LAUSD Students Get a Head Start on Personal Finance

Students in Los Angeles are getting early lessons on how to manage money. The lessons come as California gets ready to make personal finance a required high school course. Students at Santee Education Complex took part in a special event on September 23. They tested their money skills and practiced how to talk about their goals in a short speech.

The event was hosted by City National Bank, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and Everfi. City National Bank also announced more than $1.3 million in support over three years. The money will help bring financial lessons to more LAUSD high school students.

The program teaches useful skills for life after high school. Students can learn how to make a budget, use credit, understand taxes, invest money and plan for future costs. City National has supported the Dollars + Sense program in LAUSD schools since 2018. During the 2025–26 school year, 137 schools used Everfi materials. More than 17,000 students took part in the lessons.

More than 800 teachers also received training. Students completed more than 43,700 hours of financial learning. City National said students also became more confident with money. Confidence in budgeting rose from 77% to 84%. Confidence in keeping good credit rose from 75% to 84%.

California plans to have public high schools offer a one semester personal finance course starting in the 2027–28 school year. The course will be required for students graduating in 2030–31. Teacher training will also be part of the new effort. Everfi plans to help teachers prepare for the state program.

City National will also take part in career events and classroom talks. The bank plans to expand scholarships for LAUSD students over the next three school years. The program gives students a chance to learn important money skills before the new state rule takes effect.