Why Vikki Goodwin Wants High School Students To Take A Financial Literacy Class

“We’re trying to make it as flexible as possible.”

By Kristen CabreraFebruary 15, 2019 6:59 am, ,

During the 2019 legislative session, Texas Standard is talking with members about some of the bills they’ve filed, and what they hope their legislation will accomplish.

Vikki Goodwin is a Travis County Democrat, representing the 47th district. She filed House Bill 1182, which would require a personal financial literacy course for high school students.

On why she filed the bill:

I filed this so that we can ensure young adults are getting out of high school with an idea of how to handle their personal finances. I have kids of my own who are young adults, who are on their own now and have had to learn how to budget, and of course as a realtor I’ve come across a lot of young adults who are trying to buy a home or lease a home and who just don’t know a whole lot about finances, interest rates, credit, credit cards, and credit scores.

On potential pushback:

The pushback has been from educators who know that students have a lot of requirements already, so this would be a new requirement that they’d have to add into the mix. We’re trying to make it as flexible as possible. It could either take the place of an elective, or we’re also looking into having it take the place of one semester of math or maybe one semester of economics.

Written by Sara Schleede.