A graduation requirement is the most effective approach because it ensures that all students leave high school with the tools needed to navigate the complex financial decisions facing them.
A full-semester course may not be feasible for your district or state. Here is how two states, Utah and Tennessee, fit a half-credit personal finance course into their graduation requirements. Virginia offers another example. It added a yearlong course in economics and personal finance to its state curriculum.
Stand-Alone Personal Finance Course |
Embedded Personal Finance Requirement | |
| Utah | Tennessee | Virginia |
| English/Language Arts (4 credits) | English (4 credits) | English (6 credits) |
| Mathematics (high school) (3 Credits) | Math ( 4 credits) | Math (4 credits) |
| Science (high school) (3 credits) | Science (3 credits) | Laboratory Science (4 credits) |
| Social Studies (high school) (3 credits) | Social Studies (3 credits) | History Social Studies (4 credits) |
Directed Coursework (3.5 credits)
(1.5 credits) Fine Arts
|
Personal Finance (0.5 credits) | Economics & Personal Finance (1 credit) |
| Physical Education Health (2 Credits) | Physical Education and Wellness (1.5 credits) | Health Physical education (2 credits) |
| Required Electives (5.5 Credits) | Elective Focus (3 credits) | Electives (4 credits) |
| Foreign Language (2 credits) | World Language, Fine Arts or Career and Technical Education (2 credits) | |
| Fine Arts (1 credit) | ||
| Additional information can be found here. | Additional information can be found here. | Additional information can be found here. |
