Financially Ready: Meeting Louisiana’s New TOPS Mandate

Beginning with the graduating class of 2028, the State of Louisiana now requires high school students to earn a financial literacy credit to be eligible for the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) scholarship. This landmark policy ensures that every student graduates with a foundational understanding of personal finance from budgeting and credit to investing and long-term financial planning.

Junior Achievement of Greater New Orleans has worked alongside colleagues across Louisiana and the national JA network to develop a comprehensive financial literacy curriculum that fulfills every requirement outlined by the Louisiana Department of Education. JA’s program not only satisfies the state mandate, it also strengthens it by combining standards-aligned instruction with real-world application and experiential learning.

For the 2025–2026 school year, JA is partnering with 22 high schools, serving 1,629 students across six parishes:

• Orleans

• St. John the Baptist

• St. Mary

• St. Tammany

• Terrebonne

• Washington

From the river parishes to the Northshore and Greater New Orleans, schools are implementing JA’s full-year financial literacy course to ensure students remain on track for graduation and TOPS eligibility.

JA’s approach goes beyond textbooks.

Through our year-long course, students gain practical knowledge while engaging directly with community volunteers who bring financial concepts to life. Business leaders, bankers, and financial professionals help students understand how budgeting, credit, investing, and risk management operate in the real world — not just on paper.

Students also participate in immersive experiences like JA Finance Park, where they step into adult financial roles, manage simulated monthly budgets, make spending and saving decisions, and navigate real-world financial trade-offs. These hands-on components deepen comprehension and build lasting confidence.

Recognizing that schools and students have different needs, the state has approved alternative pathways for earning the financial literacy credit, including a proficiency exam option.

JA developed a state-approved financial literacy exam and offers a shortened preparatory workshop to equip students with the key concepts necessary to demonstrate mastery. This flexible pathway ensures rigorous standards while expanding access.

At Isidore Newman School, students are participating in a modified preparatory curriculum created by JA and led by volunteer Michael Davis, who recently retired from Merrill Lynch. Drawing on decades of financial industry experience, Michael leads instructional workshops focused on investing, long-term planning, and wealth building.

The banking portion of the program is hosted by Liberty Bank and Trust Company, giving students direct exposure to real-world banking practices and financial services. This collaboration reflects JA’s commitment to pairing high-quality curriculum with meaningful industry partnership.

Financial literacy is about more than earning a credit. It is about equipping young people with the tools to manage income, build credit, avoid costly mistakes, invest wisely, and make informed decisions that shape their long-term financial stability.

As Louisiana raises expectations for students, JA is proud to provide turnkey, high-quality solutions that meet the mandate at scale, ensuring students graduate not only TOPS-eligible, but confident, capable, and prepared for what’s next.