What Louisiana requires
Louisiana's current personal finance mandate is a student-completion requirement. Act 267 of 2023 changed the earlier instruction rule into a one-unit Financial Literacy course required for public high school graduation, beginning with students who entered grade 9 during 2024-25.[2][1]
The law identifies 14 minimum areas of instruction. They include account management, checkbook balancing, spending and debt, loan applications, inheritance, insurance, federal and local taxes, interest, contracts, billing disputes, saving and investing, finance law, and ways to pay for postsecondary education.[1][3]
Louisiana's Department of Education course description assigns course code 160345 and confirms that students earn one unit after successful completion. Teachers use locally created assignments and assessments; neither the statute nor the course description establishes a separate statewide personal finance examination.[4][1]
The graduation requirement also affects Louisiana's broader credential framework. The Department's current High School Planning Guide lists Financial Literacy as a separate one-unit requirement for TOPS University and counts it within the mathematics units for TOPS Tech.[2][5]
For eligible students pursuing an alternate diploma pathway, an IEP team may establish course- and assessment-performance criteria under the state's disability provisions. Those provisions do not create a blanket exemption from the Financial Literacy course.[5]
- Grades / placement
- High school, Students entering grade 9 in 2024-25 and later
- Responsible agency
- Louisiana Department of Education and State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education
- Assessment required
- Not located
- Evidence
- 5 primary sources
Implementation timeline
- Milestone 01
The governor signed Act 267, converting Louisiana's prior financial instruction rule into a one-unit Financial Literacy course requirement.[2]
- Milestone 02
The graduation-course and cohort provisions of Act 267 became effective.[2]
- Milestone 03
The first covered grade-9 cohort entered high school.[2]
- Milestone 04
Act 48 added scholarships, grants, and other postsecondary financial opportunities to the minimum course content.[3]
Louisiana personal finance standards
The complete list below contains all 14 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.
Financial Literacy Course Description (160345)
Adopted by Louisiana Department of Education.
Open the official documentRequired Financial Literacy course content
Louisiana Revised Statutes section 17:270 lists these 14 minimum topics for the one-unit course; local instruction may include additional content.
- 01
Explain bank-account types, opening and managing an account, and…
Explain bank-account types, opening and managing an account, and evaluating a depository institution's services.[1]
- 02
Balance a checkbook
Balance a checkbook.[1]
- 03
Apply money-management principles involving spending, credit, credit…
Apply money-management principles involving spending, credit, credit scores, and retail and credit-card debt.[1]
- 04
Complete a loan application
Complete a loan application.[1]
- 05
Understand receiving an inheritance and its implications
Understand receiving an inheritance and its implications.[1]
- 06
Understand basic principles of personal insurance policies
Understand basic principles of personal insurance policies.[1]
- 07
Compute federal income taxes
Compute federal income taxes.[1]
- 08
Understand local tax assessments
Understand local tax assessments.[1]
- 09
Compute interest rates using different mechanisms
Compute interest rates using different mechanisms.[1]
- 10
Understand simple contracts
Understand simple contracts.[1]
- 11
Contest an incorrect billing statement
Contest an incorrect billing statement.[1]
- 12
Compare types of savings and investments
Compare types of savings and investments.[1]
- 13
Understand state and federal laws concerning finance
Understand state and federal laws concerning finance.[1]
- 14
Examine scholarships, grants, and other financial opportunities for…
Examine scholarships, grants, and other financial opportunities for postsecondary education.[1]
Relevant law, rule, or board action
La. R.S. 17:270
Financial literacy; required instructionRequires successful completion of a one-unit Financial Literacy course and lists its minimum instructional topics.[1]
Act 267 of 2023
Financial Literacy course and related graduation curriculaEstablished the one-unit course for students entering grade 9 in 2024-25 and later and aligned career-diploma and TOPS curriculum provisions.[2]
Act 48 of 2025
Postsecondary financial opportunities contentAdded scholarships, grants, and other postsecondary financing opportunities to the statutory course topics.[3]
Notes for teachers and curriculum leaders
- Schedule the full one-unit Financial Literacy course for students who entered grade 9 in 2024-25 or later; do not substitute the former integrated personal-finance instruction model.[2][1]
- Cover every topic in R.S. 17:270(B)(2), including the postsecondary scholarship and grant topic added in 2025. The statutory list is a minimum, not a ceiling.[1][3]
- Use teacher-created assignments and assessments to establish successful course completion unless additional local policy applies; no statewide personal-finance end-of-course exam was located.[4]
- Apply the diploma pathway correctly: Financial Literacy is listed separately for TOPS University and within the mathematics units for TOPS Tech. For an eligible alternate-diploma student, follow the IEP team's course- and assessment-performance criteria rather than assuming a general exemption.[5]
Official sources
- 1Louisiana Revised Statutes 17:270 — Financial literacy; required instructionLocator: Subsections A-C, especially B(1)-(2)Supports: one-unit course, graduation requirement, 14 minimum topics, BESE materials clearinghouse
- 2Act 267 of the 2023 Regular SessionLocator: Sections 1-4, especially R.S. 17:270 and applicability provisionSupports: enactment, one-unit course, 2024-25 grade-9 cohort, career diploma, TOPS and TOPS-Tech
- 3Act 48 of the 2025 Regular Session, Résumé DigestLocator: Résumé digest, R.S. 17:270(B)(2)(n)Supports: postsecondary financial-aid topic, effective date
- 4Financial Literacy Course Description (160345)Locator: PDF pages 1-2, course description, units, assessment, and suggested topicsSupports: course code, one unit, teacher-created assessment, course design, suggested content
- 52026-2027 High School Planning GuideLocator: Current diploma minimum-course-requirement tables and alternate-diploma provisionsSupports: TOPS University treatment, TOPS Tech mathematics treatment, 24-unit total, disability pathway
Frequently asked questions
Does Louisiana require a personal finance course to graduate?
Yes. Covered public high school students must successfully complete a one-unit course titled Financial Literacy.[1][2]
Which Louisiana students must take Financial Literacy?
The one-unit graduation course applies to students who entered grade 9 in the 2024-25 school year and later. The controlling law identifies an entering cohort rather than a graduating class.[2]
What does Louisiana's Financial Literacy course cover?
State law lists 14 minimum topics, including banking, budgeting, credit, debt, loans, inheritance, insurance, taxes, interest, contracts, billing disputes, investments, finance law, and postsecondary financial aid.[1][3]
Is there a statewide Louisiana financial literacy exam?
No separate statewide exam was located. The Department's official course description says teachers grade students through teacher-created assignments and assessments.[4]
How does Louisiana Financial Literacy count in current diploma pathways?
The current planning guide lists the unit separately for TOPS University and counts it within the mathematics units for TOPS Tech.[5]