The average student graduating from high school lacks the basic skills needed to manage personal finances. Many have no idea how to handle the basic principles involved with earning, spending, saving and investing. There are a wealth of programs available to assist schools, parents, and the community in helping our youth to achieve these skills.
Government Resources
- MyMoney.gov – Developed by the Financial Literacy and Education Committee, mymoney.gov is the U.S. government’s website dedicated to teaching all Americans the basics about financial education. Throughout the site, you will find important information from 20 federal agencies government-wide.
- Federal Reserve Bank of New York – The Federal Reserve Bank of New York offers workshops and seminars to educators from elementary school through junior college who teach personal finance principles; advisors to high school seniors and incoming college freshmen; trainers at community-based organizations and students at all education levels.
- Understanding Taxes – Understanding Taxes is a tax education course developed for middle school and high school curriculums. Understanding Taxes introduces students to tax terminology, tax history, politics and the economics of taxation as well as presenting several taxpayer simulations for an interactive experience with return preparation.
Business and Corporate Resources
- Stock Market Game – The SIFMA Foundations’s Stock Market Game™ (SMG) gives students the chance to invest a hypothetical $100,000 in an online portfolio. They think they’re playing a game. You know they’re learning economic and financial concepts they’ll use for the rest of their lives.
- The Mint – The Northwestern Mutual Foundation partnered with the National Council on Economic Education (NCEE) in creating TheMint.org, to emphasize personal financial literacy. The Web site provides tools to help parents as well as educators teach children about sound money management and establish good money habits at home.
- Practical Skills for Life – The Practical Skills for Life website provides online tools and resources including lesson plans, calculators, games, and a banking tutor which enable youths and consumers of all ages to practice better money management. In addition, Visa has created free classroom materials that educators can use to teach personal finance.
Nonprofit Resources
- The Summit Bank Foundation – The foundation produces and sponsors a program called the ABCs of Financial Literacy and provides comprehensive curriculum guides, lesson plans and weekly sets of newspapers at no cost to educators.
- NEFE HIgh School Financial Planning Program – NEFE curriculum includes student manuals, an instructor’s guide, and a number of Web pages that offer a large, continually growing collection of resources, articles, and financial tools for teachers, students, and parents.
- MoneySKILL – MoneySKILL is an online personal finance curriculum aimed at the millions of high school students who graduate each year without an understanding of credit cards, budgeting, insurance or other money management fundaments. MoneySKILL, aims to make the learning process more interesting and enjoyable by providing hands-on exercises and activities.
- Biz Kid$ – Biz Kid$ is an educational television show that teaches financial education and entrepreneurship to a preteen audience. It uses sketch comedy and young actors to explain basic economic concepts. Its motto is: "Where kids teach kids about money and business."
