Kentucky Joins the Movement: New Personal Finance Graduation Requirement Signed Into Law

Following the signing of House Bill 342 by Governor Andy Beshear on March 24, 2025, Kentucky has officially signed a personal finance education requirement into law. Not only is this a big win for those of us pushing to promote financial literacy in schools, but it’s a big win for the teachers and students of Kentucky!

What the Law Requires

Originally, legislation mandated that students entering 9th grade in the fall of 2025-2026 would be required to earn one full credit of personal finance before graduation. However, a recent amendment has shifted this requirement to students entering 9th grade in the 2026-2027 school year. This financial literacy instruction must be delivered as a standalone course, distinct from other subjects, with a dedicated curriculum encompassing essential topics like budgeting, saving, investing, credit, and debt management.

Schools do have the flexibility to offer this course anytime between grades 9th-12th.

What Students Will Learn and How Banzai’s Free Curriculum Aligns

As mentioned earlier, this required course is built around a list of key topics that build strong personal finance skills. Below, we’ve broken down that list and explained how Banzai can help you teach each topic effectively—no matter the age group you’re working with.

1. Budgeting

Budgeting is one of the most foundational personal finance skills, and Banzai makes sure it’s introduced early and built on over time. In the Banzai Elementary Personal Finance course, students learn the basics of tracking income and expenses—essentially, where money comes from and where it goes. In the Middle School Personal Finance course, students start applying that knowledge in real-life scenarios, like managing day-to-day expenses including groceries, new clothes, car payments, etc. By the time they reach our flagship High School Personal Finance course, they’re digging deeper into managing long-term budgets, building savings, and even working through credit scores and usage.

2. Saving

From piggy banks to down payments, saving money is a habit that improves over time. In Elementary Personal Finance, kids set savings goals and learn the importance of delayed gratification. In Middle School Personal Finance, we guide students through saving for future expenses, like school supplies or a class trip. At the High School level, the course challenges them to think bigger—like saving enough money to buy a car or even a home one day.

3. Insurance and Risk Management

Understanding risk and how to protect against it can be a game-changer. In the Middle School Personal Finance course, students explore different types of insurance and why they matter. They’re introduced to investments, the role of insurance in financial planning, and smart strategies for minimizing risk in everyday life.

4. Credit and Debt

These concepts become especially relevant in high school, when students start thinking about big financial decisions after school. Our High School Personal Finance course covers everything from how to build good credit to the smart way to manage and pay off debt. It’s all about giving students a strong financial foundation before they enter adulthood.

5. Taxes + Critical Document Review

Banzai equips students with real-world skills by walking them through financial documents like paystubs, receipts, W-2s, and contracts. Students practice reading the fine print, interpreting financial forms, and understanding how these documents impact their income and decisions.

Our newest Entrepreneurship course, created in collaboration with Intuit for Education, reinforces these skills by exploring taxes in the context of running a business. Students learn how tax deductions and withholdings affect income through interactive simulations and worksheets.

In Advanced Budgeting and other high school-level activities, students experience what it’s like to have taxes withheld from their paychecks—and how that impacts their budgeting decisions. To deepen understanding, our article library also breaks down essential topics like filing taxes and understanding withholdings.

What Do I Do Next?

If you’re a teacher in Kentucky, you might be wondering: “What does this new Personal Finance Mandate mean for me?” And the honest answer is—we’re not entirely sure yet. You might be asked to lead the charge in developing a new financial literacy curriculum for your school or district. If that’s the case, don’t stress. That’s exactly where Banzai comes in.

We offer a wide range of free, ready-to-use resources—including complete, standards-aligned lesson plans—to help you kick off the school year with confidence. Whether you're starting from scratch or enhancing an existing program, Banzai has what you need to get up and running quickly.

Plus, we provide free professional development opportunities to help you bring personal finance to life in your classroom and make the most of Banzai’s platform.

Banzai is user-friendly, integrates seamlessly with Google SSO, Clever, and ClassLink, and prioritizes student privacy and security. Getting started is simple—there’s nothing to lose, visit Banzai.org to learn more or sign up today!