(a)  The council on elementary and secondary education (the “council”), in consultation with the Rhode Island department of education (the “department”), shall develop and approve statewide academic standards for the instruction of consumer education in public high schools by no later than December 31, 2021, and again as required by the procedures set forth in subsections (e) and (f) of this section.

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(b)  By the start of the 2022-2023 school year, the school committees of the several cities, towns, and local education agencies (“LEAs”) shall ensure that public high schools offer a course that includes instruction in consumer education that is aligned with the statewide standards.

(c)  The standards shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, installment purchasing, budgeting, comparison of prices, credit and the law, employment and income, rights and responsibilities in the marketplace, money management, maintaining credit, saving, investing, protecting and insuring assets, and other personal finance or consumer economic topics of study.

(d)  The standards shall:

(1)  Clearly set forth the skills, competencies, and knowledge expected to be demonstrated by all students at the conclusion of individual grades or grade spans;

(2)  Reflect sensitivity to different learning styles; and

(3)  Be in a form readily comprehensible by the public.

(e)  The council shall review the consumer education standards regularly, making changes if appropriate, to ensure that the standards continue to outline the knowledge and skills students are expected to demonstrate regarding the responsible and informed use of financial services. The review cycle shall begin in 2026, with subsequent reviews taking place in 2031, 2036, and every five (5) years thereafter.

(f)  Any recommended changes or updates to existing standards shall be approved by the council at least sixty (60) days prior to the changes taking effect.

(g)  Beginning with the graduating class of 2024, all students shall demonstrate proficiency in consumer education prior to graduating high school. LEAs shall have the discretion to allow students the ability to demonstrate proficiency by one or more of the following:

(1)  Successful completion of a consumer education course of study aligned with the standards developed and approved by the council;

(2)  Successful completion of a project aligned with the standards developed and approved by the council, under the supervision of a certified educator;

(3)  Successful completion of a consumer education assessment that is aligned with the standards developed and approved by the council and taken in a controlled testing environment; or

(4)  Another demonstration of proficiency approved by the council.

(h)  Schools shall be permitted to make exceptions and accommodations to the requirements of this section for students with disabilities, as provided in chapter 24 of this title, in those cases wherein the student cannot be reasonably expected to demonstrate proficiency to council standards.

(i)  The council, in consultation with the department, shall compile and publish the following by April 1, 2022:

(1)  A list of micro-credentialing programs that train educators in the skills necessary to deliver consumer education lessons in accordance with statewide standards; and

(2)  Resources and instructional materials including, but not limited to, lesson plans, assessments, and activities that align with the consumer education standards adopted by the council.

(j)  The council shall review the list of micro-credentialing programs and resources and instructional materials compiled in subsection (i) of this section regularly, making changes if appropriate. The review cycle shall begin in 2026, with subsequent reviews taking place in 2031, 2036, and every five (5) years thereafter.

(k)  By August 1, 2024, and annually by August 1 thereafter, the department shall publish a report on the consumer education instruction in Rhode Island schools. The report shall include, but need not be limited to, the following:

(1)  The number of high school students at each grade level who have completed a high-school level course of study in consumer education that is aligned with the standards developed and approved by the council; and

(2)  A list of the middle schools and elementary schools that have incorporated consumer education into their curricula.

( l )  This section shall not apply to private schools.