FINDING A HOME FOR PERSONAL FINANCE EDUCATION

 Learning in which students demonstrate a thorough, in-depth mastery of challenging tasks to develop cognitive skills through reflective thought, analysis, problem- solving, evaluation, or creativity.  Learning in which students apply core knowledge, concepts, or skills to solve real- world problems.  Relevant learning is interdisciplinary and contextual.

THIS HAS BEEN ADDRESSED BY THE ADOPTION OF COMMON CORE STANDARDS IN ENGLISH AND MATH IN 40 STATES AND 3 TERRITORIES.

Curriculum that shows how academic knowledge and skills are used in “real world” applications may motivate more students to persevere in the academic courses that prepare them for college and careers

In general, integrated curriculum includes:  A combination of subjects  An emphasis on projects  Sources that go beyond textbooks  Relationships among concepts  Thematic units as organizing principles

Integration is performed by overtly making connections or creating combinations:  Agriculture/Social Studies  Nursing/Biology  Personal Finance/Algebra  Journalism/English Language Arts

 “The high school standards call on students to practice applying mathematical ways of thinking to real world issues and challenges; they prepare students to think and reason mathematically.”  “The high school standards set a rigorous definition of college and career readiness, by helping students develop a depth of understanding and ability to apply mathematics to novel situations, as college students and employees regularly do.”

In the wake of a painfully slow economic recovery, decision makers in some states are placing a greater emphasis on personal finance education at the high school level—and some states even require financial literacy classes for graduation.

 4 States require a mandatory semester course for graduation (Utah, Missouri, Tennessee, and Virginia)  8 States require an elective be offered  20 other States require that personal finance be incorporated in other subjects such as Math or Economics

According to the 2011 Teens & Money Survey conducted by investment firm Charles Schwab, among 16-to-18-year-olds surveyed, 86 percent said they would rather learn about money management in a class than make financial mistakes in the real world.

Florida adopted the Common Core Standards for Math and English on July 27, They were fully implemented and assessed in Florida has embedded all PF standards in an already overcrowded Economics curriculum taught in 12 th grade.

The CCS for Math are void of any Personal Finance Standards. Historically, weaker students find Algebra an insurmountable obstacle to graduation PF can offer relevance to an otherwise esoteric subject

 The curriculum playing field is already very crowded.  Teaching PF in the 12 th grade, like many states do, is too late.  The most vulnerable citizens often don’t reach 12 th grade.  Many teachers are uncomfortable teaching PF.

 We want all students to take personal finance at an early stage of their schooling.  Offering PF in ninth grade compliments the study of Algebra and can provide applications for improved understanding

 Algebra is taken in 8 th or 9 th grade.  It is a core requirement for graduation with a state mandated EOC.  Personal Finance offers “real world” applications that the CCS requires.  All students will be college and/or career prepared.

 Analyze monthly, annual, and life-long financial plans  Compute inflation problems that involve exponential growth  Summarize and interpret information from graphs, tables and charts.

 Can the DOE revisit its commitment to placing PF standards in the H.S. Econ curriculum?  Can a stand alone PF class be added in the ninth grade to compliment the teaching of Algebra?  Can the Algebra EOC eventually be edited to assess student’s understanding of PF when CCS is fully implemented?