April is Financial Literacy Month! For the Council for Economic Education, Financial Literacy Month is a meaningful moment to share the work we do to equip K-12 students with the tools and knowledge of personal finance and economics. With a foundational understanding of personal finance, young people make informed financial decisions and create a better life, not only for themselves but those around them. But why should the rest of the U.S. celebrate this month? Because it’s a reminder about the importance of personal finance education and an opportunity to shine a spotlight on what teachers ..read more

Opportunities have greatly improved for young people across America to learn the essential personal finance knowledge they need to reach their full life-long economic potential. According to the Council for Economic Education’s latest biennial Survey of the States, more than two-thirds of all states are now requiring personal finance classes for high school graduation – up dramatically from 2022 when fewer than half the states had such mandates. Of these, 15 states require a semester-long course on personal finance – our gold standard. The 2024 Survey found that 35 states now require students ..read more

By Ignacio Laguarda This article originally appeared in the Stamford Advocate. STAMFORD — Teaching personal finance to high school students comes with plenty of challenges. “I find it difficult because kids are coming to the class with certain values and you don’t want to disrupt the family values,” said Theresa Fischer, an adjunct professor of economics at Manhattanville College in Purchase, N.Y. and Iona University in New Rochelle, N.Y. On Friday, Fischer asked a class of eight high school teachers to name some of the challenges they’ve faced teaching finance to their students. The ..read more

In 2023, CEE moved the needle on our mission. We refreshed our content, delivered best-in-class professional development, grew student engagement significantly, and expanded access to our programming. 2024 brings excitement as we celebrate our 75th anniversary. Our mission is enduring – there is always a next generation of students to support in building lives of stability and mobility using the tools and knowledge they gain from CEE. While we face a world with many challenges, we hope that you will continue to support our foundational work for children. View and download the CEE report About ..read more

At Council for Economic Education (CEE), we believe financial knowledge is for everyone–and girls are no exception. Our student program, Invest in Girls, encourages young women to take control of their own financial futures to create positive change for themselves and their families. The Invest in Girls Champions of Financial Literacy Breakfast is our annual IIG fundraising event, which celebrates role models and advocates who see the promise in young women.  Attendees enjoying each other’s company before the start of the program  This year’s breakfast featured Valerie Mosley, Fo ..read more

In celebration of Economic Education Month in October, we invited K-12 students nationwide to participate in an economics video contest. We asked students: “What economic advice would you give to your mayor?”  We received more than 400 video submissions!   The responses we received were inspiring! These students care deeply about their communities. They discussed the environment, inflation, housing shortages, ways to support local businesses, and much more. These students tackled complex economic concepts thoughtfully and with creativity.   It is with great pleasure an ..read more

In celebration of Economic Education Month this October, CEE is inviting students nationwide to participate in our econ student video contest! This contest offers K-12 students the chance to think about the many cool and interesting ways economics is part of their lives and the city or town they live in, while showing off their economics smarts and creativity!   Students are asked to answer “What economic advice would you give to your mayor?” Winners will receive cash prizes and be featured on our website and in social media.  In 2022, our Econ Ed Month student video contest re ..read more

With the nation’s leaders deeply divided over the federal budget and financial uncertainty facing families across America, high school students from coast to coast during October’s Economic Education Month will push educators and policymakers for access to the economic knowledge they need to evaluate what they see for themselves and for the economic skills they need to thrive now and into their futures.  Econ Ed Month activities, contests and advocacy toolkits from CEE and our nationwide affiliated network will help students, teachers and parents encourage legislators, school boards, dist ..read more

CEE’s 62nd Financial Literacy & Economic Education Conference attracted hundreds of educators from across the nation who are passionate about integrating financial literacy and economics into their classrooms. Attendees found themselves surrounded by like-minded teachers who share their dedication to offering their students the best of the best. It was a huge success!!  This year’s workshops, taught by respected educators and subject matter-experts, provided teachers with creative and engaging ways to teach the fundamentals of economics and personal finance and stay abreast of new tea ..read more

CEE is a leader in defining national standards for the teaching of K-12 personal finance, outlining what students should know by grade level. Our latest National Standards for Personal Financial Education, released in 2021, identify knowledge, skills, and decision-making abilities that young people should acquire during their education to prepare students for their lives as smart consumers. The six core areas of personal finance we identified, in partnership with the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, offer young people a base level of knowledge they should acquire for their ..read more