Twenty-nine states now require or will soon require that high schools offer comprehensive financial education for students, up from just three less than two decades ago, the National Endowment for Financial Education said in its most recent state report card.
The report gave 10 states an A grade in 2026, meaning they require personal finance instruction as a graduation requirement that is equal to a one-semester, half-year course. Another 19 states are expected to earn an A by 2031, according to NEFE.
Twenty-one states earned a B in 2026, 12 earned a C, four earned a D and four earned an F, which means a state has virtually no financial education requirements.
When the first report card was issued in 2013, only three states earned an A grade, representing just 5% of students in the nation’s public schools, the nonprofit group said.
“The progress across our field is encouraging, but the work ahead requires continued collaboration, evidence building and investment in the systems that support learners and educators,” NEFE President Billy Hensley said.
In related news, the Financial Literacy and Education Commission – which is chaired by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent – today released an update to the U.S. National Strategy for Financial Literacy. The document lists the committee’s goals in advancing financial literacy and education across the U.S.
