Financial literacy could become a high school requirement under a bill filed by State Rep. Heather Fitzenhagen, R-Fort Myers. The measure would require Florida students take a full-semester course in managing their money before graduation.
The bill came as a recommendation from the Florida Council on Economic Education. It has support from the Federal Reserve Bank in Atlanta and the Florida Prosperity Partnership, among others.
“We’ve often said all the national attention on education reform kind of leaves out the fourth ‘R’,” said Mike Bell, Executive Director of the Florida Council on Economic Education.
“Reading, writing, and arithmetic are important, but managing money, being an informed consumer, and understanding opportunity cost of buying goods and services; the importance of savings and credit; in today’s world understanding identity theft. And we think that whether destined for higher education or the workforce that young people need these skills to enter adulthood.”
Bell said a cost analysis by the state’s education department indicates that adding these courses would be inexpensive. “There are curriculum resources available to school districts at no or little cost.”
The House version of the bill is now in the K-12 subcommittee. The Senate version is sponsored by Sen. Dorothy Hukill, R-Port Orange. The proposal has broad bi-partisan support from lawmakers in both chambers.
