Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mark Bedell announced that starting with freshmen in the 2026-27 school year, all students in Anne Arundel County Public Schools will need to earn one-half credit in financial literacy to graduate.
Bedell made the announcement during the Board of Education meeting on December 17, 2025, as the board discussed updates to Policy IIC on graduation requirements. The financial literacy mandate falls under Administrative Regulation IIC-RA, which the superintendent oversees.
“There is no question that the need to produce students who are financially literate is real,” Dr. Bedell said. “Adults who are not financially literate cannot lead the global economy into which our students will enter.”
The board is holding discussions over three public meetings to maintain transparency, particularly since Bedell also proposed lowering the total credits needed for graduation from 26 to 23. This adjustment aims to provide more scheduling flexibility and allow students to pursue additional opportunities, such as electives or advanced courses.
Anne Arundel County Public Schools currently requires more credits than many other Maryland districts. The state minimum stands at 22 credits, while comparable systems like Howard, Montgomery, and Baltimore counties often set requirements at 22.5 or fewer.
“This is not about expecting less from our students,” Dr. Bedell said. “This is about opening opportunities for them. The 23 credits is a floor, and other districts with similar requirements see many of their students surpassing the minimum.”
Chief Administrative Officer Christina Catalano informed the board that the district already offers one course aligned with Maryland State Department of Education financial literacy standards. Staff are reviewing additional existing courses to determine if they can be modified to meet these standards, potentially creating multiple options for students to fulfill the half-credit.
Topics in these courses will cover practical skills, including budget planning, managing checking and savings accounts, understanding credit cards, building and maintaining credit scores, navigating student loans, and calculating interest accrual.
“These are basic things that we need students to understand as they leave our care and enter college or the workforce,” Dr. Bedell said.
The financial literacy requirement aligns with broader state efforts to prepare students for post-high school life. Maryland’s Blueprint for Maryland’s Future emphasizes college and career readiness, though it does not mandate financial literacy at the state level for graduation. Local districts can add requirements beyond the state’s core credits in subjects like English, mathematics, science, and social studies.
Currently, Anne Arundel students must complete 26 credits, including four in English, four in mathematics (with specific courses like Algebra I and Geometry), three in science, three in social studies, and additional electives, technology education, and fine arts. The proposed reduction to 23 credits would still exceed the state minimum of 22, which includes similar core subject distributions but allows local flexibility.
Bedell’s proposal could help address graduation rates in the district, which hover around 87 percent. By reducing the credit load, officials believe more students may complete requirements on time while still encouraging many to exceed the minimum, as seen in peer districts.
The board is not altering the core Policy IIC substantially but is following standard procedures for public input on related administrative changes. Residents can submit comments on the financial literacy addition via email to policycomments@AACPS.org ahead of the board’s January 14, 2026, meeting.
This change reflects growing recognition across Maryland school systems of the importance of personal finance education. While not yet statewide, similar initiatives in other counties highlight skills like debt management and financial planning as essential for young adults entering an increasingly complex economy.
Details on current and proposed graduation requirements remain available through district resources, with final approval pending board action following public feedback.