Why Financial Literacy Should Be Required in High School

You’ve probably heard someone say “money doesn’t grow on trees.” But for most of us, money might as well be a mystery. Credit scores, taxes, rent, debt, we’re expected to figure it all out, but no one ever really teaches us how.

The result? A generation of students who can solve a trig identity but don’t know what a 401(k) is.

💭 What We’re Missing

Financial literacy isn’t just about budgeting. It’s about power and protection.

When you understand how to manage money, you:

• Know your rights as a worker

• Avoid predatory loans and scams

• Save smarter for college or emergencies

• Make informed decisions about credit, taxes, and debt

So why isn’t this part of every school’s curriculum?

📉 Why It Matters

Only 17 states require a standalone personal finance class to graduate. That means millions of students are finishing high school without ever learning how to open a bank account, file taxes, or build credit.

It’s not just inconvenient, it’s inequitable.Students from wealthier families often learn financial basics at home. Others don’t. That gap grows into a wealth gap.

🧠 What Gen Z Needs

We don’t need fluff. We need:

• A required class that covers real-life money topics

• Simulations that show how to manage a paycheck, not just calculate interest

• Conversations about student debt, taxes, and economic inequality, not just stock market games

Give us knowledge that helps us live, not just pass.

📣 Final Thoughts

It’s not about being perfect with money. It’s about understanding the system before the system takes advantage of you.

Financial literacy shouldn’t be optional. It should be the baseline.