A Southridge High School senior is helping to arrange student testimony to promote a proposed state bill that would require financial education before graduating from high school.

Kennewick’s Ashwin Joshi said he’s been in contact with Rep. Skyler Rude, R-Walla Walla, since August when he first Zoomed with him to talk about the importance of youth financial literacy. He also spoke with Rep. April Connors, R-Kennewick, in September, and state Superintendent Chris Reykdal in October on the topic.

Joshi, who founded the nonprofit Ashwin Teen Financial Academy, or ATFA, said he was happy and excited about the news that Rude issued a press release about prefiling bipartisan legislation on the graduation requirement.

“This has been my dream since 2020 when I founded ATFA. I’m also grateful that Rep. Rude is giving me so many opportunities to help the bill’s initiation to serve the state. … Only together can we make financial literacy a right for everyone, not a privilege,” Joshi said.

Financial literacy classes are graduation requirements in the Richland (1 credit) and Pasco (0.5 credit) school districts, but they are not a statewide graduation requirement. The Kennewick district does not require a financial literacy class to graduate.

“Teaching financial education is one of the best ways we can improve opportunity for our students,” said Rude, ranking Republican on the House Education Committee, in a statement. “While some school districts have already prioritized financial education, many students aren’t receiving any instruction before graduation.”

The proposed House Bill 1915 would:

• Require public school students, beginning with the class of 2029, to earn no less than one-half credit of financial education instruction as a graduation prerequisite. Classes can be standalone courses or embedded into other courses and subject areas.

• Require school districts, beginning in or before the 2026-27 school year, to provide financial education instruction to all public school students in elementary and middle school grades.

• Require school districts to submit to the state board of education a plan and timeline for providing students with the ability to meet the graduation requirement by Dec. 15, 2024.

• Maximize flexibility for school districts to implement financial education instruction that recognizes their local circumstances without increasing the number of credits the state requires to graduate.

The Legislature has already taken steps to support financial education instruction in public schools. In 2004, the Financial Education Public-Private Partnership (FEPPP) was established to improve financial education by providing school districts with teacher training and quality resources at no cost, Rude said.

In 2015, statewide financial education learning standards were adopted. In 2022, the Legislature funded grants from FEPPP to school districts to increase their financial education offerings, including for use in professional development.

State Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti supports Rude’s proposed legislation. “Basic financial skills are an essential element for the economic health of all Washingtonians as they plan for their futures, seize new opportunities and weather financial hardship,” he said in a statement.

House Bill 1915 and companion Senate Bill 5819 will be assigned to their respective committees and await public hearings when the Legislature convenes on Jan. 8.

The Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business wrote in August about Joshi’s efforts to boost financial literacy through ATFA.