In the coming days, students will begin to register for their courses next school year. WJ has some of the most diverse selection courses in the county, ranging from Astronomy to Child Development to American History through Film. Yet one course is noticeably neglected: Financial Mathematics.

Despite its importance, Financial Mathematics has been all too often left out and ignored by students and policymakers.

Currently, Financial Mathematics is offered as both a math and social studies elective course (named Financial Math and Personal Finance, respectively) yet very few select to take it as it is not a required course to graduate.

Even though it is not required, Financial Mathematics teaches students how to be independent, how to budget, how to pay taxes and so much more. The importance of saving money, especially during a time in which scammers prey on people who lack knowledge in personal finance, is more important now than ever before.

The easiest way for Montgomery County and the State of Maryland to achieve its goal of molding and preparing the next generation to be responsible citizens would be to require a semester-long Financial Mathematics course.

Recently, the Maryland Board of Education made it a requirement that students take a second semester of Health Education. Health is important. It is undeniably one of the most important courses students will take in high school. But if the Board cares about preparing students for the future, ignoring Financial Mathematics is not the way to go. MCPS could incorporate one semester of Financial Mathematics with one semester of health. This would prepare students with knowledge and skills that will serve them well beyond high school.