Louisiana State Representative Matt Willard is making a priority of emphasizing financial literacy in curriculums across the state. Willard told WWL’s Tommy Tucker he thinks this will help put the state more in line with national trends. “Nationally, students across the country are applying for FAFSA grants while Louisiana moves in the opposite direction,” Willard points out.
Willard adds that emphasizing financial literacy would be a roundabout way to let students know about their available options for colleges and other programs moving forward and hopes this will lead to more Louisiana residents seeking higher education. “We have a lot of students in Louisiana who come from poor households and don’t understand that college is a legitimate option for them. If they’re able to apply for TOPS and FAFSA and navigate those things, all of a sudden, higher education becomes possible for that student,” adds Willard.
The State Representative emphasizes that making these programs more available and easier to navigate will make Louisiana more competitive with surrounding states who attract more workers with college degrees.