Great-West Promotes Financial Education in Public Schools

To help educators bring financial education to the classroom, the Great-West Great-Teachers financial literacy grant initiative will award up to 25 Colorado public school teachers a $5,000 grant for use during the 2011–2012 school year. The grant may be used to purchase supplies, further teachers’ financial education, fund field trips, and/or initiate other financial education activities and programs in the classroom.  

According to a Great-West press release, as required by national legislation enacted in 2008, new Personal Financial Literacy (PFL) expectations for grades K–12 were adopted by the state of Colorado in December 2009. Colorado House Bill 08-1168 requires PFL standards to be implemented in all public schools for the 2011–2012 school year.   

PFL grade level expectations are intended to provide students with the essential knowledge and skills that will enable them to manage personal checking, savings and investment accounts; design and maintain a household budget; manage personal debt and personal credit options; understand consumer credit and finance; and develop and evaluate risk-management strategies.  

“Great-West Great-Teachers’ grant program will allow teachers to deliver a personal finance curriculum in a hands-on, relevant manner to students. The importance of personal financial education will create wiser consumers and an informed citizenry. Teachers can design activities and lessons creatively to heighten student engagement,” said Pamela G. Patrick, MAT, Cherokee Trail High School Social Studies Department, in the press release.