Washington State Financial Education K-12 Learning Standards 
(October 2016)

Washington's Basic Education Act requires that school districts provide opportunities for every student to "understand the importance of work and finance and how performance, effort, and decisions directly affect future career and educational opportunities."

Legislative mandates include:

• RCW 28A.655.070: The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) will "develop and periodically revise essential academic learning requirements that identify the knowledge and skills all public school students need to know and be able to do."
• RCW 28A.300.460 (2)(d): The Financial Education Public Private Partnership will "work with the office of the superintendent to integrate financial education skills and content knowledge into the state learning standards."
• RCW 28A.300.462: School districts are encouraged to "voluntarily adopt the jumpstart coalition national standards in K-12 personal financial education and provide students with an opportunity to master the standards."

The Financial Education Public-Private Partnership, The Center for Economic and Financial Education at Western Washington University, the Council for Economic Education, and OSPI Learning and Teaching and Career and College Readiness will collaborate on implementing these mandates.

Implementation of Financial Education K-12 Learning Standards

In January 2016, 11 educators met to consider existing resources and student needs related to financial education. The group reviewed the essential components of financial education standards. Using Jump$tart Standards as a foundation, work began in three grade-band teams: Elementary (K-5), Middle School (6-8), and High School (9-12). Through discussion and review of the national standards, recommendations were made for grade-level benchmarks. Feedback was pursued from Washington's Curriculum Advisory Review Committee (CARC) and from OSPI subject matter experts (see timeline below).

Financial Education Standards FAQ

Review and Recommendations

Notice of Public Comment

In an effort to make our state financial education standards the most effective and relevant to Washington students, FEPPP and OSPI will solicit public input for a 30-day period in summer 2016. Please read the standards and offer your feedback in support of developing a complete and coherent set of Financial Education K-12 Learning Standards for Washington. Superintendent Dorn plans to officially adopt the Financial Education K-12 Learning Standards in September 2016.

Standards Development and Adoption Process