Money Basics Now Part of California High School Plans

California will soon ask every high schooler to take a money management class before walking out with a diploma. The state wants teens to leave school knowing how to open a bank account, handle credit cards, and spot risky loans. Three years ago, some schools jumped ahead. Fresno Unified put the class in 14 high schools and turned it into one of the district’s most popular electives. In one exercise, students got 100, 000 fake dollars and picked stocks to track. They watched Apple zoom past oil giants while Amazon crossed the trillion-dollar mark. Another project had them interview Experian to learn why their credit scores were still invisible. A 16-year-old named Autumn said the lessons taught her the difference between owing money and owning money. Teachers who teach the class admit they learned the hard way. KongMia Her, who ran the stock-market games, said no one ever showed him how credit scores work. Now he wants his students to avoid the late fees and high-interest traps he faced. His class also brings in local bankers and business owners to run real-life budgeting drills—groceries, rent, bus passes—so teens see how fast paychecks disappear.Fresno’s early start helped shape the state’s official guide. Jeff Allen, the district leader who built the program, organized the guide around three simple questions: why money skills matter, what exactly teens need to know, and how schools can actually run the classes. The guide even points teachers to free online lessons on topics like car loans and “buy now, pay later” tricks. Not every district waited for the state. Schools in Pasadena and Elk Grove already run similar courses, some since 2021. Still, staffing can be tricky. Starting in 2027, only teachers with special credentials can teach the class, so districts have time to train their teams. Allen recently hosted a webinar for nearly 700 educators, sharing ready-made slide decks and discussion prompts. Students often arrive eager to continue yesterday’s money talk, he noted.