Is a high school course with personal finance concepts required to be taken as a graduation requirement? No, Pennsylvania does not require specific courses for graduation. The state does require assessments that students must pass in order to demonstrate competency in key areas, but the assessments do not include courses that teach personal finance concepts. See: Pennsylvania Code for High School Graduation Requirements.
The Pennsylvania Academic Standards website provides access to Mathematics; Economics; Family and Consumer Sciences; Career Education and Work; and Business, Computer and Information Technology high school standards. These standards include some level of personal finance concepts. Pennsylvania has also created a model curriculum that can be used in all the knowledge areas previously described except for mathematics. See: Pennsylvania Personal Finance Curriculum Frameworks. Courses with personal finance concepts may be offered as electives or as courses required for graduation as determined by each local school district. Pennsylvania's academic standards describe what students should know and be able to do, particularly with regard to the competency areas that are assessed by the state.
In 2010, state law also established the Pennsylvania Task Force on Economic Education and Personal Finance Education. That law also required the Pennsylvania Department of Education (DOE) and the Department of Banking and Securities to issue a biennial report to the Governor and the General Assembly, regarding the status of economic and personal finance education in Pennsylvania schools, and review current programs and initiatives, and make recommendations for future program needs. See: Pennsylvania 2016 Report on Economics and Personal Finance Education. The DOE provides online resources, including suggested curriculum and materials for educators. See: Pennsylvania Financial Literacy Online Resources (click on Economic Education/Financial Literacy).
According to a government report, 75 school districts (nearly 15% of all school districts in Pennsylvania, and a 100% increase versus 2013) require students to take a course in personal finance before graduation. See: Pennsylvania 2016 Report to the Governor on Personal Finance Education.