Financial Literacy – A new High School Graduation Requirement in Colorado

Written by: Brian Palmeri (he/him)

That’s right – on May 23rd, 2025, Governor Polis signed HB25-1192 into law. The bill requires Colorado school districts to include financial literacy content aligned with the state’s Personal Financial Literacy Standards in the curriculum and test students on their knowledge. Incorporating this content has been an option for years, and some schools have very solid financial education programs, but the students that haven’t been exposed to this content may have entered their adult financial lives without knowing how to operate in the financial world. Although topics such as banking, credit, debt, savings, money management, and investing may take years to apply to one’s personal financial situation, having foundational knowledge will position young Coloradoans to take a step towards financial security and economic mobility. Colorado is the 27th state to incorporate financial literacy into the state’s high school graduation requirements. 

 

In addition to financial literacy, the bill requires that students be exposed to federal financial aid eligibility tools including practicing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students won’t need to submit the FAFSA application, but working with the websites and forms may raise their awareness about funding that they may not have otherwise known may be available to them.  

  

To give time for schools and districts to develop and integrate their programs, the change will not be required until the 2027-28 school year. It is never too early (or too late) to learn or to teach people about money - and having financial education and aid tools be a part of every public school students’ high school education is a win for all our futures.  

 

If you would like to begin learning or teaching kids about money, go to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB): Money as You Grow, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC): Money Smart for Young People, Next Gen Personal Finance, or just start a conversation with someone you know.  

 

Brian Palmeri (he/him) is a program facilitator with Youthentity’s I am Financial Knowledge (IAFK) program; he also provides Financial Coaching and Education services through the Community College of Denver’s Educational Opportunity Center (EOC) and Center for Workforce Initiatives (CWI). 

 

Sources: 

  1. Colorado General Assembly: HB25-1192: Financial Literacy Graduation Requirement: Bill Summary https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb25-1192  

  1. Colorado General Assembly: HB25-1192: Financial Literacy Graduation Requirement: View Recent Bill Text (downloadable PDF) https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/2025a_1192_signed.pdf 

  1. CapitolWatch: Bill Detail: HB25-1192 https://app.coloradocapitolwatch.com/bill/1/HB25-1192/2025/1/ 

  1. Next Gen Financial Education Bill Tracker https://www.ngpf.org/bill-tracker/ 

  1. Colorado Department of Education: Teaching Personal Finance in Colorado https://www.cde.state.co.us/cofinancialliteracy   

  1. Colorado Financial Educators Council: Colorado Financial Literacy Standards https://co.financialeducatorscouncil.org/colorado-financial-literacy-standards/  

  1. National Financial Educators Council: Finacial Literacy Standards and Framework for Learners (downloadable PDF) https://www.financialeducatorscouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/DOC_PKG_EXC_-NFEC-Learner-Framework-Standards-for-High-School-College-Adults-_3.4.09.pdf 

  1. StudentAid.gov: Apply for Aid: FAFSA https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa  

  1. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB): Money as You Grow https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/money-as-you-grow/ 

  1. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC): Money Smart for Young People https://www.fdic.gov/consumer-resource-center/money-smart-young-people 

  1. Next Gen Personal Finance https://www.ngpf.org/ 

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