California high school students may need to take an additional course to graduate, as lawmakers in California are considering a proposal to include financial literacy as a graduation requirement.
According to CBS 13, some schools in the Sacramento area have already started offering such courses. Mesa Verde High School in Citrus Heights is one of them, where they have seen positive learning outcomes.
When she started high school, managing finances was the last thing on Adelisa Dubravac’s mind. However, now she is interning at the Safe Credit Union branch at Mesa Verde High School. Students there are learning various details of banking operations.
Dubravac mentioned that classmates are learning how to keep records, spend money wisely, and manage finances, saying, “I wish I had learned these things at a younger age.” This internship program is a collaboration between Safe Credit Union and San Juan Unified School District, offering students personal finance tools.
“This is not just about textbook learning. It’s about putting (savings) into practice through partnerships,” said Spencer Murrish, a business course teacher at Mesa Verde High School, teaching the school’s career technical education program.
“Courses like this not only help students learn how to run a business but also help them grow into responsible members of society starting from personal financial management and accountability,” he added.
Murrish explained that this is just one example. If lawmakers pass the proposal, real-world experiences will indeed capture students’ attention. “You might have your car break down while driving, and it might cost $300 to get it checked. But students would say, ‘Why is it so expensive?'” he elaborated. “They need to budget. If you make $17 per hour after high school graduation, how much money do you have left after paying for rent and other expenses (to repair the car)?”
Learning how to open a checking account, manage finances, understand compound interest, and other practical aspects can bring about significant changes in a person’s life. But it’s not just about money. “An important part of business is being an ethical person,” Murrish stated. “Running an ethical company and doing your best to excel.”
It seems that these lessons are already starting to impact students. Students like Dubravac are making small decisions that can lay the foundation for a successful life. “I’ve learned to use less money and think carefully when shopping, ‘Do I need it or not?'” she said.
If financial literacy truly becomes a part of California students’ graduation requirements, the graduating class of 2030 will be the first group of students who must master this course to graduate. ◇