Preparing Delaware students for lifelong financial skills

When Delaware passed House Bill 203 (HB 203), it established a new graduation requirement guaranteeing students access to a core life skill: All students entering ninth grade in the 2026-27 school year and beyond must complete a financial literacy course aligned with state standards. For Delaware educators, the law signifies a commitment to their students' futures, equipping them with personal finance knowledge and preparing them to become financially responsible citizens outside of the classroom.

The legislation formalizes work that has been underway in Delaware schools for decades, pioneered through programming by the University of Delaware's Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship (CEEE) and supported by the efforts of teachers.

"As an educator, this bill validates the incredible work that has been happening up and down the state," said Kylee Holliday, a personal finance teacher at Delaware AI duPont High School, member of the CEEE support team and a graduate of UD's economics and entrepreneurship for educators program. "It will also help to ensure that teachers have continued access to high-quality curriculum and professional development."

Holliday's own financial literacy courses have benefitted from Keys to Financial Success, a research-based personal finance curriculum developed with educators and implemented in classrooms statewide.

Created in 2001 through a partnership with the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, the Delaware Council on Economic Education and the Delaware Bankers Association, Keys has evolved alongside changes in research, policy and classroom practice. During the 2025-26 academic year, the curriculum is being updated as Keys to Financial Success 5.0 to support teachers and schools ahead of the statewide implementation of HB 203. The program combines classroom-ready materials with professional development, including summer training and ongoing instructional support.

A partnership rooted in local expertise

For Gail Colbert, CEEE's personal finance coordinator and a graduate of UD's master of arts in economics and entrepreneurship for educators program, collaboration with the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia has been a defining feature of the program's development.

"Working with the Philadelphia Fed allows us to align research, classroom practice and Delaware's standards," Colbert said. "That connection has shaped how the curriculum functions in real classrooms."

The program is supported by UD alumni and educators, including Andrew Hill, assistant vice president at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia and a UD doctoral graduate in economics, along with a team of educators trained through UD programs. Their work draws on classroom experience as well as research expertise.