Parents See Financial Institutions as Partners in Financial Education 

New research from Everfi reveals strong parent support for financial education and growing recognition that expanding access will require contributions from more than schools alone. Nearly 8 in 10 parents (79%) say they would trust a financial institution more if it provided financial education, while 76% believe financial institutions should give back to the communities they serve. As demand for financial education grows, families are looking beyond schools alone to help bring learning opportunities to more students. 

Demand for Financial Education Continues to Grow

Parents are clear about the importance of financial education. According to the survey, 88% believe personal finance should be required for high school graduation, and 87% say teaching children about money is just as important as traditional core subjects like reading, math, and science. Financial education is increasingly seen as a fundamental life skill rather than an enrichment opportunity. 

Yet many families remain uncertain whether students are receiving the instruction they need. Only 61% of parents report that their child has received financial education in school. As more states adopt graduation requirements and personal finance mandates, schools face increasing pressure to deliver instruction while managing limited curriculum time, staffing shortages, and budget constraints. The result is a growing implementation gap between what families want and what schools can provide on their own. For community-minded financial institutions, that gap represents an opportunity to create measurable local impact. 

Financial Education Is a Shared Responsibility

One of the clearest findings from the research is that parents do not view financial education as the responsibility of schools alone. Instead, they see a role for families, educators, community organizations, and financial institutions working together to help students develop practical financial skills. Parents are not asking financial institutions to replace teachers or design curriculum. Rather, they recognize that helping students gain access to quality financial education often requires additional resources, funding, and community support. The expectation is partnership. Schools provide trusted learning environments. Families reinforce lessons at home. Community organizations and financial institutions can help expand access and reach more learners. 

Financial Education Strengthens Community Relationships

For financial institutions, the findings highlight the value families place on organizations that invest in student success and support local schools. As communities look for ways to expand access to financial education, institutions that help make that possible have an opportunity to demonstrate their commitment in a meaningful and visible way. 

Parents are not simply supportive of financial education in theory. They recognize and value organizations that help make it available. The survey also found strong support for financial education programs sponsored by institutions. 64% believe privately funded financial education is appropriate, and 62% are comfortable with sponsor recognition through program branding. The findings suggest families support collaborative approaches that bring schools, communities, and financial institutions together to expand access 

What Leading Financial Institutions Are Doing Today

Across the country, financial institutions are finding new ways to help schools expand access to financial education. While approaches vary by community, the goal is often the same: provide students with practical financial skills while removing barriers that can make implementation difficult for schools. 

• When demand for financial education grew across Colorado, Canvas Credit Union worked with Everfi to expand access to financial education for students across eight counties, helping more young people access practical money management skills.

• In Louisiana and across the Gulf region, Home Bank sought a way to keep pace with growing demand for financial education. By removing financial and administrative barriers, Everfi helped expand access to high-quality learning opportunities while creating measurable community impact.

• For ORNL Federal Credit Union, the challenge was reaching students across 19 counties while prioritizing low- to moderate-income and rural communities. Everfi’s scalable approach to financial education helped extend learning opportunities without adding administrative burden.

• As Tennessee schools navigated personal finance requirements, SouthEast Bank partnered with Everfi to expand access to standards-aligned financial education, supporting both student learning and local implementation efforts.

While each approach is different, these examples reflect a common trend: financial institutions are moving beyond one-time financial literacy events and investing in long-term access to financial education. By helping schools deliver high-quality programming at scale, they are supporting student success while responding to a growing expectation from families that financial education be available to more learners. 

The Opportunity Ahead

Parents have made their expectations clear. They want students to graduate with practical financial skills, but they also recognize that schools cannot meet that need alone. The findings suggest that financial institutions have an important role to play in helping expand access to financial education and supporting student success.  

As demand for financial education continues to grow, organizations that invest in helping students build financial capability have an opportunity to strengthen trust, demonstrate community commitment, and contribute to long-term economic well-being. Increasingly, parents are viewing those investments not as optional acts of philanthropy, but as meaningful contributions to the communities they call home.  

Access the full Parent Sentiment Study to explore how parents view financial education, community investment, and the growing role financial institutions can play in expanding access for students nationwide.