More high schools are requiring financial-literacy classes. The pandemic may have played a key role.

CEE’s Survey of the States highlighted the increasing awareness of the necessity for personal finance education in high schools, a need that was further emphasized by the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, many individuals and families became acutely aware of the vulnerability of their financial situations, underscoring the importance of understanding how to manage personal finances effectively.

Key Points:

• Rising unemployment and financial hardships during the pandemic illuminated a common lack of personal finance knowledge in American households.
• Young adults are notably lacking in financial literacy when compared to other age groups.
• Training educators is a vital first step in addressing this knowledge gap.

About the Council for Economic Education

The Council for Economic Education’s (CEE’s) mission is to equip K–12 students with the tools and knowledge of personal finance and economics so that they can make better decisions for themselves, their families, and their communities, and learn to successfully navigate in our ever-changing economy. We carry out our mission in three ways.  We advocate to require financial and economic education in every state. We provide training, tools and resources – online and live through over 180 affiliates nationwide – to more than 40,000 teachers annually who in turn bring the highest quality economics and personal finance instruction to over 4 million students. We deepen knowledge and introduce high school students to critical career capabilities through our national competitions and Invest in Girls program.

Media contact: 

CEE: press@councilforeconed.org