Colorado - 2023

Final Grade

C

Projected Grade

C

Graduation Requirements

Is a high school course with personal finance concepts required to be taken as a graduation requirement? No, a specifically identified course with personal finance concepts is not a graduation requirement. High school graduation requirements are set by local school boards. The State Board of Education has created Graduation Guidelines that include the requirement that each student must create an Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP), which includes career-oriented financial literacy concepts. The Department of Education (DOE) indicates on its Teaching Personal Finance in Colorado web page that "Though the state board [of education] strongly encourages local school district boards to require personal finance courses and curriculum throughout the state, only about 25% of districts include personal finance in their approved graduation requirements."

Projected Grade Narrative

No policy change is pending that would change Colorado's grade.

High School Education Standards

By law the State Board of Education is required to adopt standards that identify the knowledge and skills that a student should acquire as the student progresses from preschool through elementary and secondary education. Local school districts are required to align their curriculum in their schools to these standards. State law requires the board to ensure that grade 9 to 12 financial literacy standards include certain concepts such as an understanding of the following higher education topics: expected career income, financial aid, student loans, scholarships, and grant programs. The state board-adopted social studies standards have five content areas: history, geography, civics, and personal financial literacy. State law strongly encourages (but does not require) local school boards to:

  • (i) adopt financial literacy curriculum for grades K to 12;
  • (ii) select mathematics and economics textbooks that include financial literacy content;
  • (iii) require the successful completion of a course in financial literacy as a graduation requirement.
Graduation Guidelines require student implementation (by grade 9 and through grade 12) of the ICAP. Career related financial literacy topics are part of the ICAP requirements. The DOE notes that "ICAP is a multiyear process that intentionally guides students and families in the exploration of career, academic and postsecondary opportunities. With the support of adults, students develop the awareness, knowledge, attitudes, and skills to create their own meaningful  and powerful pathways to Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness (PWR)." PWR occurs when a graduate is able to "demonstrate the knowledge and skills (competencies) needed to succeed in post secondary settings and to advance in career pathways as lifelong learners and contributing citizens."

Extra Credit

Colorado law requires the DOE to provide online financial literacy resources for teachers and school districts. In 2022, the state passed a law: (i) allocating $275,000 to provide resources and training in financial literacy to educators and (ii) allocating $200,000 for teacher stipends of $500 to be given to each educator that completes DOE-approved training in financial literacy.

Caveat

It is not clear how Colorado measures student achievement in financial literacy or how the state monitors local school district implementation of the ICAP financial literacy education requirement.

Year Of Projected Grade

2028