JA Poised to Partner with Educators for Connecticut Financial Literacy Requirement
Author: Junior Achievement of Southwest New England
Financial Literacy
Published:
Friday, 29 Sep 2023
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Image caption: High School Students Studying Finances
JA Poised to Partner with Educators to Implement Programming For Connecticut’s New High School Financial Literacy Requirement
Earlier this year, Connecticut’s General Assemly passed a new law that took effect on July 1, 2023, requiring high school students beginning with this year’s freshman class, to complete a half-credit course in personal financial management and financial literacy to be eligible for graduation.
Image caption: Section of SB 1165
In our view, the new Connecticut law provides an unprecedented opportunity to strengthen the personal financial management and financial literacy knowledge and skills of Connecticut’s youth, and we are poised to work with educators to make the most of this new requirement.
JA is Built For This
For more than 70 years, Junior Achievement of Southwest New England has been working closely with school districts across Connecticut, and tens of thousands of our state’s students, to provide coursework in financial literacy, entrepreneurship and career readiness. Last year alone, JA delivered high-quality economic education to more than 30,000 Connecticut students in 71 school districts and hundreds of schools, including 85 high schools throughout the state. JA’s commitment to elevating financial literacy spans generations of students, which is why it is incorporated in age-appropriate ways into programs from Kindergarten through 12th grade.
Our curricula, validated across the country, align with various National, State, and District Educational Standards including the Connecticut Curriculum Framework, Common Core Standards, and The National Standards for Personal Financial Education,and are delivered by our local staff of 18 experts augmented by more than
1,200 volunteers from businesses across the state. In fact, soon several of our high school courses will earn students free college credits at Central Connecticut State University, University of Hartford, and University of Saint Joseph.
The JA Effect is Remarkable
Through our unique programming and educational approach, JA’s impact is unmistakable:
• 82 percent of Junior Achievement alumni agree they have a strong financial footing
• Earn 20% more than their non-JA peers and 73% are more likely to save for retirement
• 84 percent of JA Alumni agree that their Junior Achievement experience helped with their financial literacy
• JA alumni are 30% more likely to have a Bachelors’ degree and 67% more likely to have an Advanced degree
• 88% of JA alumni say they are satisfied with their careers compared to 49% of the public
Join Us
JA is poised to help educators meet this new mandate with flexible solutions aligned to standards and local staff support. If you want to do more to empower the next generation’s financial literacy and success, let’s talk. We can build customized programming and help you figure out the best way to engage your students where they are. Please contact our Director of Education, Nicole Diorio, to explore ways we can collaborate.
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