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Adams 12 board requires personal finance, healthy-choices courses for graduation starting with class of 2029
Summary
The Adams 12 Five Star Schools Board voted unanimously to revise District Policy 6,340, making successful completion of Personal Financial Literacy and Healthy Choices required to graduate beginning with the class of 2029. Board members cited long-term student wellbeing and community sustainability as reasons for the change.
The Adams 12 Five Star Schools Board of Education on a unanimous roll-call vote adopted a revision to District Policy 6,340 requiring successful completion of Personal Financial Literacy and Healthy Choices courses for students beginning with the class of 2029.
Board members who supported the change said the district must set clear expectations for students. "When we set a bar, our kids will rise to it," one director said during discussion, urging the board to require the courses and give students time to prepare. Another director noted parents will still have opt-out choices for portions of curriculum, and staff said the extra requirement is not meant to be an academic barrier but a foundation for life skills and health literacy.
Board members also flagged implementation issues at two sites with higher course-failure rates. The board identified Thornton High School and 5 Star Online Academy as having elevated failure rates in Healthy Choices and instructed staff to review delivery methods, language accessibility for multilingual learners, attendance impacts, and course engagement strategies to improve student success before the 2029 rollout.
The board voted by roll call with Directors Assad Lucas, Battistelli, Goldstein and Potter recorded as "Aye." The policy revision was proposed and discussed during the meeting; the board noted the change allows ample lead time for curriculum adjustments and additional supports for schools with higher failure rates.
The board will receive follow-up reports from deputy superintendent and curriculum staff on remedial steps and monitoring metrics prior to implementation. No dissenting votes were recorded in open session.
