Listen: Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento) has introduced AB 984. This bill will require public high schools, including charter schools, to offer a personal finance course.
Research shows U.S. teens and Gen Z-aged youth demonstrate a significant lack of understanding of basic financial terms and concepts. 34% of youth are learning personal finance from TikTok or other social media platforms, and 32% of teens can’t tell the difference between a debit card and a credit card.
High school students would be required to complete one semester course of a financial literacy class. This course could be an already existing finance class that meets the A-G requirements of the University of California and the California State University, or a locally developed class approved by the school district or charter school.
The course will be a graduation requirement starting the 2025-26 school year.