Kendall County Times

State Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Plainfield) proposed legislation to promote financial preparation for high school students across the state. 

The initiative, known as Senate Bill 1830, would allow financial literacy courses to apply as a social studies credit to fulfill graduation requirements. The bill is now set to be reviewed by the House.

"Last night, I passed my first piece of legislation through the Senate. With it, we are making sure high school students have the ability to learn real-life financial skills that are applicable in adulthood," Cappel said in an April Facebook post.

A study released by USA Today found that 41% of college attendants have received financial education, while only 30% of high school graduates have been advised of their future financial habits. The topic is one of the most requested additions to school curriculums throughout the country.

“The existing gap between students who feel prepared to do their own taxes or make investments and those who do not is glaring,” Cappel said. “Making sure students have the ability to learn real-life skills that are applicable in adulthood needs to be a priority.”