Get a Financial Life NYC is a free financial literacy curriculum designed for New York City’s 11th and 12th graders that teaches the practical money skills young people need as they transition to adulthood. Bestselling author and financial education advocate Beth Kobliner, together with Jonathan Wroble, developed the curriculum based on interviews with more than 300 NYC public school students, teachers, principals, and nonprofit leaders to ensure the lessons reflect the real financial questions and decisions students face. With support from the Heckscher Foundation, the curriculum is being piloted in New York City high schools.
We supported bringing this curriculum into NYC schools because many students – particularly those from underserved backgrounds – graduate from high school without basic knowledge of how to manage money, evaluate financial choices, or avoid costly mistakes related to credit, debt, and postsecondary decisions. These are decisions that can shape economic independence for years to come. As New York State moves toward requiring personal finance education in high schools beginning in the 2026–2027 school year, we saw an opportunity for a high-quality, ready-to-use curriculum to help schools meet that requirement and ensure students receive practical instruction that prepares them for real financial decisions.
The program consists of ten lessons covering core topics such as budgeting, saving in a bank, debit cards, credit, smart spending, investing, working, college and credentials, and health insurance. Each lesson can be delivered in a single class period and can be taught by any educator – including classroom teachers, college counselors, or advisory staff – regardless of subject area or prior financial expertise, making it easy for schools to embed the material into existing courses. The curriculum is currently being piloted in 30 high schools and will be expanded in the 2026–2027 school year.