Champlain College offers free personal finance program for Vermont educators, public

Online program provides professional development opportunity, including film about the state of financial literacy education in Vermont

Feb. 3, 2026 at 7:15am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Champlain College's Center for Financial Literacy has extended its free personal finance education program for educators and the public until April 30. The program launched in late 2025 and is a success. Recent regulatory proposals moved the Center to extend the online seminar for another four months. Participants will learn how to more successfully implement the personal finance education standards and obtain free curriculum tools that may be used with the intention to implement personal finance education in the classroom.

Why it matters

Act 73 requires the Secretary of Education and the State Board of Education to recommend statewide graduation standards for Vermont by January 1, 2026. As a result, the Secretary recommended that each Vermont public high school student take a minimum of one half-credit in a standalone personal finance course prior to graduation. This new development makes the free professional development opportunity from Champlain College particularly timely and valuable for Vermont educators and the general public.

The details

Developed with a grant from EastRise Credit Union and an anonymous donation, the program provides a snapshot of the state of financial education in Vermont, as well as tools and resources for educators to integrate financial literacy in the classroom. Educators and interested members of the public are welcome to attend online, and educators can earn up to eight hours of professional development credit from the Champlain Center.

  • The program launched in late 2025.
  • The program has been extended until April 30, 2026.
  • Act 73 requires the Secretary of Education and the State Board of Education to recommend statewide graduation standards for Vermont by January 1, 2026.
  • If the recommendation is approved, it will take effect with the Class of 2031 (for 9th graders entering high school in 2027).

The players

Mike Pieciak

Vermont State Treasurer.

Zoie Saunders

Vermont Education Secretary.

Tim Ranzetta

Co-founder of NextGen Personal Finance.

Champlain College's Center for Financial Literacy

An organization that has extended its free personal finance education program for educators and the public until April 30, 2026.

EastRise Credit Union

An organization that provided a grant to develop the program.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Vermont's 52 supervisory unions currently decide what their graduation standards should be, but this balkanized approach to what a Vermont high school diploma means will change with this new law.”

— Zoie Saunders, Vermont Education Secretary

What’s next

If the recommendation for a personal finance graduation requirement is approved by the Vermont State Board of Education, it will take effect with the Class of 2031 (for 9th graders entering high school in 2027).

The takeaway

This free professional development opportunity from Champlain College's Center for Financial Literacy comes at a critical time as Vermont considers implementing a new personal finance graduation requirement. Educators and the public should take advantage of this program to prepare for the potential changes and better integrate financial literacy education in the classroom.