Patelco pilots personal finance classes with two Bay Area high schools

Patelco Credit Union is working with Castlemont High School in Oakland and Westmoor High School in Daly City on a pilot personal finance curriculum tied to California’s new graduation requirements. The program gives schools an early path to comply with Assembly Bill 2927 before standalone financial literacy classes become required statewide in 2027-28.

Why it matters: - The pilot gives Bay Area schools a head start on California’s new financial literacy requirement. - Assembly Bill 2927 will require high schools statewide to offer a standalone personal finance course starting in the 2027-28 school year. - Personal finance will become a graduation requirement for the Class of 2031. - The program is meant to help students build skills in banking, budgeting, credit, taxes, investing and fraud prevention before the mandate takes effect.

What happened: - Patelco Credit Union launched a pilot program with Castlemont High School in Oakland and Westmoor High School in Daly City. - Teachers and administrators from both schools helped design the programs with Patelco. - The semester-long curriculum begins in classrooms in September. - Patelco says the initiative is part of its Financial Wellness for Schools Initiative.

The details: - The school program uses modular learning experiences that can complement classroom instruction. - The curriculum is designed so each school can build a version that fits its own needs. - The program aligns with the California Personal Finance Curriculum Guide. - The guide highlights real-world simulations, family financial literacy events, guest speakers, internships and workforce development opportunities as key strategies. - Patelco’s curriculum covers banking, budgeting, employment and income, credit management, loans, insurance, taxes, investing, fraud prevention, behavioral finance, charitable giving and college financing. - Patelco has adapted its existing content to the new state requirement and to the needs of each participating high school. - Over the past 20 months, Patelco led 133 onsite workshops for students with 20 local high schools and community colleges across the Bay Area.

Between the lines: - The pilot is also a way for Patelco to extend an existing financial education program into a more formal school-curriculum model. - The approach could make implementation easier for districts that need ready-made materials, while still leaving room for local customization. - Erin Mendez, Patelco’s president and CEO, said the effort builds financial resilience for individuals, families and communities. - Dayo Adebiyi, an instructor at Castlemont High School, said the team’s engagement with students and the realism of the scenarios made the content stand out.

What’s next: - Patelco expects to expand the pilot to additional local schools in the coming months. - The team is also discussing the initiative in the latest episode of Small Talks for Big Change, Patelco’s financial wellness podcast. - Schools seeking more information can contact patelcoatwork@patelco.org.

The bottom line: - Patelco is turning a community financial education program into a practical testing ground for California’s coming personal finance mandate.