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SB 1778 - This act establishes provisions relating to personal finance curriculum requirements for public school students. "Personal finance" is defined as a course encompassing financial literacy and the current tools, resources, and disciplines necessary for success in the modern economy. Instruction in financial literacy shall include certain topics specified in the act, such as earning income and understanding paychecks; budgeting and expense management; saving and long-term financial planning; banking and financial services; credit, loans, and interest; responsible credit card use; investing, retirement accounts, and compound interest; fraud prevention and financial safety; taxes and civic financial responsibilities; and the understanding of contracts and major purchases, including housing and automobiles.
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) shall convene a work group to develop and recommend academic performance standards for instruction in personal finance. The work group shall include educators, a DESE representative, and up to two representatives from each of the following sectors: banking, entrepreneurship, nonprofit organizations focused on educating young professionals and entrepreneurs, investment, student loans, retirement planning, and insurance. DESE shall determine the total membership of the work group, provided that not less than 25% of the members shall be educators who teach personal finance.
The State Board of Education shall adopt and implement academic performance standards relating to personal finance for the 2027–28 school year and all subsequent school years. Such standards shall be reviewed every seven years to ensure they reflect current economic trends and best practices. For the 2027–28 school year and all subsequent school years, each school district shall require every student, after completion of 9th grade, to complete one-half unit of credit in personal finance prior to receiving a high school diploma. A school district may waive this requirement for a student transferring from outside Missouri upon receipt of documentation demonstrating the student's successful completion of a substantially similar course. A school district may also permit a 9th grade student to complete the required credit upon the recommendation of a school counselor, as provided in the act.
Certain provisions of state law relating to the development of academic performance standards shall not apply to this act.
This act is identical to HB 2867 (2026) and similar to HCS/HB 2303 (2026).
OLIVIA SHANNON
Current Bill Text
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SECOND REGULAR SESSION
SENATE BILL NO. 1778
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR MOSLEY .
7357S.01I KRISTINA MARTIN, Secretary
AN ACT
To amend chapter 170, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to personal finance
curriculum in schools.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 170, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto 1
one new section, to be known as section 170.281, to read as 2
follows:3
170.281. 1. As used in this section, "personal 1
finance" means a course consisting of financial literacy and 2
up-to-date tools, resources, and discipline necessary to 3
succeed in a personal and professional capacity in the 4
current economy. 5
2. Any instruction regarding financial literacy shall 6
include, but is not limited to, the following: 7
(1) Earning income and understanding paychecks; 8
(2) Budgeting and managing expenses; 9
(3) Saving and long-term financial planning; 10
(4) Banking and financial services; 11
(5) Understanding credit, loans, and interest; 12
(6) Responsible use of credit cards; 13
(7) Investing, retirement accounts, and compound 14
interest; 15
(8) Fraud prevention and financial safety; 16
(9) Taxes and civic financial responsibilities; and 17
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(10) Understanding contracts and major purchases, 18
including housing and automobiles. 19
3. (1) The department of elementary and secondary 20
education shall convene a work group to develop and 21
recommend academic performance standards relating to the one- 22
half unit of credit of personal finance required by the 23
state board of education. The work group shall include, but 24
not be limited to: 25
(a) Educators providing instruction in personal 26
finance; 27
(b) A representative from the department of elementary 28
and secondary education; and 29
(c) Up to two representatives from each of the 30
following: 31
a. The banking industry; 32
b. Entrepreneurs in the business community; 33
c. Nonprofit organizations that focus on educating 34
young professionals and entrepreneurs; 35
d. The investment industry; 36
e. The student loan industry; 37
f. The retirement planning industry; and 38
g. The insurance industry. 39
(2) The total number of members of the work group 40
shall be determined by the department. At least twenty-five 41
percent of the total shall be educators providing 42
instruction in personal finance. 43
4. The state board of education shall adopt and 44
implement academic performance standards relating to 45
personal finance for the 2027-28 school year and all 46
subsequent school years, except that academic performance 47
standards relating to personal finance shall be reviewed 48
every seven years to determine if the performance standards 49
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need to be updated to reflect trends and best practices in 50
the current economy. 51
5. (1) For the 2027-28 school year and all subsequent 52
school years, each school district shall require that after 53
the completion of grade nine each student satisfactorily 54
completes such one-half unit of credit of personal finance 55
before receiving a high school diploma or certificate of 56
graduation. 57
(2) A school district may elect to waive the 58
requirements of subdivision (1) of this subsection for a 59
student who transfers from outside the state to a Missouri 60
high school if the student can furnish documentation deemed 61
acceptable by the school district of the student's 62
successful completion of a substantially similar course of 63
instruction. 64
(3) A school district may allow a student in grade 65
nine to complete such one-half unit of credit of personal 66
finance if, on the recommendation of a school counselor, 67
completing such one-half unit of credit of personal finance 68
is beneficial and appropriate for such student's personal 69
plan of study or career academic plan. 70
6. The requirements of section 160.514 shall not apply 71
to this section. 72
✓