AP Business with Personal Finance Information

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) is providing additional clarification regarding the personal finance requirements established under Act 35 of 2023, which amended Section 1551 of the Public School Code.

As outlined in prior guidance, students must complete a standalone course in personal finance with a value of at least one-half credit. For the purposes of this requirement, a standalone course is defined as a distinct course offering in which personal finance is the primary and central focus of instruction for the duration of the course. 

The Department has reviewed the new Advanced Placement (AP) Business with Personal Finance course developed by the College Board. Based on this review, the Department has determined that this course does not meet the requirement of a standalone personal financial literacy course under Section 1551 of the Public School Code. While the course includes personal finance content, it is structured as an integrated course that combines business and personal finance within a single course framework. Accordingly, courses that integrate personal financial literacy content within broader subject areas do not satisfy the standalone course requirement. Further, the integrated nature of the AP Business with Personal Finance course prevents LEAs from following the Department’s guidance to split existing full-credit courses into two distinct half-credit courses.

Local education agencies (LEAs) may choose to offer the AP Business with Personal Finance course as an elective or supplemental opportunity; however, it may not be used to fulfill the requirements of Section 1551.

Updated guidance, including frequently asked questions, is available in the Personal Finance Toolkit. The Department will continue to provide support and clarification to assist LEAs with implementation.

If you have questions, please contact ra-edpersonalfinance@pa.gov.