2024 Survey of the States

The Saucon Creek Institute for Financial Literacy believes the K-12 financial literacy curriculum should be used to lay the foundation for a basic understanding of personal finance. The curriculum should teach sensible financial behavior, including proper spending habits and the use of credit, along with the importance of saving and investing for future financial security.    

According to the Council for Economics Education in the 2024 Survey of the States, 20 states require a standalone personal finance class to be taken as a requirement for high school graduation while 16 additional states require a standalone course to at least be offered.     

The 20 states that require a standalone personal finance class to be taken as a requirement for graduation are:

Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

The 16 states that require a standalone course in personal finance to be offered are: 

Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, and Texas. 

Hats off to these states who are helping to ensure our children are being taught the financial literacy skills they will need to function in the ever more complex financial world we live in!   

If your state or local school district does not require or offer a personal finance class, petition your local school board and state legislature to require one to be offered.