This fall, Brooklyn Tech piloted a brand new financial literacy course called Dollars and Sense: From Broke Tech Knight to Millionaire Alum, or Dollars and Sense for short. The class was created to teach students the basics of personal finances before they embark into adulthood and have to manage their own accounting. 

Developed and taught by Physics teacher Mr. Raymond Bradshaw, this is the first course at Tech dedicated to real world financial literacy rather than broad business and economic content. There are currently two sections of the semester-long elective that swaps with civics courses for the senior year government and economics graduation credit. 

Bradshaw pitched his class idea to Assistant Principal of Social Studies, Dr. Judith Jeremie, to address a gap in students’ education. 

“The only class that is really purely financial literacy is Dollars and Sense,” said Jeremie. “A lot of courses touch on money briefly, but this is an entire course focused on how students actually manage their finances in real life.” She also mentioned that “there was a real need [and] the Chancellor has been pushing for more financial literacy opportunities citywide.”

Bradshaw identified a need for the class, having heard from students asking for financial education. 

“There was no class teaching students how to invest, bank, understand credit, taxes, or even how to pay for college, he said. “These are things you deal with every day as an adult.”

Typically, such classes would be limited to Finance majors, despite their real world usefulness. Rose Morden (‘27), finance major, echoed this sentiment, saying “account classes are useful, and I am happy that the new class is open to all majors.” 

Bradshaw’s observation about growing demand is reflected by student consensus. A poll conducted by The Survey found that 43 out of 50 students affirmed an interest in taking a personal finance class, yet only six said they were aware that Tech even offered one. 

Dr. Jeremie believes part of the issue may be how students prioritize their schedules. 

“I’m very curious if students don’t even look at it because it’s a non-AP elective,” she explained.

Despite the interest, Dollars and Sense  still has open seats for the upcoming spring semester. Jeremie attributes this under-enrollment to how selectively students choose classes. 

“APs tend to stand out more on course selection forms,”  she noted. “If it’s not tied to a credit they need, they might skip past it.”

Student interest will play a major role in determining whether the program expands. 

“It genuinely excites me to see students wanting more financial literacy,” said Jeremie. “If the feedback is positive and the interest continues, that is something we absolutely take into account when looking at future sections”.

Students currently enrolled voiced that the class offers skills they had never formally learned before. Maya Nover (Architecture ‘26) expressed that the course has exceeded their expectations. 

“I didn’t really know what personal finance was before,” they claimed. “Now I’ve learned about budgeting, investing, Roth IRAs, 401(k)s, and how to manage a bank account. My eyes have been opened to what I can actually do to prepare for my future.”

This class is not Tech’s only effort to serve students with more opportunities to become financially literate. This spring, the school will host its first Financial Literacy Festival on April 21, 2026; a day-long event for upperclassmen featuring guest speakers and discussion on money management by experts.

“April is Financial Literacy Month,” explained Bradshaw. “We want students to see the value of this before course selection [next year].”

For now, Dollars and Sense remains a small trial class. With increasing interest, there is hope that it may shape how Tech approaches financial education in the years ahead.