Hawaii Pushes To Ensure High Schoolers Learn About Money Management

After years of pressure from legislators to make financial literacy a graduation requirement, the Hawaii Department of Education is considering changing high school students’ personal transition plans for the first time in more than 15 years.

Financial literacy aims to help students manage their money and financial decisions and may include lessons on spending and saving, investing and borrowing money.

Starting next academic year, the department has committed to piloting a transition plan that includes financial literacy and a greater emphasis on college and career planning. The plans task students with researching career and academic interests, completing personal statements and building resumes as early as their freshman year.

But some students and education advocates say schools need to do more to make the process engaging and meaningful for high schoolers before introducing new requirements.

“It seems like a really good concept but is used pretty inconsistently across the system,” said David Sun-Miyashiro, executive director of HawaiiKidsCAN.

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