We examine the extent to which mathematics is necessary for students to flourish, a principle that consists of realizing objective goods in a lifestyle endorsed from the inside. Our conclusion is that, through the end of compulsory schooling, all students should take coursework that fosters quantitative literacy, or the ability and disposition to use and interpret numbers as they manifest in daily life. In the same environment, formal mathematics should be included for all, but required in students' final years only as necessary for fulfilling one's goals. We pursue this argument recognizing the practical and sociopolitical challenges of implementation.