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Kansas personal finance standards and requirements

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Kansas requires students in the class of 2028 and later to complete one-half unit of financial literacy for graduation. KSDE describes it as a one-semester Financial Literacy course focused on earning income, spending, saving, investing, managing credit, and managing risk. Districts retain flexibility over course placement and teacher assignment, but the half-unit is a distinct state minimum graduation requirement.[2][3][4]

Last reviewed September 20, 2026

View official sources
Stand-alone course
Yes
Graduation requirement
Yes
Credit / duration
0.5 unit
Effective / cohort
2028

What Kansas requires

Kansas's class-of-2028 graduation framework includes one-half unit of financial literacy among the state minimum credits. Current K.A.R. 91-31-35 places the half-unit in the 21-unit minimum and prohibits one unit from satisfying two graduation categories at once.[1][2]

The required course is distinct, but implementation remains locally flexible. KSDE places it within Employability and Life Skills, allows any appropriately leveled standard license when the district verifies targeted financial-literacy training, and leaves curricular placement to the district.[4][3]

The State Board adopted the 2021 National Standards for Personal Financial Education in July 2022, and the class-of-2028 graduation framework includes one-half unit of financial literacy. The six content areas are earning income, spending, saving, investing, managing credit, and managing risk.[3][2][5][4]

FAFSA completion is not part of the current graduation requirements. A sentence on the KSDE Financial Literacy subject page still describes the former FAFSA-with-opt-out policy, but the May 30, 2025 regulation removed FAFSA and the current graduation FAQ expressly says it is no longer required.[1][4][3]

A separate Kansas statute directs the State Board to maintain personal financial literacy standards for all grade levels within mathematics or another appropriate subject and to include financial-literacy questions in statewide mathematics or social studies assessments. That broader K-12 framework is separate from the class-of-2028 half-unit graduation course.[6]

KSDE identifies a half-unit Financial Literacy course within Employability and Life Skills. Districts decide its curricular placement and verify teachers' financial-literacy training; local boards may require more than the state minimum.[1][2][3][4]
Grades / placement
High school
Responsible agency
Kansas State Department of Education
Assessment required
Not located
Evidence
6 primary sources

Implementation timeline

  1. Milestone 01

    Kansas enacted the statutory K-12 personal financial literacy program and standards framework.[6]

  2. Milestone 02

    The State Board adopted the National Standards for Personal Financial Education.[3]

  3. Milestone 03

    K.A.R. 91-31-35 was amended to codify one-half unit of financial literacy in the state minimum graduation requirements.[1]

  4. Milestone 04

    The current regulation took effect after removing the FAFSA filing requirement while retaining the financial-literacy unit.[1]

Kansas personal finance standards

The complete list below contains all 6 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.

Official standards document

National Standards for Personal Financial Education

Adopted by Kansas State Board of Education on 2022-07.

Open the official document

Kansas-adopted personal financial education framework

Kansas adopted the national framework's six complete content areas in July 2022. The class-of-2028 course description uses the same six areas.

  1. 01
    NSPFE IK-12 framework; emphasized in the high school graduation coursePDF pages 7 and 9-13

    Earning Income

    Understand wages, salaries, entrepreneurship, employee benefits, education and training choices, career potential, taxes, and the difference between gross and spendable income.[5]

  2. 02
    NSPFE IIK-12 framework; emphasized in the high school graduation coursePDF pages 7 and 14-18

    Spending

    Use budgets and informed consumer decisions to allocate income among needs, wants, giving, saving, and investing while considering price, quality, payment method, and outside influences.[5]

  3. 03
    NSPFE IIIK-12 framework; emphasized in the high school graduation coursePDF pages 7 and 19-23

    Saving

    Evaluate reasons to save, account types, deposit insurance, liquidity, fees, interest rates, and compounding when preparing for emergencies and future purchases.[5]

  4. 04
    NSPFE IVK-12 framework; emphasized in the high school graduation coursePDF pages 7-8 and 24-29

    Investing

    Use risk, return, diversification, compounding, time horizon, and investment characteristics to plan for long-term financial goals.[5]

  5. 05
    NSPFE VK-12 framework; emphasized in the high school graduation coursePDF pages 8 and 30-35

    Managing Credit

    Evaluate borrowing choices, creditworthiness, credit reports and scores, interest and fees, credit cards, auto and mortgage loans, and postsecondary financing.[5]

  6. 06
    NSPFE VIK-12 framework; emphasized in the high school graduation coursePDF pages 8 and 36-40

    Managing Risk

    Identify personal and financial risks and evaluate risk acceptance, reduction, and transfer through insurance while protecting against identity theft and fraud.[5]

Relevant law, rule, or board action

K.A.R. 91-31-35

Kansas graduation requirements

Requires local graduation policies to include one-half unit of financial literacy within the 21-unit state minimum and prohibits double counting a unit across graduation categories.[1]

K.S.A. 72-3236

Personal financial literacy programs

Directs the State Board to develop K-12 standards, implementation resources, a common glossary, and financial-literacy assessment questions.[6]

Notes for teachers and curriculum leaders

  • Schedule one-half unit of Financial Literacy for students in the class of 2028 and later and align the course to all six Kansas-adopted content areas.[2][5]
  • Document district-verified financial-literacy training for the assigned teacher; KSDE allows any standard license at the appropriate level when this training is verified.[4]

Official sources

  1. 1
    K.A.R. 91-31-35 — Graduation requirementsKansas Secretary of State and Kansas State Department of Education · regulation · published 2025-05-15 · accessed 2026-09-20Locator: Subsections (a)(7), (b)-(d), and amendment historySupports: half-unit requirement, 21-unit minimum, no double counting, local additions, current effective date, FAFSA removal
  2. 2
    Kansas Graduation Requirements — Class of 2028 and BeyondKansas State Department of Education · agency guidance · accessed 2026-09-20Locator: PDF page 1, minimum high school graduation requirementsSupports: half-unit requirement, class of 2028, state minimum credits, local board policy
  3. 3
    Financial LiteracyKansas State Department of Education · agency guidance · accessed 2026-09-20Locator: Standards; Class of 2028 Graduation Requirement; Course DescriptionSupports: one-semester course, class of 2028, course content, July 2022 standards adoption
  4. 4
    Graduation Requirement FAQsKansas State Department of Education · agency guidance · accessed 2026-09-20Locator: Financial Literacy sectionSupports: course title, course description, teacher qualifications, district flexibility, six topics
  5. 5
    National Standards for Personal Financial EducationKansas State Department of Education and Kansas State Board of Education · standards · published 2021 · accessed 2026-09-20Locator: PDF pages 7-40, content areas I-VI; KSDE page notes July 2022 adoptionSupports: complete adopted framework, six content areas, grade-12 learning progression
  6. 6
    K.S.A. 72-3236 — Personal financial literacy programsKansas Legislature · statute · published 2026 · accessed 2026-09-20Locator: Subsections (a)-(e)Supports: K-12 standards, integration subjects, state assessments, state-board duties

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Frequently asked questions

Does Kansas require financial literacy to graduate?

Yes. Students in the class of 2028 and later must complete one-half unit of financial literacy as part of the Kansas minimum graduation requirements.[2][3]

Does Kansas require a personal finance course?

Yes. KSDE describes the requirement as a one-semester Financial Literacy course worth one-half unit.[3][2]

What does the Kansas financial literacy course cover?

The course emphasizes six areas: earning income, spending, saving, investing, managing credit, and managing risk.[3][5]

Who may teach financial literacy in Kansas?

KSDE allows an educator with any standard license at the appropriate level when the district verifies relevant financial-literacy training.[4]

Does Kansas require FAFSA completion for graduation?

No. Current KSDE graduation guidance states that FAFSA completion is not a graduation requirement.[2][4]