OLYMPIA – Legislation making financial education a graduation requirement in Washington public schools was pre-filed for consideration during the 2026 legislative session this week by a coalition led by State Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti and prime sponsor Senator Adrian Cortes (D-Battle Ground). Senate Bill 5849 represents the latest effort to equip Washington students with foundational financial skills.
The coalition, including leadership from the Financial Education Public Private Partnership (FEPPP), the Washington Council for Economic and Financial Education, the GoWest Credit Union Association, educators, and advocates gathered in Olympia last week announcing the renewed legislative push.
“Financial literacy is an essential skill that can help individuals seize economic opportunities, plan for their futures and weather financial hardships,” said Pellicciotti. “As I’ve met with community organizations, small business owners, elected officials, and educators around the state, the necessity of equipping Washingtonians with basic financial skills in today’s increasingly complex world is one of those rare issues which finds nearly universal consensus.”
Treasurer Pellicciotti received overwhelming support during his travels across the state to speak with communities in all of Washington’s 39 counties to increase student access to the foundational knowledge of managing personal finances.
Sen. Cortes, a public school teacher in the Camas School District, was elected in 2024 to represent the 18th Legislative District. Serving as vice chair of the Business, Financial Services & Trade Committee and a member of the Early Learning & K-12 Education, Cortes said he appreciates the life-long impact a quality financial education would have on his students and others like them across the state.
“Filling out employment contracts for a new job, signing a lease, and applying for a credit card can be complicated, especially if it’s your first time navigating the adult world. That’s why, like many parents, I’ve sat down with my daughters and talked with them about how to fill out financial paperwork and manage their finances,” said Cortes. “However, we need to ensure our schools are also providing students with a comprehensive financial education, so they have the skills they need to be successful the moment they graduate high school.”
Venessa Medina, a Thomas Jefferson Middle School teacher for Vancouver Public Schools who teaches a leadership course for 7th and 8th grade students, thinks that this legislation will benefit students by providing a strong footing for a lifetime of financial capability.
“We want to set students up for success not just while they’re in school, but also later in life as they grow their earning capabilities. Introducing students to personal finance curriculum throughout their K-12 education will allow them to make wise financial decisions long into the future,” said Medina.
Longtime educator and current Superintendent of Auburn Public Schools, a district serving 17,896 King County K-12 students, Dr. Alan Spicciati recently met with the State Treasurer, financial education advocates, and his superintendent colleges from across the Puget Sound region to talk about integrating financial literacy courses into the K-12 curriculum.
“As educators and administrators for Washington public schools we must prepare students to successfully enter adulthood. A critical tool we need to include is the knowledge and ability to manage personal finances — spending wisely, saving when appropriate, investing for the future, and managing debt. For young people, this will set the foundation for what we hope to be a lifetime of financial well-being, so they can plan for post-high school education, careers, and managing money.
Dr. Spicciati attended the first in a series of statewide roundtable discussions that focused on identifying and navigating pathways to including financial education into Washington’s public schools as a graduation requirement. In total, 45 superintendents from all regions of the state took part in these discussion in 2025.
SB 5849 now awaits committee referral for consideration in the coming legislative session.