone courses in grades 8 and grades 9-12, respectively.

“The curriculum must cover practical subjects deemed necessary to transition effectively to and function in adulthood,” the bill reads. “Such subjects shall be divided appropriately between the two courses.”

The subjects taught as part of these courses would include subjects like financial literacy and future planning, covering the following:

• How to create a personal budget

• How personal credit works, such as using credit cards and applying for loans

• How to manage debt

• How to file a tax return

• The home-buying process, including home insurance

• Career readiness, such as exploring a student’s own “personality and passions”

• Post-graduation paths, such as college, trade school, and full-time employment

• Creating a resume, applying for scholarships, and filling out a FAFSA application

During Wednesday’s committee meeting, the bill’s sponsor, Susan Valdes (R-Tampa), said that the proposal would help students better integrate into adult life after high school.

“It provides every student with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in the real world,” she explained.

HB 1261 was ultimately approved by the committee members, though it still has two more committees to go before it gets a chance in front of the full House.

Meanwhile, House Bill 921 — which would require students in grades 2-5 to learn cursive writing — also passed its committee meeting on Thursday.

Per the bill’s text, HB 921 claims that these students must develop the skills “necessary for legible cursive writing,” including letter formation, proper spacing and alignment, and practice with writing complete words in cursive.

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“By the end of grade 5, each student must demonstrate proficiency in cursive writing through an evaluation of written work,” the bill reads.

According to the text, “proficiency” means that students can write in both uppercase and lowercase cursive letters, as well as write essays and assignments in cursive writing.

Florida dropped cursive writing from its academic standards in 2010, though the subject was reinstated just a few years later. Now, cursive writing is required as part of B.E.S.T. ELA standards for grades 3-5, though students don’t necessarily have to be able to read or comprehend cursive.

As a result, HB 921 would extend the range of students who have to learn cursive, as well as mandate that schools make sure students know how to write and read it.

If approved, HB 921 will take effect on July 1.

Similarly to these bills, another Florida law was passed last year that will bring new instructional standards starting in 2026.

That law (SB 1264) will require students to learn more about the “history of communism,” including the failed principles of communist economic theory.

While a full breakdown of the course has yet to be released by state officials, the topics taught in this curriculum must encompass the following:

• The history of communism in the U.S. and domestic communist movements

• Atrocities committed in foreign countries under the guidance of communism

• Comparative discussion of political ideologies, such as communism and totalitarianism

• The increasing threat of communism in the U.S. and to its allies

• The economic, industrial, and political events that have preceded and anticipated communist revolutions

• The communist policies of Cuba, and the spread of communist ideologies throughout Latin America

An earlier draft of the law sought to teach the class in grades as young as kindergarten, but the final version simply states that instruction must be “age appropriate.”