(a) The Legislature finds and declares that persons with an understanding of personal finance are better prepared to manage their money and that providing a personal finance program in secondary schools in West Virginia will prepare students to handle their finances.

Terms Used In West Virginia Code 18-2-7c

  • board: means a county board of education. See West Virginia Code 18-1-1
  • School: means the students and teachers assembled in one or more buildings, organized as a unit. See West Virginia Code 18-1-1
  • State: when applied to a part of the United States and not restricted by the context, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" also include the said district and territories. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
  • State board: means the West Virginia Board of Education. See West Virginia Code 18-1-1
  • Teacher: means a teacher, supervisor, principal, superintendent, public school librarian or any other person regularly employed for instructional purposes in a public school in this state. See West Virginia Code 18-1-1

(b) To provide students a basic understanding of personal finance, the state board shall develop a program of instruction on personal finance which may be integrated into the curriculum of an appropriate existing course or courses for students in secondary schools.

(c) Beginning with the class of students entering 9th grade in the 2024-2025 school year and thereafter, each high school student shall complete one-half credit course of study in personal finance during their 11th or 12th grade year as a requirement for high school graduation. The State Board of Education shall develop and issue implementation guidance to local school boards and other education agencies as to curriculum, content matter standards, eligible teacher certification(s), and graduation requirements the course may fulfill before July 1, 2024.

(d) Every student shall complete a course in personal finance prior to high school graduation.