SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond joined Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty, Next Gen Personal Finance (NGPF) Co-Founder Tim Ranzetta, and other educators and advocates today to highlight California’s progress implementing Assembly Bill (AB) 2927, the landmark law requiring all California public high schools to offer a standalone personal finance course by the 2027-28 school year. Completion of the course will become a statewide graduation requirement beginning in the 2030-31 school year.
Participants in today’s press event highlighted that implementation of AB 2927, supported by Superintendent Thurmond and authored by McCarty, is ahead of schedule, with the State Board of Education (SBE) adopting California’s Personal Finance Curriculum Guide more than two months before the May 31 deadline.
“California is on track to deliver on the promise of personal finance education for every public high school student, which is great news. As I’ve traveled throughout our state, I’ve seen firsthand the impact that personal finance education can have on students,” Thurmond said. “These are critical life skills that will help them in their personal and professional lives. Students are learning how to save and invest and how to build long-term financial stability. We have worked quickly to provide districts with the tools they need, and educators statewide are already stepping forward to prepare students with real-world financial knowledge and skills that can change lives.”
The SBE adopted the 217-page statewide Personal Finance Curriculum Guide on March 18, 2026. The guide was developed through an 18-month public process led by the Instructional Quality Commission, and it addresses all 13 personal finance topics required under AB 2927, including budgeting, saving, investing, credit, taxes, insurance, consumer protection, and paying for college.
The California Department of Education (CDE) will continue leading AB 2927 implementation efforts, including a May 20 webinar titled “Launching Your Personal Finance Course,” designed to help district leaders and educators navigate statutory requirements, scheduling, curriculum materials, and professional learning opportunities. More than 300 educators have already registered for the webinar, and many more are expected to attend. This webinar will be the first in a professional learning series for personal finance educators led by the CDE. Interested educators can register via Zoom to attend the Launching Your Personal Finance Course webinar.
Speakers highlighted growing momentum among California educators and school districts preparing to launch standalone courses ahead of the statutory deadline. According to NGPF, 662 California teachers at 474 schools have completed more than 11,500 hours of NGPF professional learning programs related to personal finance education. In addition, 21 schools across 13 districts have received NGPF California Challenge Grants for implementing standalone personal finance courses early. Schools that launched a standalone course during the 2025-26 school year are eligible to receive $3,500 implementation grants, while districts launching courses at 10 or more schools may qualify for grants of up to $35,000.
California’s new personal finance education requirement continues to receive broad public support. An August 2023 David Binder Research poll found that 78 percent of California voters support requiring a personal finance course for high school graduation.
More information about personal finance education can be found on the CDE’s Personal Finance web page.