JA Financial Literacy®, part of the JA High School Experience® courses, is a one-semester, teacher-led course that meets the core competencies of Assembly Bill 2927 by equipping high school students with foundational personal finance skills. These skills include how to earn and save money; manage money by being a wise consumer and creating and using a budget; manage bank accounts, investments, and credit; assess risks and use insurance; and address financial problems like identity theft and debt. Volunteers engage with students through a variety of activities that may include subject-matter guest speaking, coaching, or advising for case study and project coursework.

This course has received California A-G approval from High School Articulation, Office of Undergraduate Admissions, University of California.

Following completion of this course, students will be able to:

-- Learn the necessary concepts applicable to state and national educational standards.

-- Apply these standards-based concepts to the real world.

-- Synthesize elective concepts through cumulative, tangible deliverables (projects).

-- Analyze a business situation or principle through the use of a case study.

-- Demonstrate the skills necessary for future career pathway success. 

JA Financial Literacy for California Educators utilizes the below resources.

Pacing Summary & Resources:

Students work on the instructional content and projects throughout the semester, completing four themes. They complete the case study at the midpoint of the semester.

Throughout the semester, days are designated as Your Choice. These days are built in to allow for flexibility in instruction and to accommodate scheduling needs, such as holidays or school testing. Your Choice days can be used as an opportunity to bring in volunteers to discuss their personal or professional experiences related to the content students are studying or supplement the topics with our free resources like JA Connect, JA Here to Career, and JA Afford Your Future. Teachers can also use Your Choice days to spend extra time on certain topics, review, or catch up. 

California's Assembly Bill 2927 recognizes the urgent need for financial literacy education. Junior Achievement is a proven partner in fulfilling this mandate. Our programs directly address the core competencies outlined in AB 2927, ensuring students gain essential knowledge in budgeting, saving, credit, and investing. We provide educators with ready-to-implement resources and curriculum, making financial literacy accessible and impactful in every classroom. 

California Mandate Requirements

(1) Fundamentals of banking for personal use, including, but not limited to, savings and checking and managing to minimize fees.

(2) Principles of budgeting for independent living.

(3) Employment and understanding factors that affect net income, including the topics described in subdivision (a) of Section 49110.5.

(4) Uses and effects of credit, including managing credit scores and the relation of debt and interest to credit.

(5) Uses and costs of loans, including student loans, as well as policies that provide student loan forgiveness.

(6) Types and costs of insurance, including home, auto, health, and life insurance.

(7) Impacts of the tax system, including its impact on personal income, the process to file taxes, and how to read tax forms and pay stubs.

(8) Principles of investing and building wealth, including investment alternatives to build financial security, including tax-advantaged investments such as pensions and 401(k) plans, individual retirement accounts (IRAs), and stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and index funds.

(9) Enhancing consumer protection skills by raising awareness of common scams and frauds and preventing identity theft.

(10) Identifying means to finance college, workforce education, low-cost community college options, and other career technical educational pathways or apprenticeships. Financing options covered may include scholarships, merit aid, and student loans.

(11) Understanding how psychology can impact one’s financial well-being.

Various assessments are provided to test student knowledge as they progress through the program. 

Required Assessments

A Post-Program Check-in is required for all students to take. Please contact your JA Representative for more information about our assessments.

Optional Assessments

Most sessions include a quiz to note student knowledge following completion.