Jul 26, 2021

Advocacy

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.

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With many legislative sessions concluded or in recess, not a lot of updates to provide to the NGPF FinLit Bill Tracker. 

In case you missed the earlier updates, here were the states that made the most significant progress on increasing access to financial education:

• Nevada AB19: Among the core academic subjects that must be taught include "Social studies, which includes only the subjects of history, geography, economics , civics, financial literacy and multicultural education..."
• Rhode Island HB5491 and SB349: Key point in legislation: "Beginning with the graduating class of 2024, all students shall demonstrate proficiency in consumer education prior to graduating high school. LEAs shall have the discretion to allow students the ability to demonstrate proficiency by one or more of the following:  (1) Successful completion of a consumer education course of study aligned with the standards developed and approved by the council;..."
• In Nebraska, LB45 had amendments that "add a half-credit high school personal financial literacy course requirement prior to graduation" and "Adds an implementation date of December 31, 2022, and an annual due date for reporting requirements placed upon school districts. Dictates that a school that fails to require completion of at least one half-credit personal finance,
  financial literacy course prior to graduation, or annually provide evidence of the implementation of such requirements shall lose its accreditation status."
• In Texas, SB1063 provides choice in Texas with students required to take a half credit economics course OR a personal financial literacy and economics course with ⅔ of instruction time allocated to personal finance and ⅓ to economics.

Here's recent news stories that used NGPF FinLit Bill Tracker data:

• 25 states have introduced personal finance education legislation so far this year (CNBC)
• Pandemic Drives Push to Teach About Finances in School (The Balance)
  
• Providing the building blocks of financial literacy training (Investment News)
  

 

About the Authors

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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Brian Page

Making a difference in the lives of students through financial capability is Brian’s greatest passion. He comes to NGPF after fifteen years of public school teaching where he was the ‘11 Ohio Department of Education recipient of a Milken National Educator Award, the CEE Forbes Award winner, and a Money Magazine/CNN "Money Hero". He served on the working group for President Obama's Advisory Council on Financial Capability. He has private school experience as a Trustee for the Cincinnati Country Day School and was a past Ohio Jump$tart President. Brian holds a BBA and M.Ed. When Brian isn’t working alongside his NGPF teammates he is likely spending time with his wife, three children, and dog; hiking, or watching Ohio State football.

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Christian Sherrill

Former teacher, forever financial education nerd. As NGPF's Director of Growth & Advocacy, Christian is laser-focused on our mission to guarantee all students a rigorous personal finance course before crossing the high school graduation stage. Having paid down over $40k in student loans in the span of 3 years - while living in the Bay Area on an entry level teacher's salary - he's eager to help the next generation avoid financial pitfalls one semester at a time.

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