Personal Finance Education FAQ
At their March 2026 meeting, the Board of Regentsapproved for permanent adoptiontheto require instruction in personal financeeducation for public school students in grades kindergarten (K) through 12. These regulations become permanently effective on March 25, 2026.The following provide questions and answers (Q&A) relating to the amendment.
- Howis personal finance education defined?
For purposes of thenew instructional requirement, personal finance education is the process of gaining the knowledge, skills, and habits needed to manage money effectively and responsibly across all areas of life. It includes learning how to earn income, budget, spend, save, borrow, invest, manage credit and debt, plan for retirement, and protect against risk with tools like insurance.
- What is the difference betweenpersonalfinanceeducation andfinancialliteracy?
Personal finance education is theprocessof learning about financialtopics. Financial literacy is theoutcomeof that education—adults and citizens knowledgeable about financial concepts and able to make sound financial decisionsimpactingtheir daily lives.
- Why is New York State requiring K-12 instruction in personalfinanceeducation?
The 51 (51 or “the Department”) recognizes the importance ofequippingstudents with thefinancialknowledge and skills necessary to navigate thecomplexitiesof the 21st-centuryeconomyandmake informed decisions that support long-term stability and success.Instruction inpersonal finance empowers individuals to set and achieve financial goals, build long-term stability, and make informed decisions that balance personal needs with awareness of broader economic and policy contexts. Integrating key concepts of personal finance into K-12 educational programsprovidesa unique opportunity to apply the discipline-specific knowledge and skills in meaningful ways while developing the essential attributes of the Portrait: Academic Preparedness, Creative Innovation, Critical Thinking, Effective Communication, Global Citizenship, and being Reflective and Future Focused.
- When will schoolsbe requiredto begin providing instructionin personal finance?
The amendment establishes a phased implementation timeline forpersonal financeinstruction across grade bands. The chart below outlines the schedule by which public schools will be expected to begin providing instruction inpersonal finance education, allowing for a multi-year phase-in to support thoughtful planning and alignment with existing instructional programs.
Public schools are encouraged to begin implementation ahead of the established timelines for each grade band, as readiness and capacity allow.
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Middle Grade Band (Grades 5–8)&;High School Grade Band (Grades 9–12) |
Elementary Grade Band(Grades K–4) |
|---|---|
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Beginning with the 2026–2027 school year |
Beginning with the 2027-2028 school year |
- Will public schools be requiredto provide instruction inpersonal financeeducation at each grade levelunder the amendment?
Public schools may, but are notrequiredto,provide instruction onpersonal finance educationinall grade levels within each grade band. The amendment provides that instruction inpersonal financeeducation must be provided by the end of the last year of each grade band– elementary (K-4), middle (5-8), and high school (9-12).Specifically:
- Elementary school students must receive instruction by the end of grade 4.
- Middle school students must receive instruction by the end of grade 8.
- High school students must receive instruction by the end of grade 12.
For example, ninth grade students entering the high school grade band during the 2026-2027 school year must receive instruction in personal finance by the end of grade twelve.
While public schools are required toensure instruction is provided by the end of each grade band, they have flexibility indeterminingwhen and how instruction is delivered within each band. They may choose to provide instruction across multiple grade levels orconcentrateinstructionwithin a specific year, based on local needs and capacity.
- Is it expected that students exiting a grade band by the end of the 2026-2027 school year will have received instruction aligned to all personal finance education grade-band learning objectives?
No. While public schools must begin to provide instruction in personal finance education to students in the middle grade Band (Grades 5–8) and high school grade band (Grades 9–12) beginning with the 2026–2027 School Year, they have flexibility indeterminingwhen and how instruction is delivered within each band. During the initial phase of implementation, students exiting the middle or high school grade band in 2026-2027 may not have received instruction in personal finance education. However, for fifth and ninth grade students entering the middle and high school grade bands during the 2026-2027 school year, public schools must provide instruction in personal finance education by the end of those grade bands.
- Are students placed by their school district in out of district programs such as BOCES required to receive instruction in personal finance?
Yes. In accordance with , school districts are responsible for ensuring that all public school students in grades K-12 within the district, including students placed in out of district programs (e.g., BOCES, approved private schools for students with disabilities, contracts with other districts for special services or programs), receive the required instruction in personal finance within the grade bands prescribed in the regulations.
For students attending a BOCES Career and Technical Education (CTE) program for part of the school day, such instruction could be provided by the school district and/or as part of the CTE programming.
For students placed outside the district on a full-time basis, there should be ongoing communication and collaboration between the school district and the out of district placement to ensure that students are receiving the required instruction in personal finance education.
- What topics should be included in instructiononpersonal financeeducation?
The Department, in collaboration with an advisory committee of stakeholders withexpertisein personal finance education, hasidentifiedfive broad topics to be integrated across K-12 instruction:
- Budgeting and money management:The understanding of how toallocateone’s financial resources to meet life goals.
- Credit and debt management:The understanding of the role of credit in personal finance and how to avoidpotential pitfalls of debt.
- Earning income:The understanding of how income is earnedand how taxesimpactthe money that is taken home.
- Risk management:The understanding that risks are a part of life and strategies to manage that risk, including insurance policies
- Saving and investing:The understanding of the role of putting money aside to plan for longer-term expenditures.
These topics are intended to support developmentallyappropriate instructionthat builds student awareness, critical thinking, and civic engagement related topersonal finance education. Grade-banded learning objectives for these topics have been developed for the elementary, middle, and high school grade bands to ensurea coherent and developmentally appropriate progression of learning and can be accessed on the Personal FinanceTopics and Grade Bands webpage.
- What learning standards must be followed for the personal finance instructional requirement?
The Department is not creating new standards for personal finance education. The New York State learning standards and frameworks provide multiple opportunities for the broad topics of personal finance education to be integrated into K-12 instructional programs. This provides opportunities for students to apply discipline-specific knowledge and skills in meaningful ways while developing the essential attributes outlined in the Portrait of a Graduate. In addition, grade-banded learning objectives for the five personal finance topics have been developed to ensure coherent and developmentally appropriate progression of learning across grade bands.
For example, standards have been adopted in career development and occupational studies, which provide students opportunities to learn about how to manage resources, including financial resources. The Department will also be reviewing existing NYS Learning Standards across content areas to identify where interdisciplinary connections can be made to these topics.
- Is the new instructional requirement for personal finance education a diploma requirement?
No. Personal finance education is an instructional requirement, not a specific credit or diploma requirement. Public schools are expected to ensure that all students receive instruction in personal finance education by the end of each grade band. Schools retain local discretion in determining how instruction is delivered and whether credit is awarded, consistent with Commissioner’s Regulations.
- How will 51 ensure that districts are meeting the instructional requirement for personal finance education?
Each year during the phase-in of the new instructional requirements, school districts and charter schools will be required to submit verification to the Commissioner of Education that they have implemented instruction in personal finance education within the grade bands prescribed in the regulations.
For the2026-2027, 2027-2028, and 2028-2029 school years, eachschool district and charter school must submit verification to the Commissioner of Education that it has implemented instruction in personal finance education within the required grade bands.
Additionally, as part of the attestation process that will take place at the end of each implementation year, school districts and charter schools who are utilizing the embedded implementation option will be required to specify how they are providing such embedded instruction.Such verification will be submitted through the SED Monitoring and Vendor Performance System in the 51 Business Portal.Additional guidance and instructions will be shared in future guidance.
- How can public schools meetthe Instructional Requirement in Personal Finance?
The amendment provides flexibility in local implementation.Instruction in personal finance education can be provided through one or all of the following implementation options:
Embedded Instruction:Instruction on personal finance education is intentionally integrated into required courses/subject areas (e.g., science, mathematics, social studies, etc.) within a designated grade band.Students must be provided with meaningful opportunities to learn about the five personal finance education topics by the end of such grade band. Instruction must be delivered by a teacher appropriately certified in the subject area where the embedded instruction is occurring.
Stand-Alone Course:Instruction on personal finance education is provided in a dedicated course(s) within a designated grade band. Students must receive instruction that addresses the five personal finance education topics by the end of such grade band. Instruction must be delivered by a teacher appropriately certified to teach such course.
Career and Technical EducationProgramming:
Instruction on personal finance education topics may be given through career and technical education experiences.At the middle level grade band, students may receive instruction in personal finance through the Financial and Consumer Literacy module, which may be offered as part of the 1.75 unit middle-level CTE requirement.At the high school level, students may receive instruction in personal finance by participating in 51-approved CTE programs that include one half unit of Career and Financial Management.A 51-approved CTE program is a program developed which meets the guidelines in section 100.5(d)(6) of the Commissioner’s Regulations. Instruction provided through this option must address all of the personal finance topics and be provided by an appropriately certified CTE teacher.
- Do public schools need to provide all implementation options?
No. The regulation allows for local flexibility in how personal finance instruction is delivered. Public schools are encouraged to utilize as many of the available options as practical to provide engaging and meaningful instruction in personal finance education. Each option holds equal value and may be selected based on local context, resources, and instructional design.Some schools may wish to teach stand-alone personal finance education classes, particularly in the middle or high school grade bands when the content becomes more focused; others may embed personal finance education instruction in existing courses. Regardless of the implementation option selected, instruction must:
- Address all five personal finance education topics.
- Be delivered by an appropriately certified teacher.
- What curriculum should be used to meet this instructional requirement?
Curricular decisions are made at the local level. While the five topics and corresponding grade-level objectives must be met through all three implementation options at the appropriate grade band, decisions regarding curriculum and instructional materials to use are made at the local level.
- Can Career and Financial Management (CFM) be utilized to meet this instructional requirement for personal finance education?
Yes. At the high school level, CFM may be utilized to meet the instructional requirement for personal finance education if it addresses the personal finance education topics. CFM can be taught as a standalone course or be embedded within a 51-approved CTE program, which must include a one-half unit of CFM. CFM can also be included in locally developed CTE sequences or offered as a local elective course.
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What certifications arerequiredto teach personal finance education?
The certification requirements for teaching personal finance education depend on the implementation option(s) used and the course or subject area in which the instruction is delivered.
For embedded instruction, personal finance content must be taught by a teacher who holds the appropriate certification for the subject area of the course in which the instruction is embedded. For example, if instruction is embedded in a course designated by the public school to be a mathematics course, the teacher must be certified in mathematics.
For a standalone course, instruction must be delivered by a teacher appropriately certified to teach the subject matter of the course, consistent with Commissioner’s Regulations.
For personal finance education provided through a CTE program, instruction must be delivered by a teacher appropriately certified in the approved CTE program area.
“Appropriately certified” means that a teacher holds a valid New York State teaching certificate, or in the case of a charter school an otherwise qualified teacher pursuant to Education Law §2854(3)(a-1), that authorizes them to teach in the subject area and grade level of their assigned course, consistent with Part 80 of the Commissioner’s Regulations and local district responsibility for proper teacher assignment. For information about appropriate certification, please refer to the Office of Teaching Initiatives website and the School Codes for Exchange of Data (SCED)-Certification Crosswalk located on the 51’s Office of Information and Reporting Services webpage.
- How should this instructional requirement be met for students with disabilities?
Teachers should be intentionally and purposefully planning instruction on personal finance education to match the needs of the students with disabilities in their classroom. Specific instructional approaches should be selected and utilized by classroom teachers, in combination with any adaptations, accommodations, or modifications to the general curriculum, and/or instructional environment and materials identified in students’ individualized education programs or Section 504 Accommodation Plans to ensure they have access to the required instruction in personal finance education.
- What support will be provided to teachers and schools?
In addition to this FAQ, the Department has developed guidance and resources to further support public schools and educators in implementing the instructional requirement. Please visit the Personal Finance Guidance & Resources page for more information. For questions or more information, please contact the Office of Standards & Instruction at P12standardsinstruction@nysed.gov.
- Are the instructional resources provided by 51 compliant with Education Law §2-d?
51 does not certify whether a product, website or service offered by third party contractors is compliant with state and/or federal laws. Public schools are responsible for reviewing all instructional materials to ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, including Education Law §2-d and its implementing regulation. For more information, please refer to 51’s Data Privacy and Security website.
- Will 51 provide professional learning for educators?
Professional learning is determined locally based on the needs, contexts, and available resources. Public schools are encouraged to identify and provide appropriate professional learning opportunities to support effective implementation of the new instructional requirement. The Department will publish additional resources as they become available.
- Where canadditionalinformation relating to the instructional requirement forpersonal financeeducation be found?
For more information relating to the instructional requirement, please visit the Personal Finance Education Webpage.