The Star-Ledger reports that the Senate Education Committee approved a pilot program for six schools to begin a mandated basic finance course for high school seniors — stuff like balancing a check book, applying for a mortgage, and managing credit card debt. The approval was in spite of objections from Democrat Jim Whelan, who had concerns about jamming all these new requirements into the school day, and the NJEA, who said that these sort of skills could be taught in existing courses.