What New Hampshire requires
New Hampshire law requires school boards to ensure personal finance literacy instruction is taught as part of the curriculum. The statute expressly allows schools to embed the skills in an existing course or grade-level program, so required instruction does not itself mean a stand-alone course.[1]
The diploma rule is changing by cohort. Earlier students complete a half credit in economics including personal finance. Beginning in 2026-27, students entering high school must complete a distinct half-credit financial literacy category in addition to a half credit in economics.[3]
New Hampshire's current approval rules require districts to establish competencies and curriculum across earning income, spending, saving, managing credit, and managing risk. Districts choose curriculum and sequence, while student credit is based on demonstrated competencies and local assessment practices.[3][2]
The rule does not identify a first graduating class by year. Because the trigger is students entering high school in 2026-27, this record reports the entering cohort rather than inferring a graduation year.[3]
- Grades / placement
- K-12 curriculum, High school graduation
- Responsible agency
- New Hampshire Department of Education
- Assessment required
- Yes
- Evidence
- 3 primary sources
Implementation timeline
- Milestone 01
RSA 189:10 III took effect, requiring personal finance literacy instruction and permitting embedded delivery.[1]
- Milestone 02
The Department identified the statutory personal finance instruction requirement for school implementation.[1]
- Milestone 03
The current Ed 306 approval and graduation rules took effect.[3]
- Milestone 04
Students entering high school become subject to the separate half-credit financial literacy graduation category.[3]
New Hampshire personal finance standards
The complete list below contains all 20 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.
Ed 306.28(c) Personal Finance Literacy Competency Areas
Adopted by New Hampshire State Board of Education on 2024-12-13.
Open the official documentPersonal finance literacy competency content
Ed 306.28(c) requires local competencies and curriculum to cover all 20 listed content elements across five areas.
- 01
Understand career paths and their potential compensation
Understand career paths and their potential compensation.[3]
- 02
Understand wage and salary compensation and employee benefits
Understand wage and salary compensation and employee benefits.[3]
- 03
Understand major federal and state income-tax and sales-tax schemes
Understand major federal and state income-tax and sales-tax schemes.[3]
- 04
Understand how economic conditions, technology, and labor markets can…
Understand how economic conditions, technology, and labor markets can change income, careers, and employment.[3]
- 05
Develop budgeting competence
Develop budgeting competence.[3]
- 06
Understand consumer decision-making and influences on spending
Understand consumer decision-making and influences on spending.[3]
- 07
Understand federal and state consumer-protection laws
Understand federal and state consumer-protection laws.[3]
- 08
Use financial record-keeping, including financial-technology options
Use financial record-keeping, including financial-technology options.[3]
- 09
Understand financial institutions, their regulators, and the products…
Understand financial institutions, their regulators, and the products and services offered.[3]
- 10
Understand interest rates, bank and investment fees, inflation, and…
Understand interest rates, bank and investment fees, inflation, and their effects on saving.[3]
- 11
Plan for retirement and long-term financial goals
Plan for retirement and long-term financial goals.[3]
- 12
Understand investing
Understand investing.[3]
- 13
Understand secured and unsecured loans, cards, mortgages, alternative…
Understand secured and unsecured loans, cards, mortgages, alternative services, borrowing costs, and repayment.[3]
- 14
Understand postsecondary financing through loans, scholarships, grants,…
Understand postsecondary financing through loans, scholarships, grants, work-study, and savings.[3]
- 15
Understand credit bureaus, scores, reports, and assessments of…
Understand credit bureaus, scores, reports, and assessments of creditworthiness.[3]
- 16
Understand consumer-credit protection laws and protections
Understand consumer-credit protection laws and protections.[3]
- 17
Understand insurance types, coverage, risk exposure, premiums, and…
Understand insurance types, coverage, risk exposure, premiums, and deductibles.[3]
- 18
Understand extended warranties and service contracts on consumer goods
Understand extended warranties and service contracts on consumer goods.[3]
- 19
Safeguard personal financial data
Safeguard personal financial data.[3]
- 20
Understand identity theft and fraud
Understand identity theft and fraud.[3]
Relevant law, rule, or board action
RSA 189:10 III
Personal finance literacy instructionRequires instruction designed to prepare students for financial decisions and expressly allows embedded delivery.[1]
RSA 193-E:2-a
Substantive educational content of an adequate educationLists personal finance literacy as a separate learning area and assigns local responsibility for curriculum choices.[2]
Ed 306.23 and Ed 306.28(c)
Graduation credits and personal finance literacy competenciesCreates the future half-credit financial literacy category and specifies the five required competency areas.[3]
Notes for teachers and curriculum leaders
- Apply the correct diploma table by cohort: economics including personal finance for earlier students, and a separate half-credit financial literacy category for students entering high school in 2026-27 or later.[3]
- Develop local competencies covering every content element in Ed 306.28(c) and assess student evidence under the district's competency-based practices.[3]
- Embedded instruction remains legally permitted; the separate credit category does not by itself prescribe a single stand-alone course title.[1][3]
Official sources
- 1RSA 189:10 StudiesLocator: Paragraph IIISupports: required instruction, embedded delivery, school-board duty
- 2RSA 193-E:2-a Substantive Educational Content of an Adequate EducationLocator: Paragraphs I(a)(10), II, and VSupports: personal finance learning area, K-12 standards, local curriculum responsibility
- 3Ed 300: Minimum Standards for Public School ApprovalLocator: Ed 306.22(c), (g)-(n), Ed 306.23(g)-(j), and Ed 306.28(c)Supports: current and future graduation credits, 2026-27 entering cohort, 20 competency elements, competency assessment, interdisciplinary and alternative learning opportunities, transfer review
Frequently asked questions
Does New Hampshire require financial literacy instruction?
Yes. RSA 189:10 requires school boards to ensure personal finance literacy instruction is taught as part of the curriculum.[1]
Does New Hampshire require financial literacy for graduation?
Yes. Earlier cohorts complete economics including personal finance; students entering high school in 2026-27 or later must earn a separate half credit in financial literacy.[3]
Does New Hampshire require a stand-alone personal finance course?
No single course title or seat-time model is prescribed. State law allows embedded instruction, and districts establish local competency-based curriculum and learning opportunities.[1][3][2]
Which New Hampshire class is first affected by the new half-credit rule?
The rule applies to students entering high school in the 2026-27 school year. The official rule does not state a graduating-class year, so this record does not infer one.[3]
What must New Hampshire financial literacy curriculum cover?
Local competencies must address earning income, spending, saving, managing credit, and managing risk through the 20 content elements in Ed 306.28(c).[3]