BILL REQ. #:  H-3096.1 

Read first time 01/10/12.   Referred to Committee on Education.

     AN ACT Relating to establishing financial literacy as a high school graduation requirement; amending RCW 28A.230.090; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1) The legislature has emphasized the importance of financial literacy and financial education for K-12 students by providing support for the financial education public-private partnership and efforts to infuse the principles of financial education into coursework and curriculum. The legislature has also encouraged all school districts to voluntarily adopt standards for financial education and provide opportunities for all students to master them.
     (2) However, the legislature finds that additional emphasis on financial literacy for young people is necessary. The most recent national survey by the jumpstart coalition found that the financial literacy of high school students has fallen to its lowest level in ten years, with fewer than half of students demonstrating an understanding of such key personal finance concepts as saving, credit, insurance, inflation, and household budgeting.
     (3) Therefore, the legislature intends to require that all high school students successfully complete a course in financial literacy for high school graduation.

Sec. 2   RCW 28A.230.090 and 2011 c 203 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The state board of education shall establish high school graduation requirements or equivalencies for students, except as provided in RCW 28A.230.122 and except those equivalencies established by local high schools or school districts under RCW 28A.230.097. The purpose of a high school diploma is to declare that a student is ready for success in postsecondary education, gainful employment, and citizenship, and is equipped with the skills to be a lifelong learner.
     (a) Any course in Washington state history and government used to fulfill high school graduation requirements shall consider including information on the culture, history, and government of the American Indian peoples who were the first inhabitants of the state.
     (b) The certificate of academic achievement requirements under RCW 28A.655.061 or the certificate of individual achievement requirements under RCW 28A.155.045 are required for graduation from a public high school but are not the only requirements for graduation.
     (c) Any decision on whether a student has met the state board's high school graduation requirements for a high school and beyond plan shall remain at the local level.
     (2)(a) In recognition of the statutory authority of the state board of education to establish and enforce minimum high school graduation requirements, the state board shall periodically reevaluate the graduation requirements and shall report such findings to the legislature in a timely manner as determined by the state board.
     (b) The state board shall reevaluate the graduation requirements for students enrolled in vocationally intensive and rigorous career and technical education programs, particularly those programs that lead to a certificate or credential that is state or nationally recognized. The purpose of the evaluation is to ensure that students enrolled in these programs have sufficient opportunity to earn a certificate of academic achievement, complete the program and earn the program's certificate or credential, and complete other state and local graduation requirements.
     (c) The state board shall forward any proposed changes to the high school graduation requirements to the education committees of the legislature for review and to the quality education council established under RCW 28A.290.010. The legislature shall have the opportunity to act during a regular legislative session before the changes are adopted through administrative rule by the state board. Changes that have a fiscal impact on school districts, as identified by a fiscal analysis prepared by the office of the superintendent of public instruction, shall take effect only if formally authorized and funded by the legislature through the omnibus appropriations act or other enacted legislation.
     (3) Pursuant to any requirement for instruction in languages other than English established by the state board of education or a local school district, or both, for purposes of high school graduation, students who receive instruction in American sign language or one or more American Indian languages shall be considered to have satisfied the state or local school district graduation requirement for instruction in one or more languages other than English.
     (4) If requested by the student and his or her family, a student who has completed high school courses before attending high school shall be given high school credit which shall be applied to fulfilling high school graduation requirements if:
     (a) The course was taken with high school students, if the academic level of the course exceeds the requirements for seventh and eighth grade classes, and the student has successfully passed by completing the same course requirements and examinations as the high school students enrolled in the class; or
     (b) The academic level of the course exceeds the requirements for seventh and eighth grade classes and the course would qualify for high school credit, because the course is similar or equivalent to a course offered at a high school in the district as determined by the school district board of directors.
     (5) Students who have taken and successfully completed high school courses under the circumstances in subsection (4) of this section shall not be required to take an additional competency examination or perform any other additional assignment to receive credit.
     (6) At the college or university level, five quarter or three semester hours equals one high school credit.
     (7) The state board of education shall establish as a high school graduation requirement that students complete at least one-half credit in financial literacy.
     (a) The requirement shall be within and not in addition to the total number of credits required under board rules adopted as of the effective date of this section.
     (b) School districts may allow students to apply the financial literacy credit toward graduation requirements in social studies or, subject to career and technical course approval by the office of the superintendent of public instruction, toward graduation requirements in occupational education.
     (c) To satisfy the graduation requirement in financial literacy, a course must include at least the following content:
     (i) Financial responsibility and decision making;
     (ii) Income and careers;
     (iii) Planning and money management;
     (iv) Credit and debt management;
     (v) Risk management and insurance;
     (vi) Saving and investing; and
     (vii) Financial planning for higher education.
     (d) School districts are encouraged to invite financial professionals in the community to assist in providing instruction and learning activities as part of the financial literacy course.