UPDATE: the 2023 Financial Education Bill Tracker from Next Gen Personal Finance provides daily updates on which state legislatures have introduced financial education bills for grades K-12 throughout 2023.

We continued to see additional bills introduced n 2022 to increase access to financial education since our last update. As of February 16th, 20 states have already put forth 40 bills related to personal finance education. In the past three years, the number of states guaranteeing that high school students will complete a one semester course in personal finance has doubled from 5 to 10. 2021 saw Nebraska, Rhode Island and Ohio make that commitment. 

For the complete list of bills introduced in 2022 or carried over from 2021, check out the NGPF FinEd Bill Tracker.

The financial education movement continues to garner a great degree of interest, as evidenced by this recent media:

• Popular New Florida Bill Would Require Financial Literacy Classes For High School Graduation (Ask Flagler): "A new piece of legislation making its way through the state legislature would make financial literacy courses a prerequisite to graduate high school. It’s still got a way to go, but the bill has received near-unanimous support at each stage of its development..."
• Wisconsin does not require a personal finance course to graduate high school. A new proposal seeks to change that (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel): "Jajuan Hoskins, a senior at Rhinelander High School, didn't hesitate when state lawmakers asked him to rank the importance of his personal finance course. "I would definitely rank this number one," he said. "Finances are a huge part of adulthood." His two classmates, also testifying before the state Assembly Education Committee, quickly agreed. The students and their financial education teacher, Patrick Kubeny, spoke at the Capitol this week in support of a proposal to make a personal finance course a graduation requirement for all students in Wisconsin."

• Checking accounts? Savings? Schools should educate every child on personal finance (Op-Ed in Seattle Times by educator Lisa Williksen): "I’m a secondary math teacher, but the course these young people are referring to is personal finance. This course inspires students from all walks of life to build positive financial habits, strengthen their relationships, pursue successful careers, invest for the long-term and more. It is the most real-world relevant course a young person can take today."

• Maryland lawmakers aiming to tackle financial literacy for 11th, 12th grade public school students (WMDT): "When Maryland students graduate high school, they walk away with a diploma. But what lawmakers and financial experts say those graduates are missing, is important lessons on how to manage their money. “We need people to understand, when they’re coming out of high school, the importance of saving, the consequences of financing, how a credit card works, how interest is compounded,” said Delegate Wayne Hartman.

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Check out NGPF's Got Finance? School Tracker for details on access to financial education at more than 10,000 high schools. 

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 Are you interested in expanding access by introducing a personal finance elective at your school? Be sure to check out NGPF grant programs. 

About the Author

Tim Ranzetta

Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.

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