Should all Florida high schoolers take a ‘Money Course’?

While bankruptcy can be a very useful debt relief tool, a person generally hopes that they will never end up in a financial situation that would cause them to need to avail themselves of this tool.

There are many different things that can lead to a person being in bad financial situations like having far too much debt. One is a person not really having a good understanding of the financial transactions and interactions they engage in. Thus, one of the things that can sometimes help a person stay out of financial trouble is financial literacy. 

Lawmakers here in Florida are considering legislation that is aimed at improving financial literacy among the state’s high schoolers. The legislation would make a half-credit course referred to as the “Money Course” required coursework for high school students in Florida. The course would be focused on various aspects of financial literacy. The hope is that taking this course would equip the state’s high schoolers with intellectual tools that could help them make smart financial decisions when they become adults.

What is your opinion of this legislation? Do you think state lawmakers should pass it? Do you think adding this course requirement would improve financial literacy in Florida high school students? Do you think this legislation goes far enough? What do you think are the best ways to help high school students increase their financial literacy? What sorts of financial topics do you think are the most important for high school students to know about? 

Source: Miami Herald, “Lawmakers make pitch for a ‘Money Course’,” Kathleen McGrory, Feb. 12, 2015