The next post is one in a series of inspiring stories from NGPF’s Gold Standard Challenge Grant Program, which encourages high schools and districts to commit to taking ALL students in personal finance before graduation. Learn more here and apply for your $2,500 to $30,000 Gold Standard Challenge Grant before the August 31, 2022 deadline.
About today’s guest author
David Curtis is a teacher at Union County High School in Morganfield, Kentucky. Their school is the 148th recipient of the Gold Standard Challenge scholarship. Here’s David describing Union County’s journey to the gold standard.
Describe a rough timeline for how you and/or your colleagues have been able to advocate for personal finance to become a graduating requirement in your school/district. How long did it take? What were the key progress milestones?
I gave up insurance and returned to education to continue working. I got algebra 2 lessons to get extra credits. A state exam was taken for some classes and for all Juniors. I started using some financial topics as additional material.
What challenges have you encountered in your pursuit of making personal finance a graduate requirement, and what solutions have you found to these challenges?
I advocate it as a requirement rather than Algebra 2, which our state required as a graduation requirement. Not everyone will use Algebra 2 topics after graduation, but everyone will use financial literacy in one way or another.
What/who were the “catalysts for change” that made your efforts successful?
Evan Jackson, the high school principal. Amy Nelson, the Assistant Director and Nicole Thomas, the Registration Guide counselor and coordinator.
Which stakeholders (students, parents, admin, business leaders, school board, etc.) were helpful partners in your quest to fulfill the graduation requirement?
Parents, business leaders and school administration were very helpful. Our high school requires 4 years of math as a graduation requirement. We could use personal finance as the 4th year math for many students. Mr Jackson, our director was on board from the start.
This post Mission 2030 Guest Post: David Curtis advocated personal finance as a fourth-year math option
was original published at “https://www.ngpf.org/blog/advocacy/mission-2030-david-curtis-advocated-personal-finance-as-4th-year-math/”
