South Dakota Financial Literacy Standards and Policy Ranking

The South Dakota Financial Educators Council (SDFEC) is the state advocacy chapter of the National Financial Educators Council (NFEC). Our role is to advance policy, standards alignment, and statewide action to ensure that South Dakota students graduate prepared to manage real-world financial decisions.

The NFEC conducts national research and develops academic standards. SDFEC translates that research into policy advocacy specific to South Dakota. Our shared mission is to ensure that all learners graduate prepared to navigate real-world financial decisions by elevating financial education to the same level of quality, accountability, and instructional integrity as other required core academic subjects.

South Dakota Financial Education Standards Alignment: A State-Level Policy Assessment

The National Financial Educators Council takes a systematic look at how states approach financial literacy, aiming to give leaders a clear, objective foundation for improving standards nationwide. South Dakota’s results show a clear disconnect from widely accepted best practices in financial education, pointing to gaps in curriculum design, classroom implementation, and possibly statewide policy support. Closing these gaps would help ensure that students gain the real‑world financial skills and confidence they need to make sound decisions throughout their lives.

A closer look at South Dakota’s Standards Alignment findings reveals a significant shortfall in meeting established benchmarks for comprehensive financial literacy instruction. The state received a summative alignment score of 0.0 out of 100 and an overall rating of “Failing,” with all 12 evaluated criteria falling into the failing range and none meeting or even approaching below par or at par levels. These results underscore an urgent opportunity for state leaders, educators, and community partners to strengthen financial education policies and systems in South Dakota.

South Dakota Financial Education Assessment

SDFEC’s Advocacy Focus in South Dakota

SDFEC works to ensure that financial education is treated as a core academic subject rather than optional enrichment. Our advocacy is organized to advance priorities that align South Dakota’s policy environment with established academic expectations.

Research & Policy Guidance

SDFEC promotes financial education policies aligned with core academic standards, emphasizing clear outcomes, educator preparedness, and accountability. Grounded in national research, SDFEC works with educators, community leaders, and policymakers to identify gaps, evaluate legislation, and support scalable, standards-aligned implementation.

Standards for Financial Educators and Learners

SDFEC supports the adoption of comprehensive learner outcome standards and educator competency frameworks to strengthen instructional quality statewide. By providing clear benchmarks for what students should know and be able to do – and what educators must demonstrate to teach effectively – SDFEC helps establish consistent expectations that support long-term financial capability development.

Closing Statement

South Dakota’s students deserve more than exposure to financial concepts; they deserve real preparation for the financial decisions that shape adulthood. These findings reveal a clear opportunity to strengthen financial education by aligning it with the rigor and accountability applied to other core subjects.

By advancing standards-based reform and investing in quality implementation, South Dakota can ensure that every student graduates financially prepared for life beyond high school. Meaningful progress requires collective action from educators, families, policymakers, and community leaders – working together to make financial education a foundational part of a future-ready education system.

National Financial Educators Council

South Dakota Department of Education — Graduation Requirements

South Dakota Personal Finance Standards

NFEC’s national and state advisory board

National Evaluation of State Financial Literacy Mandates and Academic Standards Alignment

State-Mandated Financial Literacy Standards: A Comprehensive National Review 

Professional development for financial educators

Financial education services training

Teaching money management lessons

Financial Literacy Standards in South Dakota

South Dakota does not currently require a standalone financial literacy course for high school graduation. State graduation requirements allow students to satisfy credit requirements by completing half a credit in either Personal Finance or Economics, but Personal Finance is not mandated and Economics typically does not include substantive personal finance instruction.

South Dakota’s Department of Education includes Personal Finance as an elective or CTE area; however, districts may choose whether students take Personal Finance (which covers budgeting, credit, saving, investing, and money management) or Economics to meet part of the required credits under general elective or social studies pathways. Because Economics standards do not guarantee personal finance content, students are not ensured exposure to financial literacy unless districts offer and require the Personal Finance option. Source.

Other Agency Ratings

The Center for Financial Literacy at Champlain College in 2015 awarded the Mount Rushmore State an “F” in terms of its academic financial education standards. Champlain’s National Report Card gave South Dakota an “F” because no high school course containing personal finance concepts was required for graduation.

Although South Dakota criteria for high school graduation do require students to take a half-year course in either personal finance or economics, students are not required to choose personal finance and schools are not required to offer money management coursework. Further, the guidelines for the economics curriculum do not include personal finance topics, so there’s no guarantee that students are exposed to such instruction.

The Economic Education Council states that South Dakota does have K-12 standards for financial instruction to be implemented district-by-district, and that a high school course is required to be offered. However, students need not opt to take the personal finance course.