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St. Johns School Board hears recommendation to adopt McGraw Hill texts for new personal financial literacy course
Summary
District staff presented recommended instructional materials for the state-required personal financial literacy and money management course, naming McGraw Hill as the top selection and Cengage National Geographic Learning as the backup. The board will vote next week; a 30-day petition period runs March 11–April 10, 2025.
The St. Johns County School Board on Wednesday held a publicly noticed hearing to present recommended instructional materials for a newly required high-school personal financial literacy and money management course. District staff said McGraw Hill was the committee’s top choice, with Cengage National Geographic Learning as the second selection.
Tracy Hemingway, the district’s director for curriculum and instruction, told the board the Instructional Resources and Media Services team and the curriculum staff “have worked alongside the curriculum team these last several months requesting, receiving, and reviewing our personal financial literacy and money management textbook materials from the Florida Department of Education to present to you today.” She said the course is required for students who entered ninth grade beginning in the 2023–24 school year and that St. Johns County plans to offer it in 11th or 12th grade.
Michael Israel, instructional materials specialist, described the adoption process and timeline and cited the board’s legal responsibility under state statute. “The school board has the responsibility to select and provide adequate instructional materials for all students provided by Florida Statute 1006.28,” Israel said, and explained that a public petition period will follow any board adoption.
The district committee recommended McGraw Hill as the top selection for both the standard and honors versions of the course, with Cengage National Geographic Learning as the second choice. Lauren Winn, program specialist for high school social studies, said the committee had reviewed both a standard and an honors track and that the same textbook was recommended for both, leaving differentiation to the classroom teacher.
Board members expressed support for the course. Board member Ms. Collins said she was “excited” students will learn basics such as how credit cards and budgeting work. Dr. Doug Thompson said he welcomed the honors option and stressed it will be up to instructors to differentiate so the honors and standard courses are not taught the same way: “I’m also really happy to see that we have an honors level, as well as the standard.”
No members of the public spoke during the hearing; district staff reported there were no in-person appearance cards and no online speakers. The board did not vote at the hearing; Israel said a required school board vote is scheduled for next week. If the board approves the materials, a 30-day petition window will run from March 11, 2025, through April 10, 2025, during which any parent or community member may file a written objection. If a petition is filed, district rules require a public hearing facilitated by an unbiased hearing officer hired by the district.
District staff explained how parents and community members can review the materials during the petition period: through the district’s online review tool (EdCredible), via a public access form, or in hard copy at the district office. Staff gave the office address as 3015 Lewis Speedway, Unit 3, and said individual appointments could be arranged.
Superintendent Forsyth closed the discussion by noting the adoption is a standalone action reflecting a change in state legislation that created the course requirement separate from other instructional-material cycles. The board will consider a formal adoption vote at its next regular meeting.
