FICO Partners with Banzai to Bring Credit Education to Millions of Students Nationwide
Partnership brings FICO's Score A Better Future® Fundamentals curriculum to 150,000 teachers through Banzai's education platform
Global analytics software leader FICO (NYSE:FICO) is transforming credit education for America's students. FICO is announcing a strategic partnership with financial literacy education platform, Banzai, that will deliver comprehensive FICO® Score and credit education to millions of K-12 students across more than 70% of U.S. schools.
FICO is driving action to ensure that the next generation of Americans understand credit fundamentals before graduation. The partnership will integrate FICO's Score A Better Future® Fundamentals —a free credit education program that equips teens with practical knowledge about how financial decisions made early in life can shape their futures— into Banzai's platform. The collaboration will also expand with the addition of new FICO Score® credit educational resources for 150,000 teachers nationwide who already use Banzai in the classroom. Students will engage in consequence‑free simulations that let them choose credit cards, see how payments affect their credit scores in real time, and build habits that support long‑term financial health.
"Meeting students, where they are, in the classroom is what makes this partnership powerful, and we're proud to be part of the very beginning of their financial education journeys," said Jenelle Dito, vice president of consumer empowerment and partnerships at FICO. "Financial literacy is a critical life-long skill for students to learn as they prepare for adulthood. Understanding how credit works and how their everyday financial decisions can influence future milestones like renting an apartment, financing a car, or paying for college is essential to building a secure financial future."
This partnership comes as financial literacy education accelerates nationwide. Thirty states now require high schoolers to take personal finance courses before graduation, with 10 fully implemented and 20 more working toward implementation by 2030. FICO's consumer survey conducted by The Harris Poll validates this trend, finding that 79 percent of Americans believe high schools should offer financial education, yet 28 percent of Gen Z adults don't consider themselves financially literate.
"FICO's credit expertise paired with our award-winning interactive approach creates a powerful financial education experience," said Morgan Vandagriff, CEO and co-founder at Banzai. "Students learn best in a safe classroom environment through hands-on learning, letting them practice making financial decisions and seeing the consequences firsthand. Integrating FICO's best in class credit education into our proven methodology gives teachers a comprehensive curriculum that meets state requirements while keeping students actively engaged."
The enhanced curriculum launches in March 2026, bringing comprehensive credit education to classrooms nationwide as students plan their futures and make their first key financial decisions.
"Financial literacy isn't optional anymore - it's a requirement by many states, and my students' futures depend on getting it right," said Sarah Blondin, Financial Literacy High School Teacher at Warren Mott high School and Banzai user of over ten years. "This partnership gives me confidence that what I'm teaching matches what students will actually encounter. When they see 'FICO® Score' on their first loan application, it won't be foreign terminology - it'll be something they've learned about, prepared for, and understand."
To learn more about FICO Score A Better Future® Fundamentals, visit: https://www.fico.com/sabf/fundamentals
To learn more about Banzai's education platform, visit: https://qrfy.io/r/banzai
To create a free teacher account, visit: https://qrfy.io/r/banzai-signup
About Banzai
Banzai is a leading provider of premium, interactive content for financial literacy and life skills education. Used by millions of students across thousands of schools nationwide, Banzai offers realistic, engaging simulations and comprehensive curricula designed to teach students how to navigate real-world personal finance challenges, including budgeting, saving, and managing credit. Banzai's programs are made available to schools and students free of charge, thanks to partnerships with financial institutions and sponsors committed to empowering the next generation with essential knowledge.
About FICO
FICO (NYSE:FICO) powers decisions that help people and businesses around the world prosper. Founded in 1956, the company is a pioneer in the use of predictive analytics and data science to improve operational decisions. FICO holds more than 200 US and foreign patents on technologies that increase profitability, customer satisfaction and growth for businesses in financial services, insurance, telecommunications, health care, retail and many other industries. Using FICO solutions, businesses in more than 80 countries do everything from protecting 4 billion payment cards from fraud, to improving financial inclusion, to increasing supply chain resiliency. The FICO® Score, used by 90% of top U.S. lenders, is the standard measure of consumer credit risk in the US and has been made available in over 40 other countries, improving risk management, credit access and transparency.
Learn more at https://www.fico.com/en.
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