High Schools Emphasizing Personal Finance Education

Summary

The segment explores the rapid expansion of personal finance education in US high schools. Leslie Finnan of the Council for Economic Education notes 39 states now mandate such courses, up from one in 1998, and that students who take them make better financial decisions. Diana Isern, an assistant principal and financial literacy educator, describes her curriculum covering credit, investing, and budgeting, and highlights how the class sparks family conversations about money. The report also notes a decline in economics requirements, with only 22 states now mandating it.

• 39 US states now require personal finance for graduation, up from 1 in 1998.
• Research links personal finance courses to higher credit scores, lower loan defaults, and better student loan choices.
• New York State will require personal finance exposure for all high school students starting fall.
• Brooklyn Prep teacher Diana Isern covers credit scores, investing, real estate, taxes, and budgeting.
• Students report the class makes them more independent and interested in finance careers.
• Economics requirements have fallen to 22 states, down from 26 in 2024.
• The CEE advocates for a combined full-year course in economics and personal finance.