RELATING TO FINANCIAL LITERACY.
HB936 requires the Hawaii Department of Education to develop and implement a statewide financial literacy curriculum plan for public school students in grades 9 through 12. Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, all public high schools would have to offer financial literacy instruction as a graduation requirement, either as a standalone course or integrated into existing coursework so long as all required topics are covered.
The bill specifies core subject areas that must be included in the curriculum: budgeting and financial planning, saving and investing, retirement planning, credit and debt management, taxes and tax planning, loans and interest, fraud prevention and identity theft, and economic principles and entrepreneurship. It also directs the department to provide teacher professional development, conduct pilot programs, collaborate with public, private, and nonprofit partners, and establish a coordinator position within the department to oversee implementation and periodic review. The Board of Education would be required to publish approved resources and adopt rules to carry out the new program.
HB936 would amend Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, by adding a new section requiring statewide financial literacy instruction in public high schools and creating related administrative duties for the Department of Education and Board of Education. It would impose a new graduation-related instructional requirement beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, require curriculum development by December 31, 2025, and establish ongoing implementation, training, and oversight responsibilities. The bill affects public high schools, educators, the Department of Education, and the Board of Education, and it may require new staffing, rulemaking, and curriculum resources.
The bill appears to have generally positive policy framing, emphasizing student preparedness, economic stability, and practical life skills. The text presents financial literacy as especially important in Hawaii because of the state’s high cost of living, and the bill’s structure suggests support for a phased rollout with teacher training and pilot programs rather than an abrupt mandate. No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of opposition or support beyond the bill’s stated purpose and referral status.
The main potential points of contention are implementation burden, curriculum time, and resource needs. Requiring all public high schools to meet a graduation-related financial literacy mandate could raise concerns about teacher readiness, scheduling, and whether schools have sufficient staff and materials to comply by 2026-2027. The bill anticipates some of these concerns by allowing integration into existing courses, providing professional development, authorizing collaboration with outside organizations, and creating a transition support team, but those same provisions suggest that implementation logistics are likely the central issue.