News

Personal finance course graduation requirement

Joy Ma, Assistant-Editor-in-Chief, Long-form • November 18, 2024

In Stephanie Pearson’s Personal Financial Literacy class, students acquire financial knowledge for practical applications. California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2927 into law in June.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2927 into law in June, making it the 26th state to require a personal finance course for high school graduation, starting with the 2030-31 graduating class. All high schools will provide a “stand-alone, semester-long course in personal finance starting in the 2027–28 academic year,” according to the California Department of Education.

Students and teachers in the area are already considering the advantages and impacts of the law.

Stephanie Pearson, a 12-year teacher at the school who has taught Personal Financial Literacy for two years, sees the mandate as a step forward.

“The material is crucial for students entering into the real world, particularly for seniors,” Pearson said. “Practical subjects like personal banking, credit and loans, taxes, investments, insurance, career planning and budgeting are all covered in the course.”

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According to Pearson, the class places a strong emphasis on practical applications. Students plan career options, evaluate starting earnings and project living expenses using budgeting spreadsheets.

“[Students] consider all facets of their lives and their expectations,” Pearson said. “Additionally, the class teaches them how to create a zero-based budget, in which each dollar is assigned to a specific goal.”

Connor Tsai (12), currently enrolled in Personal Financial Literacy, emphasized how quickly the course became applicable to real life.

“It teaches tools applicable to everyday life,” Tsai said. “We have specific lessons on Roth IRAs, credit cards and savings accounts. Each lesson is paired with an activity, such as researching the costs associated with different professions or estimating the expenses of owning a home.”

Grace Ma (9) is looking forward to enrolling in Personal Financial Literacy in the future, believing the course will help her build a foundation for managing finances.

“From what I’ve heard from my friends it seems like such a useful class,” Ma said. “I want to learn how to manage my money better, especially when I start earning my own.”

*Click here to read about last year’s coverage on the school’s Personal Financial Literacy course.*

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About the Contributors

Joy Ma, Asst. Editor-in-Chief, Long-form

Did you know that frogs were the first land animals with vocal cords? TPHS’ biggest frog fanatic, Joy Ma, embodies the calm, adaptive and curious nature of her favorite amphibians as she steps into her role as Assistant Editor-in-Chief for her third year on the Falconer. Born and raised in Hong Kong and fluent in three languages, Ma brings a global perspective and a unique voice to the team. Chiefly the epitome of wanderlust, Ma has traveled to over 12 countries, her favorite travel spot being Toledo, Spain, where she was captivated by the intricate damasquinados. For her senior year at TPHS, Ma is eager to elevate the paper’s storytelling and continue to foster a dynamic, inclusive newsroom environment. Outside the newsroom, Ma is an avid reader with a particular fondness for Mary Oliver, Ocean Vuong and Fyodor Dostoevsky (The Brothers Karamazov is the greatest book of all time — do not even attempt to fight her on this). When she’s not buried nose-deep in a book or working on the newspaper, you’ll likely find her spending humorously large amounts of hours on Pinterest searching for future home inspiration or unique outfit combinations. Looking to the future, Ma is excited to continue her journey of growth and exploration and cannot wait to make lifelong memories with her favorite “Falconerds.”

April Kato, News Editor

In the same way her 13-year piano journey crescendo towards a finale, April Kato is intent on making her last year as a falcon and a staff on the Falconer a balance of memorable, accent-like events and legato-like relaxed moments. Joining the Falconer her junior year and being inspired by the wonderful community, Kato furthered her love for journalism by securing a position as news editor her senior year. This year, she hopes to take on more stories than she did last year, as her goal is time management and fighting the urge of procrastinating, all of which she fell captive to junior year. Outside of the newsroom, Kato enjoys quiet moments of reading at home and playing classical and modern music on her piano, a treasure passed down from her mother. On the weekends, she can be seen volunteering at a Japanese language school, drafting editorials for her internship at a local community journal or roaming Barnes & Noble. Throughout the years in high school Kato's interest for international relations and global topics has grown, linking to her hopes of pursuing such fields after graduation.