Minnesota high schoolers who want a diploma now have to pass a class in how to handle their money. At Eagan High School, students were already in their seats on Friday, logging time in a semester-long personal finance course that has shifted from a nice-to-have elective to a must-pass requirement for the cohort that started ninth grade in fall 2024. The goal is simple and not especially glamorous: send young people out of school with real-world skills such as budgeting, taxes and insurance.
In coverage by KSTP, Eagan students described lessons on Roth IRAs, taxes, debt and insurance, along with a class simulation where a car breakdown suddenly cost them $600. Senior Hailey Santos told the station she learned she can open a Roth IRA at 18, and sophomore Malia Fang called the class “super helpful.” Teacher Abby Osborn said students stay locked in on topics like copays and deductibles because they can see how quickly those concepts will show up in their own lives.
How the requirement works
The new rule quietly rode into law as part of broader education legislation in 2023 and, according to the Minnesota Department of Education, it applies to students who began ninth grade in the 2024–25 school year. Those students must complete a for-credit course in personal finance during grades 10, 11 or 12. The department has published statewide guidance and an FAQ to help districts design their offerings and notes that teachers must either hold a relevant field license or receive out-of-field permission to teach the subject. State guidance also emphasizes local control, leaving each district to decide whether personal finance will count as a half-credit or full-credit course.
Districts are scheduling courses
Districts across Minnesota are already shuffling schedules and credit charts to make room for the new class. The Rosemount–Apple Valley–Eagan School Board folded the state-required personal finance credit into its graduation plan, according to District 196, and adjusted other required credits so overall totals stayed the same. South Washington County Schools plans to roll out the one-credit class beginning in the 2026–27 school year for the class of 2028, as outlined by South Washington County Schools.
Teachers, training and statewide rollout
To get enough qualified teachers ready, districts are leaning on outside partners to help with training and curriculum. The Minnesota Council on Economic Education is offering a high school personal finance educator certification to prepare teachers for the new requirement, per MCEE. The Center for Financial Literacy’s national report card highlights Minnesota’s projected grade bump for the class of 2028 once the mandate is in full effect, a data point advocates have used to argue that the change is overdue, as detailed by the Center for Financial Literacy.
What this means for students
Students say the class dives straight into immediate, practical topics, although some are already eyeing their crowded schedules and wondering where one more requirement will fit. As KSTP reported, students described feeling overwhelmed by the flood of information yet more confident about concrete steps like saving, opening accounts and planning for big expenses. Counselors in multiple districts say they are working to align the new personal finance credit with career pathways and Advanced Placement tracks so students can fit in both the practical coursework and their college-prep classes.
The Minnesota Department of Education’s guidance underscores local flexibility while supplying templates and FAQs that districts can lean on during implementation. Families who want to know how the rule will apply to their student are being directed to check district registration materials or the department’s personal finance page. The Minnesota Department of Education hosts the statewide guidance and FAQ that districts are using to build out their plans.
