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A Personal Finance Teacher’s Aide

Scholarships are available to this November’s Jump$tart National Educator Conference in Washington, DC

by Shane Tripcony

The statistics paint a grim picture. According to the 2012 “Financial Literacy Survey of Adults,” two in five Americans gave themselves a grade of C, D, or F on their knowledge of personal finance topics. And if anything, the survey results indicate that those marks may have been too generous.

Indeed, 56 percent of those surveyed conceded that they don’t have a household budget and 39 percent reported not having any non-retirement savings. Ensuring that today’s young people don’t eventually find themselves in the same financial predicament as their elders is one of the main goals of the Jump$tart Coalition’s National Educator Conference, which will be held in the nation’s capital this November 1 through November 3.

Now in its fifth year, this annual conference is devoted to providing Pre-K through grade 12 teachers with the knowledge and resources they need to effectively instruct students about a wide range of personal finance topics. Designed with classroom teachers in mind – both those who lead stand-alone courses in personal finance or who incorporate it into other classes – this year’s gathering will include sessions on everything from curriculum development to what constitutes smart college borrowing for high school students to Federal Reserve Bank resources available to secondary educators.

The credit bureau Experian recently announced that it would provide 20 scholarships to teachers that have not attended the conference before. Experian, one of the underwriters of this year’s conference, will cover attendees’ registration fee of $395, all conference meals and receptions as well as two nights in a hotel; travel and incidental expenses are not included. Anyone interested in applying for the scholarship should email [email protected] and include the following information: the teacher’s full name; the full name and address of the school or school district where the teacher is employed; and a short description of the course or unit in which the applicant teaches personal finance.

All applicants must be full-time, licensed and certified teachers currently employed by a school district. Although there is no deadline to apply, scholarships will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

Author: Shane Tripcony

  • A Personal Finance Teacher’s Aide

    A Personal Finance Teacher’s Aide

    Scholarships are available to this November’s Jump$tart National Educator Conference in Washington, DC

    by Shane Tripcony

    The statistics paint a grim picture. According to the 2012 “Financial Literacy Survey of Adults,” two in five Americans gave themselves a grade of C, D, or F on their knowledge of personal finance topics. And if anything, the survey results indicate that those marks may have been too generous.

    Indeed, 56 percent of those surveyed conceded that they don’t have a household budget and 39 percent reported not having any non-retirement savings. Ensuring that today’s young people don’t eventually find themselves in the same financial predicament as their elders is one of the main goals of the Jump$tart Coalition’s National Educator Conference, which will be held in the nation’s capital this November 1 through November 3.

    Now in its fifth year, this annual conference is devoted to providing Pre-K through grade 12 teachers with the knowledge and resources they need to effectively instruct students about a wide range of personal finance topics. Designed with classroom teachers in mind – both those who lead stand-alone courses in personal finance or who incorporate it into other classes – this year’s gathering will include sessions on everything from curriculum development to what constitutes smart college borrowing for high school students to Federal Reserve Bank resources available to secondary educators.

    The credit bureau Experian recently announced that it would provide 20 scholarships to teachers that have not attended the conference before. Experian, one of the underwriters of this year’s conference, will cover attendees’ registration fee of $395, all conference meals and receptions as well as two nights in a hotel; travel and incidental expenses are not included. Anyone interested in applying for the scholarship should email [email protected] and include the following information: the teacher’s full name; the full name and address of the school or school district where the teacher is employed; and a short description of the course or unit in which the applicant teaches personal finance.

    All applicants must be full-time, licensed and certified teachers currently employed by a school district. Although there is no deadline to apply, scholarships will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

  • Study: Post Recession Changed Behaviors and Attitudes

    Study: Post Recession Changed Behaviors and Attitudes

    New research by Chase and Aite Group reveals how the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression has affected Americans

    by Shane Tripcony

    The so-called Great Recession may have officially ended in June of 2009, but its impact has proved to be longer lasting. That is the main finding of a recent study conducted by Aite Group on behalf of Chase Blueprint.

    The study’s results, released in August, were drawn from interviews of over 1,200 American consumers.  Participants were asked how they have managed their finances since the end of the economic downturn and how their experience during the recession has changed their approach to money management. According to the study’s findings, the summer of 2009 was by no means the beginning of rosy economic times for many people. While it’s true that the number of respondents who rated their economic health as “excellent” grew from 18 percent in 2010 to 22 percent in 2013, the percentage of those deemed their finances “very poor” also spiked, from seven percent to ten percent.

    A sizable chunk of survey respondents also reported losing financial ground since the start of the economic recovery. Among those who declared their financial life either “excellent” or “decent” in 2010, 25 percent said it had deteriorated in subsequent years.

    Even though better economic times have not benefited everyone, the study offers proof that many Americans are more in control of their personal finances today. In 2010, only 41 percent of those polled considered themselves financially literate. Today, that number has risen to 55 percent. The biggest improvement was seen in the Generation Y demographic, largely people in their twenties and a segment of the population especially hard hit by the recession. Among that group, there was a 78 percent increase in those who consider themselves financially literate, from 28 percent in 2010 to over 50 percent today.

    Improved financial savvy also appears to be translating into better habits. For instance, survey respondents reported saving more money and spending less today than in the past. Additionally, those who have seen their financial health improve since the end of the recession are also far more likely to pay off their credit card bills in full every month than before the downturn. In 2008, only 43 percent of that group would completely erase their credit card debt monthly. Today, that number is closer to 60 percent.

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