This bill amends existing law to expand financial literacy instruction requirements to include high school students, in addition to the current mandate for middle school students. It specifies that school districts must incorporate financial literacy into the curriculum for grades six through eight and mandates that each high school student complete a one-semester course in financial literacy. The bill also clarifies that instruction focused primarily on economic, business, and entrepreneurial literacy does not fulfill the financial literacy requirement.

Furthermore, the bill outlines the content that must be included in the financial literacy curriculum, such as budgeting, savings, credit, debt, insurance, investment, behavioral economics, banking, consumer skills, taxes, and college financial planning. It also stipulates that the instruction must be delivered by teachers holding specific endorsements in relevant subject areas. To receive a State-endorsed diploma, district boards of education are required to develop and implement local graduation requirements that include the completion of the financial literacy course. The act is set to take effect immediately, with the graduation requirement applying to students entering 12th grade in the 2027-2028 school year.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 18A:35-4.34