MASSENA – Students in grades K-12 will now learn personal finance and climate education as part of their curriculum after the Board of Regents adopted regulations for teaching the courses in public schools.
The approval of curriculums to teach the courses comes after years of lobbying to include such courses in high schools and included collaborations with advisory committees of finance education and climate education experts, state officials said.
As part of the new plans students will learn budgeting and money management skills, as well as risk management, savings, investing, credit and debit card management and earning an income.
Personal finance courses will be required starting during the 2026-27 academic year for students in grades five through 12, while students in kindergarten through grade four will begin learning the material during the 2027-28 academic year.
Climate education will include course work related to climate change, the impacts of climate change and possible solutions to combat climate change.
That course work will begin implementation for students in grades five through 12 during the 2027-28 academic year, while students in kindergarten through fourth grade will begin learning the material in 2028-29.
The material will not be solely dictated by state officials however, as districts will have flexibility in local implementation.
Climate education coursework can be taught as a standalone course or tied into existing courses, while finance education can be taught with existing subjects, as a standalone course or even through career or technical education coursework, officials said.
“As we move toward implementing new graduation measures, equity and excellence remain at the heart of our work. Every student in New York deserves a meaningful education that prepares them not only for college and career, but for life. Today’s actions reflect that commitment—expanding instruction in personal finance and climate education and seeing career-focused education in action—so that we may continue our work to equip students with the real-world knowledge and skills they need to thrive in a complex, ever-changing world,” Board of Regents Chancellor Lester W. Young, Jr. said,
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