SmarterTexas.org

Dear High School Personal Financial Literacy Teachers (Economics, Career, Math and Others):

The Council for Economic Education (CEE), in conjunction with the Texas Council on Economic Education and the Global Center for Financial Literacy (GCFL), is undertaking a research study exploring the effectiveness of a financial literacy resource, Financial Fitness for Life (FFFL).  We seek your support in carrying out this study.  The study will require a pool of high school economics and career teachers who have never used Financial Fitness for Life in their classrooms nor received training in how to teach the lessons.

Briefly, the primary objective of this research proposal is to test whether students in classes led by teachers who are well trained in using Financial Fitness for Life® demonstrate a level of knowledge and performance greater than that of students whose teachers did not receive training or use FFFL. The study will determine whether training in and use of FFFL changes:

1. Students’ knowledge in fundamental financial and economics concepts;
2. Teachers’ knowledge in fundamental financial and economics concepts;
3. Teachers’ instructional practices.

The study will provide a rigorous evaluation of the effectiveness of the Financial Fitness for Life high school-level curriculum, following best practice assessment standards in education project evaluation. Specifically, analysis will compare outcomes for high school students and teachers in two treatment groups—those exposed to training using the Financial Fitness for Life curriculum and those who receive the materials but do not receive training—with their counterparts in a control group after coursework has been completed.

Please read the full details about the 2013-2014 study here

Dear High School Personal Financial Literacy Teachers (Economics, Career, Math and Others):

The Council for Economic Education (CEE), in conjunction with the Texas Council on Economic Education and the Global Center for Financial Literacy (GCFL), is undertaking a research study exploring the effectiveness of a financial literacy resource, Financial Fitness for Life (FFFL).  We seek your support in carrying out this study.  The study will require a pool of high school economics and career teachers who have never used Financial Fitness for Life in their classrooms nor received training in how to teach the lessons.

Briefly, the primary objective of this research proposal is to test whether students in classes led by teachers who are well trained in using Financial Fitness for Life® demonstrate a level of knowledge and performance greater than that of students whose teachers did not receive training or use FFFL. The study will determine whether training in and use of FFFL changes:

1. Students’ knowledge in fundamental financial and economics concepts;
2. Teachers’ knowledge in fundamental financial and economics concepts;
3. Teachers’ instructional practices.

The study will provide a rigorous evaluation of the effectiveness of the Financial Fitness for Life high school-level curriculum, following best practice assessment standards in education project evaluation. Specifically, analysis will compare outcomes for high school students and teachers in two treatment groups—those exposed to training using the Financial Fitness for Life curriculum and those who receive the materials but do not receive training—with their counterparts in a control group after coursework has been completed.

Please read the full details about the 2013-2014 study here

The Capitol Hill Challenge (CHC) is a special edition of the Stock Market Game™ (SMG) program that matches Members of the US Congress with students, teachers, and schools in their district. The top 5 teams nationally win a trip to Washington DC.

Using the nationally recognized Stock Market Game™ investment simulation, student teams from over 50 schools are developing important real life personal finance skills as they attempt to increase the value of their virtual $100,000 online investment account. They also apply important academic skills in math, economics, career/technical and language arts.. The competition runs from February 4 through May 9, 2013. Good luck to all of the Texas students.

The Stock Market Game™ simulation is just one example of the personal financial literacy programs that the Texas Council on Economic Education provides students across Texas. The Capitol Hill Challenge is offered by the SIFMA Foundation. Please visit smg.economicstexas.org for more information on the Stock Market Game Program.

Click here to see a complete list of participating schools and teachers.

Floresville Teacher Gregg Rchards with Rep Cueller

Teachers:  Use online  competitions to encourage students to study economic and financial literacy concepts.  The Texas Council on Economic Education is hosting three online competitions beginning March 4 and ending March 22.

• The Economics Challenge has two divisions for high school students.
• The Personal Financial Literacy Challenge has a category for students in middle school and a category for students in high school

These competitions are free and serve as a great way to learn how well your students are learning key concepts. For each team that a teacher registers, he/she will have a chance to win $100.  In other words, if a teacher registers 100 teams in PFL, his/her name will be entered 100 times in the PFL $100 drawing.  The same holds true for the Economics Challenge.

The online competitions assess knowledge of economics and/or financial literacy. Teachers can register students in teams of three or four at www.economicstexas.org

Students can compete in both the Economics Challenge and the PFL Challenge. The students take the tests individually and the computer averages the three top scores for each team. There is three-week windows in which you can have students take the test, but once a team member begins the test, the other team members must complete their tests within 3 hours.

In all categories, the top scoring high school teams will be invited to attend the state competition at the Bullock Museum in Austin on April 5, 2013. The top two winning teams in each competition and their sponsors will receive cash prizes.

The middle school PFL winning teams will be determined based on their online scores during the March testing.  The 1st and 2nd place winning teams and teachers will win cash prizes.

The top online high school winning PFL teams will be invited to the state play-offs in Austin.  The first place high school PFL Challenge team for the state will participate in a national final competition at the St. Louis, MO Federal Reserve Bank.  The travel expenses for the teachers and students will be covered by the Council for Economic Education.

High school students can compete in the Economics Challenge either in the Adam Smith division (IB and AP students and students who have competed in prior years) or the David Ricardo division (on level students).  The first place high school winning teams in each division will participate in a proctored exam on their campus for regional finals.  If the Texas teams score in the top four positions nationally, the students and their sponsor(s) will attend the national championship in NYC, and expenses will be covered.

Please visit  www.economicstexas.org for more information about student challenges.

In summary, all online tests are to be taken between March 4 and 22, 2013.

•  Middle school students can compete in the PFL Challenge online.  The top two winning teams and teachers will receive cash prizes.  The state team will not go onto a national competition.
• The top high school PFL Challenge teams will compete in the state finals on April 5 in Austin. The top two teams and teachers will receive cash prizes.  The state champion team and teacher will participate in the national championship at the St. Louis Fed.
•  High School Ricardo and Smith Economics Challenge top teams in the state will compete in the Texas play-offs April 5.  The top two teams and teachers in each division will receive cash prizes. The top team in each division will participate in the regional test on their campus. If in the top four nationally, they will go to NYC for national finals.

 In other news from the Texas Council on Economic Education:

Greater Houston Area Teachers-help your students express their knowledge of financial literacy in an artistic manner.  Visit www.smartertexas.org for more information on the competition.  Students with winning artwork will receive cash prizes and will have their artwork included in a calendar. Deadline:  March 28, 2013.

The Texas Council on Economic Education will host its annual conference in San Antonio on June 20-21.  The sessions will provide lessons and support for teachers on entrepreneurship, financial literacy in math, senior economics course, and social studies economics strand.  Stay tuned to www.economicstexas.org for more information.

Download the Competition Flyers

Economics Challenge

Economics Challenge_Spring 2013

Personal Finance Challenge

Personal Finance Challenge_Spring 2013

2013 Houston Money Week Poster Contest:
Smarter Texans Save Instruction and Guidelines

Sponsored by Texas Council on Economic Education, Friends of Consumer Freedom and CopyDR

Awards Ceremony To Be Held At Cemo Hall,

University of Houston Bauer College Financial Symposium

www.economicstexas.org     www.smartertexas.org  

Overview
Texas Council on Economic Education (TCEE) will sponsor a poster contest for Houston area schools. The competition is in conjunction with the UH Bauer College Financial Symposium that is part of Houston Money Week 2013.  The deadline for entering the artwork is March 28, 2013.  The awards ceremony will be held at Cemo Hall at the University of Houston on April 13, 2013.

Using the rubric below for a campus based competition, each school may enter their top 5 posters from each grade band (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12) that address the theme, Smarter Texans Save.  Kindergarten through grade 12 students who live in the greater Houston metropolitan area are eligible to enter the poster competition.  Twelve winning students will have their artwork included in a calendar that will be distributed throughout the Houston area.

Deadline Date and Requirements

To be eligible for the poster contest, the completed forms must be submitted along with the artwork.

• Page 6:  Campus Poster Registration Affidavit to be completed by the sponsoring educator
• Page 7:  Student Poster Registration Form to be completed by student or parent and requires necessary adult signatures
• Page 8:  Poster Contest Rubric:  Smarter Texans Save to be completed by student or parent

For complete details and requirements, click here