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.

Six states have moved closer to pushing financial education bills across the finish line:

• In Nebraska....
  • Lawmakers gave final approval May 20 to a bill intended to improve the personal finance skills of Nebraska students.LB452, introduced by Omaha Sen. Terrell McKinney, requires each school district to include financial literacy in its elementary and middle school instructional program. The bill also requires all students to complete at least one five-credit high school course in personal finance or financial literacy as a graduation requirement...Senators passed LB452 on a 49-0 vote. (Unicameral update)."
  • Presumably the bill now goes to the Governor to be signed into law. 
• In Rhode Island...
  • SB349 [Requires the council on elementary and secondary education, in consultation with the RI department of education, to develop and approve statewide academic standards for the instruction of consumer education in public high schools no later than 12/31/2021] is placed on the House Calendar for 5/25/21 where it is expected to be voted upon.
  • HB5491 [Requires the council on elementary and secondary education, in consultation with the Rhode Island department of education, to develop and approve statewide academic standards for the instruction of consumer education in public high schools] is placed on the Senate Calendar for 5/25/21 where it is expected to be voted upon.
• In Texas....
  • SB1063 [Relating to courses in personal financial literacy & economics for high school students in public schools] has been placed on Local, Consent, and Res. Calendar for May 26th in the House
• In New Hampshire...

  • New Hampshire's definition of an adequate education would be tweaked and expanded under a bill that recently passed the state Senate. The changes include adding personal finance literacy to the list of core domains listed in state law and providing more specifics for other domains. The bill (HB242) now goes back to the House, which will be asked to concur with changes made by the Senate (NHPR)

• In Illinois....
  • SB1830 [Provides that of the 2 years of social studies required to receive a high school diploma, one semester, or part of one semester, may include a financial literacy course beginning with pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2021-2022 school year and each school year thereafter. Effective immediately.] passed through the House 111-0 on 5/21/21. 
• In Ohio...
  • SB1 [Regards teaching financial literacy in high school] passed through the Ohio Senate by vote of 32-0. Refer to Committee: Primary and Secondary Education. 

Here's a summary of the 25 states that have introduced bills regarding Personal Finance education (updated as of 5/21/21). 

About the Authors

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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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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