High School Seniors stand in line to receive their diplomas during their commencement ceremony. Last week, California became the 26th state to require high school students to take a stand-alone, one-semester financial literacy course. The personal finance course will teach students a range of topics, including banking, budgeting, loans, insurance, investing, and credit, among others.
Last week, California became the 26th state to require high school students to take a stand-alone, one-semester financial literacy course when Gov. Gavin Newsom approved Democratic Assemblymember Kevin McCarty’s bill, AB 2927. “We need to help Californians prepare for their financial futures as early as possible,” Newsom said in a recent statement. “Saving for the future, making investments and spending wisely are lifelong skills that young adults need to learn before they start their careers, not after.”
Tuesday night, Newsom approved AB 2429 by Assemblymember David Alvarez . Alvarez’s bill requires school health classes to include curriculum on the dangers of fentanyl use no later than the 2026-27 school year. The bill passed unanimously in the Senate last month. Alvarez said California has been “disproportionately hit hard” by the fentanyl epidemic. According to the state’s health department, opioid related deaths spiked 121% between 2019 and 2021.