A new bill looks to add specific topics to high school personal finance classes

• House Representatives look to add more to the current financial literacy program set as a graduation requirement for Michigan high schoolers.
• According to Junior Achievement of Mid-Michigan, 43% of Americans were considered financially illiterate.
• Video shows neighbors talking about financial literacy and how important it is to talk about early in life.

Money. It's something that our neighbors deal with every day but when it comes to learning about personal finance, there's an element to it that's very, well, personal.
"We had a class through Dave Ramsey but it was taught by my high school teacher and it vaguely taught us about personal finance," Ian said.

For others, education came outside the classroom...

"Most of my economic learning and how to manage was done in my adult life just stumbling through and figuring it out," Amber said.

And while many do find success... others don't.

State Representative Brian BeGole wants the new curriculum to bolster the already in place personal finance graduation requirement for high schoolers.

"Our kids need a full dedicated class of the essential topics such as budgeting, savings, investing, credit and debt management," BeGole said.

That effort is already underway in our neighborhoods.

"43% of Americans were considered financially illiterate."

A number Susan Shilton is trying to raise. .

"Our whole mission is to prepare and inspire students to succeed and own their economic success," Shilton said.

The senior district director for Junior Achievement in Mid-Michigan works alongside neighboring high schools to teach various programs.

"They learn about budgeting, they've learned about insurance, they've learned about saving for the future, home ownership, groceries, utilities, clothing, retirement. They've even learned about lifestyle choices."

Along with those programs, Shilton says personal finance classes can help develop teenagers with real life skills.

"They are learning to be self-sufficient, they are learning to take control and they are getting a lot of self-esteem because they are feeling that they now have control of their own person finance."

A mission that continues in and out of our classrooms.

The bill, the curriculum changes are in, has been referred to committee.

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