This past year, personal finance and business classes have been expanded due to both courses becoming a graduation requirement for current sophomores and lower grade levels, reflecting a push to provide students with essential financial skills for life after graduation.
The high school has revised its curriculum to align with new state standards, raising more interest in personal finance classes. Teachers emphasize the importance of this change and how it has impacted their courses and students.
Marketing teacher Debbie Drommerhausen said that they have had a big enrollment due to rising student interest in wanting to learn more about the finance and business industry.
“We compared state standards with what we were already teaching to make sure we covered everything,” Travis Birklid, business and finance teacher said. “Luckily, since this class has been taught at a lot of high schools for a long time, it’s usually articulated with a local college, such as this one, which has already been articulated by Century College for years. A lot of the requirements have already been met, which was nice.”
This year’s new finance requirement will not only help students manage money, but also generally improve their financial decisions in life. This requirement would furthermore improve the state’s financial economy, leading to individuals making better decisions and enhance students’ future economic finances.
“We know they’re not going to remember every single thing from class, but hopefully highlights the importance and big things—and give them resources so that they just keep lifelong learning about these very important things, instead of making errors and then learning from harsh money mistakes,” Birklid said.
This education is critical, empowering students to confidently deal and navigate real-world challenges. Personal finance classes open doors to business and finance careers, creating opportunities for students to gain skills they will use for life.
Drommerhausen expressed that no matter what career anybody goes into, there will “always be a business or finance aspect to it.” Sophomore Boston Funk agreed, adding that while currently taking personal finance this year, he has learned to make better choices in spending and saving his money.
Teachers express that they prioritize real-world skills over grades, showing how seriously they take teaching personal finance and business to students.
“I’d rather you remember this and use it in life with a C than get an A and have no control over your money,” Birklid said. “Every parent tells me, ‘I wish this was required when I was in school.'”
This highlights the importance and luxury current students have when it comes to learning about real-world skills, not just connecting them to academic subjects, but also making practical connections and knowledge to the real world that past generations didn’t have access to, that they wished they had.
Current sophomores speak out about the positive effects of having a personal finance requirement. This shows that not all students are against this new requirement, but rather fully embrace and approve it.
Funk expressed his opinion about the financial requirement, saying he thought it was a positive development that would give his graduating class an advantage in making more informed choices and handling money.
The expansion of personal finance and business courses at the high school prepares students for future success. Financial literacy is essential, not just for the students’ futures, but also for the overall economy. As the high school continues to prioritize and expand financial education, the positive impact will reach beyond the classroom and the school.
