Personal Finance
The competencies for the approved course in personal finance have been developed and are available. The State Board of Education approved an increase in the minimum high school graduation standards that includes a required half-unit course in personal finance. The State Board of Education approved this policy on October 6, 2005.
The competencies were developed by an advisory committee of business representatives; higher education officials; the Centers for Economics Education; and teachers from the areas of family and consumer sciences, business education, and social studies. Personnel from the Missouri Center for Career Education assisted the Department in developing the competencies.
As a starting point, teachers reviewed the personal finance standards from the JumpStart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy. They also reviewed the recommended content standards and benchmarks from the Missouri Council on Economic Education's Towards Economic and Financial Literacy: A Final Report.
DESE Online Personal Finance Assessment
Memorandums
- DESE Division of Career Education Program Memorandum (pdf) on Personal Finance as an Approved Career Education Course for Business and Family and Consumer Science Programs (12/12/07)
FAQs
Teacher Resources
- Personal Finance Competencies (pdf)
- Personal Finance Curriculum
- National Endowment for Financial Education educational resource materials
- Missouri Family Wage Calculator
News Releases
- Eureka Grad Aces National Finance Literacy Quiz (6/13/08)
- Schools Are Developing Required Classes in Personal Finance (10/18/2006)