National report card says Oregon on track to advance from C grade to an A for personal finance education

Oregon is on track to advance from a "C" to an "A" in the newest National Report Card on High School Financial Literacy, marking a major step forward in how well the state prepares its students to navigate the world of money.

Oregon's grade improvement coincides with the start of a new statewide requirement: beginning with the Class of 2027, all Oregon high school students must complete a personal finance course to graduate. This milestone follows the passage of Senate Bill 3 in 2023, championed by then-Legislator and now State Treasurer Elizabeth Steiner. Oregon previously required the class in the 1980s and 1990s before the mandate was dropped.

"Every Oregon student deserves to start their financial lives with their best foot forward," said Treasurer Steiner, the chair of the Financial Empowerment Advisory Team. "This welcome, national recognition is a credit to the passion and diligence of Oregon's hard-working teachers and other educators, the many people in Oregon's financial education community, and state education leaders to ensure our districts are ready statewide."

The Advisory Team is a public-private partnership that brings together nonprofit, business, academic and government leaders to advance financial empowerment goals statewide.

The national report card, from the Center for Financial Literacy at Champlain College in Vermont, awards an "A" only to states that guarantee all high school students a stand-alone personal finance class.

"Oregon's anticipated grade is good news for the financial future of every Oregon student and comes at a time when states across the country are recognizing that understanding money is critical in today's world," said John Pelletier, director of the Center the Financial Literacy. "There are now 29 states projected to get an A grade by 2031, which is an astonishing milestone, considering that as of the Class of 2007 there was not a single state in the nation with a personal finance course graduation requirement."

The Oregon Department of Education (ODE), which is a member of the Financial Empowerment Advisory Team, has been laying the groundwork for the new class and a companion course focused on life-skills.

In collaboration with educators, districts, financial education advocates and state officials, the new standards were adopted, and ODE has been curating free, open-licensed classroom materials and resources to support schools statewide.

"Oregon's students deserve the knowledge and confidence to make informed financial choices that will shape their futures," said Dr. Charlene Williams, Director of the Oregon Department of Education. "This 'A' rating reflects not only a policy change, but the commitment of our educators, districts, and partners who are preparing every student with the real-world skills they need to thrive. Personal finance education is more than a graduation requirement - it's a foundation for lifelong opportunity and success."

Until now, Oregon's "C" rating reflected an approach where financial literacy was embedded within the Social Science standards yet not required via a stand-alone course. With the new graduation requirement, Oregon will not only strengthen high school financial education but also reinforce learning earlier in students' academic journeys. Updated K-8 Social Science standards provide a strong runway, ensuring students enter high school ready to succeed in personal finance.

Read the latest report here: https://financialliteracy.champlain.edu/report-cards/2025-interim-update-national-report-card-on-high-school-financial-literacy/