I followed what I thought were the rules — get good grades, apply for scholarships, take out student loans — and I’m still figuring out what it means to be financially secure. Even as a college-educated nonprofit executive director, it took years of mistakes and self-learning before I felt comfortable managing money. Meanwhile, some of my college classmates knew how to operate within the system. We had the same education but not the same financial future.

I wasn’t alone in this realization. When Ednium started asking alums what they really needed from their K-12 education, the number one answer every single person gave was basic financial knowledge. Alumni wished their educational experience had more purpose and value, and nothing is more personal and valuable than managing your money.

These alumni voices highlight a crucial need: financial literacy is the ability to understand real-life decisions you will use daily. Yet 87% of students are not guaranteed a finance course; many are left unprepared for the financial realities they will encounter. The lack of education leaves young people vulnerable to predatory lending practices, mounting student loan debt and an inability to leverage the power of banks to build credit, save and invest. Without these essential financial skills, economic mobility becomes increasingly out of reach, disproportionately affecting those from historically marginalized communities.

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Colorado House Bill 1192 changes that. The bill will give high schoolers the necessary skills to navigate their financial futures, unlock opportunities for their next steps and cement Colorado’s leadership in financial literacy, workforce readiness and economic opportunity. Research suggests well-implemented state financial education mandates improve financial behaviors. The benefits are tangible and measurable.

Our shared lived experiences reinforced just how important this was, and we were motivated to make a change at the district level. We advocated for financial literacy to be a graduation requirement in Denver Public Schools. We reached out to two different superintendents, incoming and outgoing board members, district leaders who have stayed and left, and dozens of teachers and school leaders. We shared testimonies and talked about our struggles and triumphs. Most importantly, we flooded the district with direct asks from the community about this change, and we are following suit now.

DPS listened. In 2021, the DPS Board of Education passed a financial literacy course as a graduation requirement. We were instrumental in implementing the policy but recognized gaps. Ednium secured a grant to support the rollout, helped select the program lead responsible for curriculum, and continues to work with the district today. As of today, 100% of DPS district-run schools offer a financial literacy course.

Teachers say they enjoy teaching the class because it is relevant, timely and immediately useful. Students say it changes how they think about money and starts important conversations at home. These impacts reach whole communities, not just those within the school walls.

Despite this, not every Colorado student has access to this information. Even when personal finance courses are offered as electives, many students don’t realize how essential they are until it’s too late. They prioritize AP or CTE classes without understanding the value of financial education and its effect on their future.

At Ednium, we believe homegrown talent needs to be equipped with the knowledge, skills and agency to achieve success in order to have a thriving community. For too long, students have graduated without this knowledge. Personal finance education ensures students consider the financial impact of their decisions after graduation, giving them the tools to ask thoughtful, intentional questions about their money.

Our homegrown talent deserves to have the knowledge and skills to be financially secure despite their path after high school.

Richard Maez is executive director of Ednium: The Alumni Collective. He’s a former educator and proud graduate of John F. Kennedy High School and the University of Denver.