Create a Federal education standard for applied mathematics.

By applied mathematics we mean understanding the most important aspects of math that apply to almost everyone. There is no reason anyone should leave school without understanding tax forms, basic accounting, home mortgages, interest rates, car loans, equity, assets, credit cards, savings, retirement plans, how to handle petty cash and bookkeeping for small business, etc. etc. Ad naseum. Not having parents who understand these things shouldn't mean you don't learn these things, but in many communities that is what happens and it surely a leading reason the children of lower class parents end up exactly where there parents did; buried in debt with no savings. Even those with no interest in bussiness will be better employees when they understand how their employer stays afloat.