SPI Addresses Student Financial Literacy Benefits (2024)

  • Home
  • Newsroom
  • News Releases
  • Year 2023

SPI Addresses Student Financial Literacy Benefits (1)

California Department of Education
News Release

California Department of Education
News Release

Contact: Communications
E-mail: communications@cde.ca.gov
Phone: 916-319-0818

BERKELEY—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond met with students at Berkeley High School today to discuss the benefits of financial literacy and personal finance courses. Superintendent Thurmond is working to make sure elective classes like these are taught at all California high schools with his financial literacy bill, Assembly Bill 984 (McCarty), co-sponsored with California State Treasurer Fiona Ma, which would make personal finance and financial literacy a high school graduation requirement.

Students spoke about what they have learned in the class and how it has helped them make financial decisions. They also shared their support for making personal finance courses available to all high school students.

“Young Californians are entering the workforce and higher education with very little understanding of financial literacy. This is deeply concerning, since students with higher financial literacy are more likely to invest in a savings account, prepare for retirement, and manage their debt,” Superintendent Thurmond said. “Access to financial literacy is also an equity issue that is directly reflected through racial wealth gaps. Only 27 percent of California high school students attend schools that offer personal finance classes. Ensuring that all young Californians have exposure to financial literacy is a vital step in closing inequality gaps and providing the skills and resources to improve their lives overall.”

Research shows that students who have access to high-quality financial education have better financial outcomes as adults that result in less debt and a higher quality of life. This is why the California Department of Education partnered with California-based nonprofit Next Gen Personal Finance to provide teacher stipends and professional development for financial literacy. Last August, Superintendent Thurmond announced that he secured $1.4 million in private funding for teachers in California high schools to receive professional development courtesy of Next Gen Personal Finance so they can teach financial literacy.

State Superintendent Thurmond was joined at the event by Tim Ranzetta, co-founder of Next Gen Personal Finance; Enikia Ford Morthel, Superintendent of Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD); Laura Babitt, President of the BUSD School Board; and Crystal Rigley, personal finance teacher at Berkeley High School.

Superintendent Thurmond’s funding builds on the $3.5 billion Arts, Music, and Instructional Materials Discretionary Block Grant to county offices of education, school districts, charter schools, and the State Special Schools that can be used to expand financial literacy course offerings. The one-time grant is available for encumbrance through the 2025–26 fiscal year and is allocated on a per-pupil basis.

# # # #

Tony Thurmond —State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5602, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100

Last Reviewed: Thursday, March 30, 2023

Trending in News Releases

  • Year 2024
  • 2024 California Distinguished Schools Announced
  • 2022–23 California Statewide Assessment Results
  • California Approves Revised Math Framework
  • SPI Addresses Student Financial Literacy Benefits (this page)

  • SPI Supports an Office of Civil Rights at CDE
  • California School Dashboard 2023 Update Released
  • Landmark Legislation for Paid Pregnancy Leave
  • 2019-20 High School Graduation and Dropout Rates
  • 2021–22 Statewide School Enrollment Data
  • 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools Announced

Recently Posted in News Releases

  • SPI Hosts California Apprenticeship Summit (added 18-Apr-2024)
    State Superintendent Thurmond hosts California Apprenticeship Summit to connect California’s youth to high-wage opportunities.
  • SPI Supports an Office of Civil Rights at CDE (added 09-Apr-2024)
    State Superintendent Thurmond announces support for establishing an Office of Civil Rights at California Department of Education.
  • SPI Announces 2024 California Purple Star Schools (added 03-Apr-2024)
    State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announces the 2024 California Purple Star Schools.
  • SPI Tony Thurmond Honored with Cesar Chavez Award (added 28-Mar-2024)
    State Superintendent Thurmond honored with Cesar Chavez Award for empowering farm working families and underserved communities.
  • Personal Finance Education Summit Recap (added 26-Mar-2024)
    State Superintendent Tony Thurmond announces support for personal finance graduation requirement and recruitment of finance education task force during summit.

  • SPI Names Inaugural Model Community Day Schools (added 18-Mar-2024)
    State Superintendent Tony Thurmond announces inaugural Model Community Day Schools.
  • Response to State of the Union Address (added 08-Mar-2024)
    State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Releases Statement in Response to State of the Union Address
  • Landmark Legislation for Paid Pregnancy Leave (added 26-Feb-2024)
    State Superintendent Tony Thurmond joins coalition of teachers, elected leaders, and allies to announce landmark legislation for paid pregnancy leave for school employees.
SPI Addresses Student Financial Literacy Benefits (2024)

FAQs

How does financial literacy benefit students? ›

Budgeting becomes a crucial skill in college life, helping students navigate expenses like tuition, housing, and everyday costs while preventing overspending and financial stress. Improved financial literacy also has the power to significantly boost your ability to accumulate wealth over time.

What are the benefits of teaching children financial literacy? ›

Teaching financial literacy at a younger age helps children develop healthy, lifelong financial habits. The main principles of financial literacy include earning, saving, investing, protecting, spending, and borrowing.

What are the benefits of financial literacy seminar? ›

Financial Literacy Training: Boosting Employee Empowerment
  • Alleviating Financial Stress. ...
  • Retirement Planning Incentives. ...
  • Improved Benefit Decision-Making. ...
  • Boosted Savings and Investment Engagement. ...
  • Enhanced Credit Management. ...
  • Empowerment in Financial Crisis Management. ...
  • Promotion of a Healthy Work-Life Balance.

What are the three most important aspects of financial literacy? ›

Three Key Components of Financial Literacy
  • An Up-to-Date Budget. Some tend to look at the word “budget” as tantamount to the word “diet,” but at its most basic, a budget is just a spending plan. ...
  • Dedicated Savings (and Saving to Spend) ...
  • ID Theft Prevention.

How does financial literacy affect students academic performance? ›

Students with higher financial literacy tend to have a better understanding of the returns to education and are more motivated to learn at school. Additionally, financial literacy, including digital financial literacy, is crucial for sound financial management, especially in the digital era.

What are the five principles of financial literacy? ›

This article will explore the five basic principles of financial literacy: earn, save & invest, protect, spend, and borrow, providing you with actionable insights to enhance your financial knowledge and make the most of your resources.

What are the positive effects of financial literacy? ›

Financial literacy helps you manage your money wisely, make sound financial decisions, and achieve financial stability in life. On top of this, financial literacy also helps you get through the unexpected moments in life – like a medical emergency or a sudden loss of employment.

Why is financial literacy important for youth? ›

Equipping young people with the tools to manage their money effectively helps them avoid the cycle of debt and economic insecurity that plagues many Americans well into adulthood, giving them the foundation to build a secure financial future.

What are the pros and cons of learning financial literacy? ›

In conclusion, financial literacy has both its advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, being financially literate can help individuals make more informed decisions with their money and avoid debt. On the other hand, financial literacy can also lead to people becoming more materialistic and obsessed with money.

What are the four main types of financial literacy? ›

Financial literacy is well within the reach of anyone of any level of education. What is financial literacy? Financial literacy is having a basic grasp of money matters and its four fundamental pillars: debt, budgeting, saving, and investing.

What are the benefits of financial skills? ›

Strong financial knowledge and decision-making skills help people weigh options and make informed choices for their financial situations, such as deciding how and when to save and spend, comparing costs before a big purchase, and planning for retirement or other long-term savings.

How to enhance financial literacy? ›

6 ways to improve your financial literacy
  1. Subscribe to financial newsletters. For free financial news in your inbox, try subscribing to financial newsletters from trusted sources. ...
  2. Listen to financial podcasts. ...
  3. Read personal finance books. ...
  4. Use social media. ...
  5. Keep a budget. ...
  6. Talk to a financial professional.

How does financial literacy help students? ›

Financial literacy classes teach students the basics of money management: budgeting, saving, avoiding debt, investing, giving and more. That knowledge lays a foundation for students to build strong money habits early on and avoid many of the mistakes that lead to lifelong money struggles.

What are the three C's in financial literacy? ›

Students classify those characteristics based on the three C's of credit (capacity, character, and collateral), assess the riskiness of lending to that individual based on these characteristics, and then decide whether or not to approve or deny the loan request.

How to teach financial literacy to kids? ›

How to Teach Preschoolers and Kindergartners About Money
  1. Use a clear jar for their savings. ...
  2. Set an example with your own money habits. ...
  3. Show them stuff costs money. ...
  4. Show them how opportunity cost works. ...
  5. Give commissions, not allowances. ...
  6. Avoid impulse buys. ...
  7. Stress the importance of giving. ...
  8. Teach them contentment.
Jan 9, 2024

Why is financial literacy critical to a students success in life? ›

Instilling financial responsibility at a young age sets students on the path to long-term financial wellness. By emphasizing concepts such as living within one's means, avoiding debt traps, and planning for the future, financial literacy education cultivates responsible financial habits that can last a lifetime.

What are the pros and cons of financial literacy? ›

In conclusion, financial literacy has both its advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, being financially literate can help individuals make more informed decisions with their money and avoid debt. On the other hand, financial literacy can also lead to people becoming more materialistic and obsessed with money.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Geoffrey Lueilwitz

Last Updated:

Views: 6756

Rating: 5 / 5 (60 voted)

Reviews: 83% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Geoffrey Lueilwitz

Birthday: 1997-03-23

Address: 74183 Thomas Course, Port Micheal, OK 55446-1529

Phone: +13408645881558

Job: Global Representative

Hobby: Sailing, Vehicle restoration, Rowing, Ghost hunting, Scrapbooking, Rugby, Board sports

Introduction: My name is Geoffrey Lueilwitz, I am a zealous, encouraging, sparkling, enchanting, graceful, faithful, nice person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.