Perrysburg to require new 10th-grade "Finance Your Future" course combining financial literacy and career preparation

Perrysburg Exempted Village school leaders presented and won board support for a new mandatory 10th-grade course, "Finance Your Future," designed to combine Ohio's financial-literacy requirement with college- and career-readiness training.

Dr. Folultz, Perryburg High School principal, introduced the program as a hybrid of the district's existing personal-finance and college-and-career courses and said the course will be required for all sophomores beginning next school year. Anaisa Williams, the college and workforce readiness instructor, described the unit sequence: self-discovery and aptitudes, budgeting and banking, taxes and investing, professional skills (resumes and cover letters), and mock interviews with 20'30 community employers. "Every single student is going to come out with a resume that has employed hundreds of Parisburg kids around this area," Williams said, and each will complete a career portfolio for ongoing use.

Presenters described work-based learning and internship partnerships already in place; First Solar was named among employers committed to internships that may include part-time paid work, potential postgraduation employment and college-reimbursement pathways. Christine Albbright, director of careers and community service, said staff are building a web directory, video library and outreach processes to help students secure informational interviews, job-shadowing and internships.

Board members asked whether juniors or seniors could take the course; staff said scheduling flexibility will allow upperclassmen to take equivalent content later if needed. The board did not identify any separate vote to approve the course during the public portion of this meeting; presenters said the course will be mandatory for next year's 10th graders and will be integrated into the district's curriculum and strategic planning.

Why it matters: District leaders argued the course aims to bridge gaps in students' professional skills and financial understanding, ensuring that students have tangible career documents and interview experience before graduation. The program also expands previously limited career-prep opportunities (from roughly 150 students to the whole class of about 440), increasing access to internships and employer connections.

Next steps: Staff plan implementation during the summer and welcomed continued employer engagement and community volunteers for mock-interview events.