Students entering high school next fall in Florida will be the first to have financial literacy education as a requirement for graduation from high school.
The new rule was signed into law yesterday by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis after unanimous passage by state legislators in both houses. According to MSNBC, it is the largest state in the country to create such a mandate for students in public schools.
“What the bill is doing with financial literacy is really providing a foundation for students that’s going to be applicable in their lives regardless of what path they take,” said DeSantis during a Tuesday press event. “This will provide a foundation for the students to learn the basics of money management, understanding debt, understanding how to balance a checkbook, understanding the fundamentals of investing.”
Florida is the latest in a growing list of states to require financial literacy for graduation. 11 states have mandated the curriculum while 26 others are considering changes that would allow the curriculum to replace other elective courses.
