States Push to Teach Personal Finance in Schools

Every High School should require a personal finance class since it is essential for success. It is not yet required in california. Every state should mandate personal finance where students are learning about financial planning,borrowing,earning capability, investing, insurance and credit.

Teri of CA 8:01PM November 10, 2012

They should be taking personasl finance as a business education course. Business Education teachers are the most qualified teachers to teach this course.

I have been fighiting for this in Ohio to mandate a one semester class in Ohio but have not got the job done yet. It can be taught in a business, economics or family consumer science couse. No requirement how much instruction needs to be taught to the students. It coud be one second to two weeks. Business teachers have personal finance courses offered in some high schools but it is not required of students to have to take the course.

Robert of OH 4:07PM October 15, 2011

It is my opinion that teaching a course pertaining to Personal Finances is vital and essential. Introduction to Financial Management to Teens, as early as, Eighth or Ninth Grade is essential. In addition to Financial Management, conversation and discussion should occur on how one thinks about Money and Finances is essential. A persons attitude and thoughts about money plays a major role in how one spends, saves, negotiates money in his/her life. As an example, my attitude growing up was "Easy come Easy Go" I thought as easily as it is to make money I could spend it just the same. This attitude led to not knowing the importance of having a Financial Safety Net. I believe the sooner a child learns the role of money and finances is crucial. This includes Management, Savings, Creating a Safety Net, Retirement Planning, and Reconciliation: Bank and other Financial Statements (i.e., Credit Cards & Insurance). I believe it is as important and vital as English, Math, and History. It should be included as a Mandatory course just as the above subject courses. A majority of Homelessness occurs due to a lack of knowledge how to manage personal finances and attitude. How a person thinks about Money is how it will manifest itself in one's life. The United States will notice changes in cases of Bankruptcy, Social Welfare, and Homelessness in the future, if this was a Mandatory Course taught to our Nations Teen Students. Money is a different subject matter than Sex Education and/or Religion. Because no matter what one's personal relationship with their Higher Power or not or one's Sexuality and whether Parents want these subject matters discussed in School – Money and Finances is inevitably a tool and knowledge that I would hope all Parents would want their children to have an upper hand in dealing with in their lives. This is not about Government throwing something down our throats. This is about PERSONAL EMPOWERMENT.

Kimberly Drobot of CA 3:43PM September 19, 2011