WEST virginia legislature

2020 regular session

Committee Substitute

for

House Bill 2775

By Delegates C. Martin, Dean, Maynard, P. Martin, Mandt, Pack, Fast, Porterfield and Bibby

[Originating in the Committee on Education; February 10, 2020.]

A BILL to amend and reenact §18-2-7c of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to requiring each high school student to complete a one credit course of study in personal finance as a requirement for high school graduation; end-of-course examination; state board development of standards.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 2. STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

§18-2-7c. Program in personal finance.

(a) The Legislature finds and declares that persons with an understanding of personal finance are better prepared to manage their money and that providing a personal finance program in secondary schools in West Virginia will prepare students to handle their finances.

(b) To provide students a basic understanding of personal finance, the state board shall develop a program of instruction on personal finance which may be integrated into the curriculum of an appropriate existing course or courses for students in secondary schools.

(c) Beginning with the 2021 - 2022 school year, each high school student shall complete a one credit course of study in personal finance as a requirement for high school graduation: Provided, That no other credit may be substituted for personal finance. This coursework must include an end-of-course examination. The State Board of Education shall develop the standards for this coursework before July 1, 2021.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require each high school student to complete a one credit course of study in personal finance as a requirement for high school graduation.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.