Maryland

What the law says

Requirement coverage

Earliest grade covered

Kindergarten

Grade range

kindergarten to grade 12 (elementary and middle levels named)

Describes the instruction requirement found in law, not the standards. It may reach at least one grade before ninth (the earliest grade is shown, and some start only in grade 6 or 7), no grade at all (not specified), or high school only. \u201cOffer courses\u201d means the law says districts must offer the courses or instruction, not that every student must receive it.

Grades K-8

Grades required

K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Standards document

Maryland State Curriculum for Personal Financial Literacy Education (grade bands 3-5, 6-8, 9-12) (2016)

Required by law

Yes

Delivery

Not stated

Assessed

Not determined

Funded

Not determined

The regulation text itself could not be read from an official site; the requirement is read from the Maryland State Department of Education 2022-2023 report and a 2026 Department of Legislative Services fiscal note, which both describe it as covering the elementary and middle school learning levels. The regulation refers to learning levels rather than named grades; the state standards are written in grade bands 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12. A 2026 fiscal note says the State does not currently maintain a discrete statewide curriculum. The MSDE report describes local delivery at elementary and middle levels as integrated into reading, social studies and Family and Consumer Sciences classes. Proposed revised standards that would add kindergarten and grade 1 were reported by a secondary source as open for comment through 2026-10-16; this was not confirmed on an MSDE page.

Grades 9-12

Graduation requirement

Not determined

Course length

Not stated

Effective date

Not stated

The MSDE report states that at the high school level financial literacy is embedded in courses required for graduation or offered as a stand-alone graduation requirement, depending on the local school system. HB 943 and SB 592 (2026) would add a state stand-alone course requirement; they are not law as far as the pages read show.

What’s missing for K-8

• A requirement was found that reaches a grade before ninth (K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8).

Pending bills

• HB 943 (2026 Regular Session): State Board of Education - Financial Literacy - Graduation Requirement. Status: In the House, Ways and Means; hearing scheduled 2/25 per bill page (last updated 6/30/2026); no later action listed.
• SB 592 (2026 Regular Session): State Board of Education - Financial Literacy - Graduation Requirement. Status: In the Senate, Education, Energy, and the Environment; hearing 3/04 per bill page (last updated 6/30/2026); no later action listed.

How to read the status