ATLANTA — Georgia has earned a “B” in the 2026 National Report Card on State Efforts to Improve Financial Literacy in High Schools.
Beth Bean with the National Endowment for Financial Education says the grade looks at what students are learning about personal finance.
“Students are learning about borrowing, saving, debt, credit, interest rates, loans,” Bean said.
Georgia high school students are currently required to take a half-year economics course to graduate, with about half of that course focused on personal finance.
“A ‘B’ is doing well. The good news is that by 2028 though very soon, Georgia, we project will be at an ‘A’,” Bean said.
Beginning with Georgia’s Class of 2028, students will be required to complete a stand-alone, half-credit financial literacy course. Bean says a stand-alone course provides students with more time dedicated specifically to personal finance.
“We really want states to have students take a stand-alone course that has 60 hours of personal finance, the data shows that that’s the best way that students learn,” Bean said.
Financial literacy education also includes topics beyond borrowing, saving and interest rates.
“Adding in AI, crypto currency, prediction markets, scams and frauds, making sure students really know what’s happening in the very complicated financial landscape that we’re in,” Bean said.
Ten states earned an “A” in this year’s report card. When the first report card was issued in 2013, only three states received an “A.”
WSB Radio’s Ashley Simmons and Sabrina Cupit contributed to this story.