Meg Loughran Cappel's legislative proposal would promote financial literacy courses for young adult students. | Photo Courtesy of Meg Loughran Cappel/Twitter
Meg Loughran Cappel's legislative proposal would promote financial literacy courses for young adult students. | Photo Courtesy of Meg Loughran Cappel/Twitter
Illinois public school students would have the option to take a financial literacy course as a requirement to graduate high school under a bill from a Springfield lawmaker.
Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel's (D-Springfield) financial literacy course would allow students to opt for a yearlong or one-semester financial literacy course in place of a social studies requirement to help fulfill a graduation requirement.
"[April 21], I passed my first piece of legislation through the Senate," Loughran Cappel said in a Facebook post. "With it, we are making sure high school students have the ability to learn real-life financial skills that are applicable in adulthood."
According to Cappel, passing legislation for more classes will serve as an incentive for students to make wise financial decisions and “pay dividends for the rest of their adult lives.”
A research report recently by USA Today revealed that 41% of college students had received financial literacy courses, while 30% of that figure admitted the classes were given in high school. The topic is among the most requested for a high school curriculum addition.
“The existing gap between students who feel prepared to do their own taxes or make investments and those who do not is glaring,” Loughran Cappel said. “Making sure students have the ability to learn real-life skills that are applicable in adulthood needs to be a priority.”
The bill is now scheduled to be reviewed by the House.
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