Financial Literacy Graduation Requirement

Current law encourages each school district board of education or charter school to adopt successful completion of a course in financial literacy as a graduation requirement. The bill requires successful completion of a course in financial literacy as a condition of high school graduation beginning with students in the ninth grade on and after September 1, 2026. The bill requires submission of a free application for federal student aid or a Colorado application for state financial aid as a condition of high school graduation unless an exception applies. Beginning with the 2027-28 school year, each individual career and academic plan (ICAP) is required to include a requirement that, during the student's graduation year, the student has exposure to federal financial aid eligibility tools and state-based net price calculators and fills out a free application for federal student aid or the Colorado application for state financial aid, unless an exception applies. For the 2025-26 fiscal year, the bill appropriates money to the department of education (department) for distribution to school districts to support implementation of a financial literacy course and the ICAP requirements. The bill authorizes the department to seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations for the purpose of supporting educators in implementing a financial literacy course.

(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)

(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)