District Administration - September 2010 - (Page 70)

A Bull Market for Financial Literacy materials?” the report asks. “The data doesn’t indicate the reasons why.” Most respondents were members of Business Professionals of America, a program in 23 states that helps students develop career goals and skills; others were members of the New Jersey Coalition for Financial Education, a nonprofit that includes many teachers and other education professionals, and the Pennsylvania Parent Teacher Association. Vince Shorb, CEO of the National Financial Educators Council, finds that individual teachers, rather than districts, tend to contact his organization in search of materials that help them integrate the topic into existing courses. “That’s one of the biggest challenges we face—the time to squeeze financial literacy in with these other courses,” he says. “Another key thing is how to deliver it in a way [students] can relate to. … We work on shifting the language and putting ourselves in the students’ shoes. What would have motivated you to save money?” The Programs The educators’ council partnered with Mesa County Valley School District 51 in Grand Junction, Colo., to stage an event called “Money Month” in April. More than 150 volunteers went into classrooms to deliver practical financial skills as well as more philosophical discussions about values that Shorb says are essential. “We don’t want them striving for the In Chicago, Kennedy High School teacher Arlette Harris, standing above, uses free curricula from the National Endowment for Financial Education in her lessons to students. The material provides depth on subjects like investing, retirement planning and budgeting. money? It’s about lifestyle design.” District 51 requires a semester course in economics or finance that can be fulfilled within the personal finance or independent living classes, according to Bill Larsen, the district’s executive director of high schools. The courses are aimed primarily at juniors and seniors, and the district has mostly implemented them within “Another key thing is how to deliver it in a way students can relate to. We work on shifting the language and putting ourselves in the students’ shoes.” —Vince Shorb, CEO, National Financial Educators Council nice purse and the nice pants,” he says. Rather, the goal is to lead them to ask questions like: “What truly makes you happy? What role does money play in your life? … What tradeoffs are you willing to make? Do you want to work an 80-hour [per week] job so you can have a ton of 70 September 2010 the social studies department. “There’s a feeling right now that we’re overloaded in math,” Larsen says. “We wanted more mature students, on their way out of high school, so that financial literacy could become life habits as they’re closer to driving and making big choices.” Among the more widely used curricula is the free program from the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE). In its 26th year, this program is used in all 50 states and reaches probably 700,000 students per year, says Paul Golden, media relations manager. The seven lessons build upon one another while covering budgeting, spending, credit and insurance and other related topics. While even toddler-aged children can understand financial literacy concepts like needs versus wants, Golden says, “high school is the big entry point because these kids are thinking about what kinds of jobs they want to have, whether they’re going to go to college or into the workforce. They’re savvy enough to pay attention to how their District Administration

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - September 2010

District Administration - September 2010
Contents
From the Editor
News Update
Inside the Law
Conversations
District Profile
Administrator Profile
A Salary Recession for School Administrators?
Working Hard in the Big Easy
School Safety Gets the Ax
Keeping Schools Safe during Challenging times
Google and Microsoft Go to School
A Bull Market for Financial Literacy
Problem/ Solution
Tech Disruptions
Student Counsel
Product Focus
New Products
Superintendent’s Insights

District Administration - September 2010