Requires high school students to receive financial literacy instruction.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Bob Auth and 10 co-sponsors

Expands financial literacy to high school with a required one-semester course for graduation, taught by qualified teachers and aligned to a State-endorsed diploma.

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee

Overview

A 3123 (Session 222, New Jersey) would expand financial literacy requirements from middle school into high school and establish local graduation requirements tied to a State-endorsed diploma. The bill aims to enhance students’ financial decision-making by ensuring structured instruction and appropriate teacher qualifications.

Main purpose and intent

Strengthen financial literacy education by mandating high school participation.

Ensure high school graduates have completed a dedicated financial literacy course as part of their path to a State-endorsed diploma.

Clarify that the curriculum focuses on personal financial responsibility, not primarily on broad economic, business, or entrepreneurial literacy.

Key provisions and changes

Amends current law (P.L.2018, c.167) to require:

Financial literacy instruction in an appropriate place within the grades six through eight curriculum, and
A mandatory one-semester high school course in financial literacy for every high school student.
Curriculum content to cover budgeting, savings, credit, debt, insurance, investment, behavioral economics, banking, consumer skills, taxes, college financial planning, and related topics.
Explicit disallowance that instruction focused chiefly on economic, business, or entrepreneurial literacy can satisfy the requirement.
Instruction to be age-appropriate and taught by teachers with one of the specified endorsements:
Business, Comprehensive Business
Business, Finance, Economics, Law
Family and Consumer Sciences
Social Studies
Middle School with Subject Matter Specialization, Social Studies (Grades 5–8)
The Commissioner of Education to provide sample instructional materials and resources.

New section (Section 2): Local graduation requirements for a State-endorsed diploma must include completion of the financial literacy course described above.

Effective date:

Act takes immediate effect.
Section 2’s graduation requirement first applies to students entering 12th grade in the 2027-2028 school year.

Who is affected

Public school students beginning in grades six through eight (curriculum placement remains, with high school added).

High school students required to complete a one-semester financial literacy course to satisfy graduation/diploma requirements.

School districts and district boards of education (responsible for adopting local graduation requirements).

Teachers, who must hold one of the specified endorsements to teach the course.

State and local education agencies, which would implement sample materials and oversee adherence.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Immediate effect upon enactment (policy guidance and initial implementation could begin right away).

2027-2028 school year: First implementation window for Section 2’s high school graduation requirement (for students entering 12th grade in that year).

The State Board of Education would provide curriculum standards and sample materials to support implementation.

Summary

A 3123 broadens the scope of financial literacy education to include high school students, adds detailed content requirements, and ties completion to graduation with a State-endorsed diploma. It also ensures qualified teachers deliver the instruction and provides implementation guidance to districts. The timeline spans immediate effect for instruction parameters and a 2027-28 start for the high school graduation mandate.