Vermont Financial Literacy Standards and Policy Ranking

The Vermont Financial Educators Council (VTFEC) is the state advocacy chapter of the National Financial Educators Council (NFEC). Our role is to advance policy, standards alignment, and statewide action to ensure that Vermont students graduate prepared to manage real-world financial decisions.

The NFEC conducts national research and develops academic standards. VTFEC translates that research into policy advocacy specific to Vermont. Our shared mission is to ensure that all learners graduate prepared to navigate real-world financial decisions by elevating financial education to the same level of quality, accountability, and instructional integrity as other required core academic subjects.

Vermont Financial Education Standards Alignment: A State-Level Policy Assessment

The National Financial Educators Council conducts structured evaluations intended to provide an impartial foundation for improving financial literacy expectations nationwide. Vermont’s performance reveals a significant disconnect from best practices commonly upheld in the field, pointing to weaknesses in curriculum design, implementation, and statewide policy backing. Confronting these shortcomings would position the state to better equip students with the practical financial knowledge and decision‑making abilities needed for long‑term financial stability.

While Vermont has taken steps to encourage financial education at the district level, the state’s standards alignment results show a major gap between current efforts and recognized benchmarks of comprehensive instruction for other core subjects. The state received a summative alignment score of 0.0 out of 100, earning an overall rating of “Failing,” with all 12 assessed criteria falling squarely in the failing range and none approaching an acceptable level. These findings underscore an urgent opportunity for policymakers, educators, and community partners to strengthen Vermont’s financial education systems and policies.

Vermont Financial Education Assessment

VTFEC’s Advocacy Focus in Vermont

VTFEC works to ensure that financial education is treated as a core academic subject rather than optional enrichment. Our advocacy is organized to advance priorities that align Vermont’s policy environment with established academic expectations.

Research & Policy Guidance

VTFEC promotes financial education policies aligned with core academic standards, emphasizing clear outcomes, educator preparedness, and accountability. Grounded in national research, VTFEC works with educators, community leaders, and policymakers to identify gaps, evaluate legislation, and support scalable, standards-aligned implementation.

Standards for Financial Educators and Learners

VTFEC supports the adoption of comprehensive learner outcome standards and educator competency frameworks to strengthen instructional quality statewide. By providing clear benchmarks for what students should know and be able to do – and what educators must demonstrate to teach effectively – VTFEC helps establish consistent expectations that support long-term financial capability development.

Closing Statement

Vermont’s students deserve more than exposure to financial concepts; they deserve real preparation for the financial decisions that shape adulthood. These findings reveal a clear opportunity to strengthen financial education by aligning it with the rigor and accountability applied to other core subjects.

By advancing standards-based reform and investing in quality implementation, Vermont can ensure that every student graduates financially prepared for life beyond high school. Meaningful progress requires collective action from educators, families, policymakers, and community leaders – working together to make financial education a foundational part of a future-ready education system.

National Financial Educators Council

Vermont Financial Educators Council

Vermont State Board of Education

State Chapters: Mission and Impact

National Evaluation of State Financial Literacy Mandates and Academic Standards Alignment

State-Mandated Financial Literacy Standards: A Comprehensive National Review

Financial Literacy Instructor Standards

Financial Literacy Teacher Certification

Teaching Financial Literacy to High School Students

Financial Literacy Standards in Vermont

The Vermont State Department of Education put together the Vermont Portrait of a Graduate and Financial Literacy was identified as a necessary attribute of a graduate. The Well-Being indicator of the PoG states: “Students have the knowledge necessary to make financially responsible decisions that are integral to their everyday lives”; yet Vermont has failed to help students work toward this outcome goal. Source.

Vermont does not currently require every high school student to complete a standalone personal finance course as a statewide graduation requirement. Instead, the Education Quality Standards (EQS) direct districts to include financial literacy content as part of required curriculum areas and local Proficiency-Based Graduation Requirements (PBGRs). Vermont’s EQS requires schools to demonstrate evidence of student proficiency in defined curriculum areas, including financial literacy, but no statewide statute guarantees a personal finance course or a uniform mastery requirement for all students prior to graduation. Source.

Other Agency Ratings of Vermont Financial Literacy Standards

There may be room for improvement in Vermont’s guidelines for financial education, concludes the Center for Financial Literacy at Champlain College. In 2015 Champlain gave the Green Mountain State the grade of “D” for its academic criteria related to financial literacy. This national report card gathers state-by-state standards data every other year.

No course presenting personal finance concepts is required to be taken for high school students to graduate in Vermont. Although the state’s educational quality benchmarks require students to demonstrate proficiency in global citizenship, financial literacy is not part of the mandate. The State Board of Education has approved educational standards that include some financial literacy topics; however, those topics are classified as “vital results” and are not linked to specific subject matter in the framework.

Although financial education is included in the Green Mountain State’s K-12 standards, it is not required to be implemented by districts, indicates the Council for Economic Education. No high school course in money management is required to be offered/taken in Vermont.