Despite living in one of the world’s largest existing economies, millions of students all over America graduate from high school without understanding the basics of financial literacy. This unbelievable fact contributes to real consequences such as life long financial insecurity and long term debt. Although there exists some recognition of the importance of financial literacy, strong and consistent instruction is still not present in most middle schools and high schools. This brief discusses current gaps in financial literacy education, explains why early and comprehensive instruction is critical, and outlines crucial policy options to integrate financial literacy requirements and curriculum into schools across the United States.

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October 16, 2025