What Delaware requires
Delaware's financial literacy requirement is a student-completion and graduation rule. For students entering grade 9 in 2026-27 or later, a district or charter school must provide at least one-half credit and the student must successfully complete that credit within the state's existing 24-credit diploma structure.[1][3][4]
The requirement does not force every student into a stand-alone personal finance course. Regulation 505 provides two pathways: a financial-literacy-only course that counts as an elective, or a one-credit course aligned to both financial literacy and economics that counts toward social studies. A financial-literacy-only course cannot be used for the social studies credit.[4][3]
A student who enrolls in a Delaware public high school from an out-of-state school or a Delaware nonpublic school on or after October 1 of grade 12 is exempt from the financial literacy credit, but must still meet the other diploma requirements and earn at least 24 total credits.[4][3]
Delaware's State Board approved K-12 Financial Literacy Standards in January 2018. At the high school level, seven expectations cover financial planning and decisions, money management and credit, saving and investing, risk management, and consumer law. The 2025 statute now requires the half credit to align with these standards.[6][5][1]
- Grades / placement
- High school
- Responsible agency
- Delaware Department of Education
- Assessment required
- Yes
- Evidence
- 6 primary sources
Implementation timeline
- Milestone 01
The State Board of Education approved Delaware's K-12 Financial Literacy Standards.[6]
- Milestone 02
House Substitute 1 for House Bill 203, as amended by Senate Amendment 1, became law and created the half-credit graduation requirement.[2]
- Milestone 03
The final amendments to Regulation 505 took effect ten days after publication, establishing the course pathways and transfer exception.[3]
- Milestone 04
The requirement begins with students entering grade 9 in this school year.[1]
Delaware personal finance standards
The complete list below contains all 7 required personal finance topics currently identified in the controlling state materials. Each topic remains separate so educators and search engines can find the exact requirement.
Delaware K-12 Financial Literacy Standards
Adopted by Delaware State Board of Education on 2018-01.
Open the official documentFinancial Planning and Decision-Making
High school students assess the consequences of financial choices and create a plan that connects earning, spending, and saving to personal goals.
- 01
Students will apply problem-solving strategies to assess the…
Students will apply problem-solving strategies to assess the consequences of financial decisions.[5]
- 02
Students will create an overall financial plan for earning, spending,…
Students will create an overall financial plan for earning, spending, and saving in order to achieve personal goals.[5]
Money Management
Students compare payment choices and examine how repayment ability and credit history affect financial opportunities.
- 01
Students will evaluate the costs and benefits of various payment options…
Students will evaluate the costs and benefits of various payment options while applying the mechanics of money management.[5]
- 02
Students will examine how ability to pay and personal credit history…
Students will examine how ability to pay and personal credit history influences an individual's financial opportunities and choices.[5]
Saving and Investing
Students evaluate how government and financial markets shape saving and investment decisions.
- 01
Students will evaluate the role of the government and financial markets…
Students will evaluate the role of the government and financial markets in savings and investment decisions.[5]
Risk Protection
Students compare methods of managing financial risk and analyze how laws and regulations affect consumers.
- 01
Students will analyze costs and benefits of various methods of managing risk
Students will analyze costs and benefits of various methods of managing risk.[5]
- 02
Students will analyze how local, state, and federal laws and regulations…
Students will analyze how local, state, and federal laws and regulations affect consumers.[5]
Relevant law, rule, or board action
14 Del. C. § 4152
Financial literacy education as a required half creditRequires districts and charter schools serving high school students to provide at least one-half credit and requires covered students to complete it within social studies or elective diploma credits.[1]
14 DE Admin. Code 505
High School Graduation Requirements and DiplomasImplements the half-credit requirement through either a financial-literacy-only course or a combined economics course and provides a limited late-transfer exemption.[3]
Notes for teachers and curriculum leaders
- Plan for every student entering grade 9 in 2026-27 or later to earn the half credit unless the grade-12 late-transfer exception applies.[1][4]
- A financial-literacy-only course counts within electives. A combined one-credit course must align to both the financial literacy and economics standards to count within social studies.[4][3]
- The local curriculum must align to the current Delaware Financial Literacy Standards and include assessments; the statute does not prescribe a statewide end-of-course exam.[1][5]
Official sources
- 114 Del. C. § 4152: Financial literacy education as a required half creditLocator: Subsections (b), (c), (e), and (f)Supports: half-credit requirement, 2026-27 grade-nine cohort, graduation requirement, standards alignment, assessments
- 285 Del. Laws, Chapter 224: HS 1 for HB 203, as amended by SA 1Locator: Section 1, new 14 Del. C. § 4152Supports: enactment, half credit, grade-nine cohort, social studies or elective credit
- 3Final Order: 505 High School Graduation Requirements and DiplomasLocator: 30 DE Reg. 144, PDF pages 46-47Supports: final adoption, September 11 effective date, June 2026 re-proposal adopted without change
- 4Re-proposed Regulation 505: High School Graduation Requirements and DiplomasLocator: 29 DE Reg. 960-962 and incorporated Regulation 505 sections 7.1 and 7.3.5Supports: course pathways, credit placement, 24-credit total, late-transfer exception, local scheduling flexibility
- 5Delaware K-12 Financial Literacy StandardsLocator: PDF pages 1-4, high school expectations 9-12 and 9-12a-bSupports: complete high school standards, four domains, seven expectations
- 6Delaware K-12 Financial Literacy StandardsLocator: Standards overview and adoption statementSupports: January 2018 State Board approval, local curriculum resources, professional learning
Frequently asked questions
Does Delaware require financial literacy to graduate?
Yes. Students entering grade 9 in 2026-27 or later must successfully complete one-half credit in financial literacy for a Delaware high school diploma, subject to a limited exception for certain students who enter a Delaware public school late in grade 12.[1][4]
Does Delaware require a stand-alone personal finance course?
No. A student may take a course aligned only to the financial literacy standards or a one-credit economics course aligned to both the financial literacy and economics standards.[4][3]
Where does Delaware's financial literacy credit count?
The financial-literacy-only pathway counts within elective credits. The combined financial literacy and economics pathway counts within the social studies requirement. The state minimum remains 24 total credits.[4]
Which Delaware students first have to complete the half credit?
The rule begins with students entering grade 9 in the 2026-27 school year. The official statute and rule identify the entry cohort rather than naming a graduating class, so this record does not infer one.[1][4]
What do Delaware's high school financial literacy standards cover?
The seven high school expectations cover financial planning and decision-making, money management and credit history, saving and investing, risk management, and consumer laws and regulations.[5]