Kansas - 2017

Final 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. See: Kansas High School Graduation Requirements.

High School Education Standards

While the graduation requirements specify that concepts of economics be taught, no specific course is identified. Local districts determine how to deliver the content. The economics standards include seven strands, one of which is personal finance. Specific content included in these standards is not mandated but is made available as suggested content to "assist in the planning of lessons and units." By leaving the course selection to the local districts, it is impossible to know how high school students in Kansas are taught these required concepts of economics. See: Kansas Standards for History, Government and Social Studies.

Caveat

It is not clear how Kansas monitors local school district implementation of the financial literacy education requirement.

Assessments

While Kansas law states that "the state board of education shall include questions relating to personal financial literacy in the statewide assessments for mathematics or social studies," it appears that the assessments as they relate to personal finance are modest in nature. Therefore, it would be difficult for the assessments to provide an accurate snapshot of the quality and quantity of the personal finance content being delivered. See: Kansas Law Requiring Personal Finance in Assessments section (e).