Board adopts state‑mandated personal finance course for graduation; district to offer online and in‑person sections

The Brainerd Public School Board approved a new personal finance course that the Minnesota Legislature added as a graduation requirement in 2023.

Melissa Karnia, the district’s K–12 literacy and humanities coordinator, said the course was developed with input from Career and Technical Education and Family and Consumer Science teachers, special education staff, administrators and an economics teacher to align with Minnesota Department of Education guidance. "The focus areas that MDE has provided: financial psychology, earning income, financial systems, credit and debt management, risk management, budgeting and investing," Karnia said while reviewing the planned course content. The board selected the Next Gen Personal Finance curriculum to guide instruction; Karnia said the resource is aligned to national personal finance standards and is designed to foster higher‑order thinking and real‑world simulations.

Superintendent Peter Grant noted the requirement begins next fall for current ninth graders (to be tenth graders) and the district will offer the course as a one‑semester, one‑credit course. The course will be available both in person and through the Brainerd Online School; curriculum leaders said the course will emphasize skills application and allow teacher flexibility to meet diverse student needs. The board approved the course by motion (mover: Director Deja Donnellinger; second: Director Stephanie Ederman). The vote was taken by voice; the motion carried.

District leaders said they will continue to refine the scope and sequence and to run feedback loops with staff and community partners. The district emphasized the course is intended to let students "evaluate their own choices" and set personal financial goals rather than prescribe a single approach.