This initiative is part of a broader move in Montana to ensure students are equipped with essential financial knowledge alongside traditional subjects like math and science.

“I think a lot of students my age were told to go to college and pick something, and we didn’t have the skills,” Goris says. “If I would have known a lot of that when I was 17, it would have made a difference in my life now,” said Goris.

• Financial Literacy Focus: The new requirement is designed to ensure students have practical knowledge of managing finances.
• Graduating Class of 2026: This change directly impacts students graduating in 2026, with schools like Frenchtown High School already implementing it.
• Broader Skills: The “Battling Broke” approach emphasizes equipping students with essential, real-world financial skills alongside traditional academics, explains the Nonstop Local News Montana.
• General Graduation Requirements: Montana typically requires a minimum of 20 credits for a high school diploma, including 13 required core credits such as 4 credits of English language arts, says Missoula County Public Schools.