New, framework-aligned program supports the College Board’s career-focused AP course launching in 2026–27

Built for real-world application, including entrepreneurship and personal finance

BFW Publishers announced today the launch of Business with Personal Finance for the AP® Course. The course launches as students and employers continue to call for clearer connections between school and life after graduation.

Launching in time for the 2026–27 school year, BFW Publishers offers the first book that is precisely aligned to the new AP® Business course’s Course and Exam Description Framework. It introduces students to entrepreneurship, marketing, finance, accounting, and management through real-world applications and project-based learning.

“This course gives students tools to launch and manage a business while also teaching them how to take control of their own finances,” said Shani Fisher, Senior Vice President, High School. “It’s real-world learning designed to help students understand how decisions get made, opportunities are created, and how choices can ripple through their lives and communities.”

The course is part of the College Board’s AP® Career Kickstart initiative, designed to blend AP rigor with career-relevant skills and credentials, and it comes at a time when students are asking for a clearer connection to life after graduation. The College Board Career+Skills report (Oct 2024) found that 85% of college-bound and 81% of non-college-bound students want more career exploration opportunities in high school.

“The growing interest in career exploration we’re seeing from students reflects a real shift in what they want from school,” said Alexa Schlechter, national CTE leader. “They want learning that feels connected to the decisions and opportunities ahead of them. When rigorous academic courses also introduce real-world concepts like business and personal finance, students begin to see how what they learn in the classroom can translate into possibilities after graduation.”

That interest is mirrored in the workforce, where employers continue to call for stronger career readiness. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce points to a persistent readiness gap, citing that 84% of employers say graduates are not workforce-ready. Further, 92% support more business education in high school.

Designed For Teachers Adopting The Brand New AP® Business Course

Business with Personal Finance for the AP® Course mirrors the framework’s five units and breaks instruction into 31 focused, classroom-ready modules. Classroom activities and project prompts encourage students to think like entrepreneurs and decision-makers, connecting marketing, finance, and management concepts to everyday choices. Program features include:

• Framework-matched organization: Five units aligned to the course framework to support pacing and planning.
• Real-world application: Case studies bring concepts to life, providing practice with both business decision-making and personal financial choices like homeownership, student loans, and retirement planning.
• Personal finance standards alignment: Incorporates standards developed by the Council for Economic Education and the Jump$tart Coalition.
• AP®-style practice and skill reinforcement: Practice integrated throughout to build exam readiness.
• Teacher support through Achieve: Includes planning and student engagement resources, including professional development videos, lecture slides, activity handouts, adaptive quizzing, assessment practice, and more.

As schools look to strengthen career readiness for their business programs without lowering academic expectations, AP® Business with Personal Finance sits at the intersection of AP® rigor and applied learning, aligning well with career-focused pathways and CTE programs.

“Business with Personal Finance for the AP® Course reflects our mission to inspire what’s possible for all learners by helping more students build practical, future-facing skills early on,” Fisher said.

Business with Personal Finance for the AP® Course will be available for purchase beginning March 2026 in print and digital formats. Educators can request a sample on the BFW Publishers website.

AP® is a trademark registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, this product.

About BFW Publishers

BFW Publishers is a privately-held, family-owned company that inspires what’s possible for every learner. We envision a world in which every learner succeeds. Through our content, tools and services, we aim to make that a reality. To learn more, please visit us at BFW Publishers.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260318383913/en/

It’s real-world learning designed to help students understand how decisions get made, opportunities are created, and how choices can ripple through their lives and communities - Shani Fisher, Senior Vice President, BFW Publishers