Thinking Money: Save, Invest and Protect Yourself from Fraud Seminar

Financial Capability Month is upon us! Join the experts from AARP, FINRA, the SEC, the Offices of the Insurance Commissioner, Secretary of State, and the Washington State Department of Financial institutions on April 26^th from 9:00 AM-2:15 PM for a free consumer education seminar.  

The seminar will cover:

• How behavioral biases and emotions impact your financial decisions
• Ways to make your money last
• How to spot the red flags in financial scams
• Steps you can take to achieve greater financial security

Space is limited so register early!

Call toll-free (877) 926-8300 or register online at

http://aarp.cvent.com/ThinkingMoneyWA

For Teachers: Where to Find Financial Education Resources for the Classroom

Hey teachers - are you looking for free financial education resources that you can use in the classroom? Here are five great resources that you should check out.

DFI’s Financial Education Clearinghouse
On DFI’s financial education clearinghouse you will find links to resources and curriculum by grade level (K-12), as well as updates regarding financial education in Washington.
http://dfi.wa.gov/financial-education

Financial Education Public Private Partnership
The Financial Education Public Private Partnership brings together members from the public and private sector to bring quality financial education to students of Washington public school districts. On their website you will find curriculum and resources that has been reviewed by the partnership.
http://www.feppp.org

Council for Economic Education
The Council for Economic Education focuses on economics and financial literacy education by providing economics education resources to teachers and students. On their website EconEdLink you will find curriculum, games, and more.
http://www.econedlink.org/

Jump$tart Coalition Clearinghouse
Search the Jump$tart Coalition Clearinghouse to find curriculum, games, and activities for the classroom.
http://clearinghouse.jumpstart.org

FDIC Money Smart for Young People
The FDIC’s Money Smart for Young People series features four free age-appropriate curriculums that are designed to promote financial understanding in young people.  Money Smart for Young People curriculums are available for: Grades Pre-K-2, Grades 3-5, Grades 6-8, and Grades 9-12.
https://www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/moneysmart/young.html 

Jump$tart National Educator Conference Registration

Calling all teachers!  Registration is now open for the 7^th Annual Jump$tart National Educator Conference, devoted to classroom educators who teach personal finance or want to incorporate money lessons into other subject matter, grades PreK-12.  Join Jump$tart November 6-8, 2015 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, MD, just outside Washington, DC. Through the generosity of many sponsors, Jump$tart is able to offer teachers the very special price of $425, which includes conference registration, conference meals and receptions, some materials, including a print copy of the National Standards in K-12 Personal Finance Education, and two nights’ hotel accommodations. Teachers are offered optional, private sessions with financial planners or counselors.  The exhibit hall is devoted to personal finance curricula and other resources.  For more information, please visit the Jump$tart National Educator Conference website http://www.jumpstart.org/NEC15 or you can contact the conference director Dan Hebert at daniel.hebert@jumpstart.org.    

Jump$tart Washington: Kick Off the School Year With Financial Education

Are you a financial educator? Do you teach youth? If so, you won't want to miss this event! Jump$tart Washington is hosting a train the trainer day in Seattle on August 25th for youth financial educators. With new legislation being passed, financial education must be integrated into existing state learning standards, which can sound like a lot of extra work. Speakers from the Financial Education Public Private Partnership (FEPPP), the CFPB and the FDIC will show educators how easy that can be.
The event will be held in Seattle at the beautiful Talaris Conference Center. Admission is free thanks to our generous sponsor the FDIC, breakfast and lunch will be provided. The event is next week and there are only a certain amount of tickets left, get yours before they are gone!
We hope you will join us for a day focused on creating a brighter and more financially educated tomorrow for future generations.


What: Jump$tart Washington: Kick Off the School Year With Financial Education
           Let the experts show you how to integrate financial education into your existing
           curriculum!
When: Tuesday, August 25th, 2015
            10:00 AM-2:00 PM
Where: Talaris Conference Center
            4000 Northeast 41st Street
            Seattle, WA 98105
            http://www.talarisconferencecenter.com/
Price: Free!
If you have questions, please contact interim Jump$tart Washington Coalition President Lyn Peters at lyn.peters@dfi.wa.gov or 360-902-8731.


Registration: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/jumptart-washington-kick-off-the-school-year-with-financial-education-tickets-17178550507?aff=eac2

Money Smart Week Reading Days

As part of Financial Capability Month and Money Smart Week®, the Jump$tart Washington Coalition brings you Reading Days! Reading Days are a great opportunity for our community leaders to go and bring about change in their communities. We ask our school board members and city council members, as well as other city officials, from around the state to make a one-hour commitment and go to a local elementary school where they will read a story to the children about using money wisely and teaching the benefits of saving versus spending. This year’s book is The Berenstain Bears’ “Dollars and Sense,” by Jan and Stan Berenstain. When Brother and Sister Cub start to earn an allowance, they learn that spending it all at once isn’t the best option. The book teaches kids about putting money into an account and saving it for later as well as basic budgeting. The book also comes with sample tear-out checks so you can set up your own savings account with your little ones at home!

This year’s Reading Day participation has been incredible. We have had community leaders from all over the state volunteer to read at their local elementary schools. We greatly appreciate all of our volunteers and their commitment to help the youth. For any extra information on the Reading Day events, please contact Katrina Roy at (360) 902-8761 or Katrina.roy@dfi.wa.gov .

Here are our scheduled volunteers: 

• Vancouver-April 3rd at Minnehaha Elementary School
  Reader: City Council Member Bill Turlay 
• Auburn- April 13th at Pioneer Elementary School
  Reader: City Council Member Yolanda Trout
• Clarkston- April 13th at Grantham Elementary School
  Reader: School Board Member Meghan Pierce
• Centralia- April 17th at Edison Elementary School
  Reader: City Council Member Gabe Anzelini
• Vancouver- April 17th at Walnut Grove Elementary School
  Reader: City Council Member Larry Smith
• Ellensburg- April 20th at Mt. Stuart Elementary School
  Reader: School Board Member Meg Ludlum
• Vancouver- April 20th at Anderson Elementary School
  Reader: City Council Member Alishia Topper
• Vancouver- April 20th at Walnut Grove Elementary School
  Reader: City Council Member Anne McEnerny-Ogle
• Longview- April 22nd at Northlake Elementary School
  Reader: City Council Member Mike Wallin
• Olympia- April 22nd at Lincoln Elementary School
  Reader: School Board VP Allen Miller
• Spokane- April 22nd at  Roosevelt Elementary School
  Reader: City Council President Ben Stuckart
• Vancouver- April 22nd at Franklin Elementary School
  Reader: School Board Member Nada Wheelock
• Spokane- April 23rd at Holmes Elementary
  Reader: City Council Member Candace Mumm
• Centralia- April 24th at Edison Elementary
  Reader: City Council Member Patrick Gallagher
• Kennewick- April 28th at Westgate Elementary School
  Reader: City Council Member Bob Olson
• Enumclaw- April 28th at Sunrise Elementary School
  Reader: Enumclaw Mayor Liz Reynolds
• Wenatchee- April 29th at Columbia Elementary School
  Reader: City Council Member Bryan Campbell
• Auburn- April 30th at Terminal Park Elementary School
  Reader: City Council Member John Holman

*NOTE: Members of the media, please contact Katrina Roy at 360-902-8761 for information on how to contact a school in your area regarding sending reporters/photographers/camera staff on campus grounds and photo permissions PRIOR to the days’ event(s)

 

Jump$tart Washington TWELVE Event

Jump$tart Washington invites you to participate in TWELVE.

Jump$tart has challenged speakers to give a fast-paced burst of information conveyed in less than TWELVE minutes using TWELVE or less slides.
 
The cost? Just $12.

Mark your calendar today for TWELVE. Get updated on the state of financial education in Washington, meet TWELVE new contacts with an interest in financial education and perhaps learn TWELVE new things!

Time:    11:30 a.m. Registration & Networking, TWELVE o’clock lunch
Date:    Thursday, October 9
Where: Billy Baroo’s Grill at Foster Golf Links, Tukwila
 
Speakers
Esther Rich, Educator, Renton High School
“Adapting Financial Education Concepts for Low Income Students”

Cathy Brorson, Outreach Coordinator, Kitsap Community Credit Union
“Training on the Edge”

More information on our speakers’ programs can be found on the registration page: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/twelve-the-washington-jumptart-member-event-tickets-6040753055

Experian Announces Scholarships for First Time Jump$tart National Conference Attendees

Experian is offering 20 scholarships for PreK-12th grade classroom teachers to attend the Jump$tart National Educator Conference in Los Angeles, November 8-10, 2014.

The scholarship covers your registration fee of $425, which includes full participation in the conference, all conference meals and receptions, and two nights in a private room at the Omni Hotel at California Plaza.

Please note that teachers (or their schools) are responsible for transportation, incidental, and optional costs.

How to Apply for Scholarship (pdf)

Jump$tart Washington Scholarships Deadline Tomorrow
Jump$tart Washington is also sponsoring 3 Washington teachers to attend the conference. The deadline to apply is tomorrow.

For more information see our previous blog post.

Back to School: Where to Find Financial Literacy Curriculum

One of the questions we frequently get from teachers new to financial literacy is where do I find curriculum and resources?

There are a number of websites and organizations out there that can help you find curriculum and resources for your classroom, below are a few of our favorites.

Financial Education Public Private Partnership (FEPPP)
The Washington Financial Education Public Private Partnership reviews and assess different curriculum. On their website you can find a listing of curriculum that has been reviewed and assessed as effective for Washington classrooms.
http://feppp.org/FEPPPCurriculum/CurriculumList.html

EconEdLink
EconEdLink from the Council for Economic Education is a great resource personal finance curriculum and resources. Through their website you can search for curriculum and activities by grade level and topic.
http://www.econedlink.org/

Jump$tart Clearinghouse
The Jump$tart Clearinghouse is an online library for financial education resources. Search the clearinghouse to find materials and lessons for your classroom.
http://www.jumpstartcoalition.org/jump$tart-clearinghouse.html 

DFI’s Financial Education Clearinghouse
On DFI’s financial education clearinghouse, you can also find links to more curriculum broken down by grade level. 
http://dfi.wa.gov/financial-education/educators-curriculum.htm

Welcome back to school!

Inside a Financial Education Teacher Training

50 Washington K-12 educators attended the two day summer Financial Education Public Private Partnership teacher training this past week at the Heathman Lodge in Vancouver.

Day One - Monday
Beginning bright and early on Monday, teachers were split up into working groups by grade level and were introduced to the Financial Fitness for Life curriculum (http://fffl.ncee.net/).  Each participant was given both teacher and student copies of the curriculum to take back to their classrooms.

After a short break, the teachers attended sessions designed to increase their own personal financial knowledge. Topics such as earning an income, credit, and identity theft were offered. After each session, the educators regrouped with their working groups to discuss and plan how they could work the information they just learned into the classroom.

To end the day, participants heard from several financial educators on incorporating financial education into classroom.

Day Two - Tuesday
Day two started with a session on saving and investing presented by DFI staff. The presentation focused heavily on the concept of the time value of money. Teachers were given several ideas on how to talk to their students about the power of compound interest.



DFI's Linda Jekel discusses saving and investing

Shortly after learning the basics of saving and investing, the group was able to test their knowledge with an introduction to the stock market game. The popular game allows individuals to invest fake money in a game that follows real stock performances.

The afternoon featured more fun as attendees were introduced to Financial Football (http://www.practicalmoneyskills.com/games/trainingcamp/) and had a chance to participate in a Financial Reality Fair (pdf) conducted by Washington credit unions.



Playing Financial Football

The two day seminar closed with more seminars on how to incorporate financial education into the classroom and some light networking.

Learn More
The Financial Education Public Private Partnership offers these trainings twice a year. To learn more, visit http://www.feppp.org

Financial Education Apps for the Classroom

Two weeks ago at the Financial Education Public Private Partnership teacher training in Bremerton, I had the opportunity to showcase a few apps that can be used in the classroom for financial education.

There are plenty of apps out there that can be used to supplement financial education topics. Finding the right one depends on what you are teaching and your audience.

Below are a few of my favorite that can be found for free on iTunes.

Plan it Prom
Developed by VISA,  Plan it Prom is a prom planning and budgeting app for students and parents. The app features a prom count down, timeline, budget calculator and budget health meter into a layout that is fun and easy to use.

Cars.com
The Cars.com app helps you find new and used cars for sale near you. Students can use the app’s finance calculators to get a real taste for how financing works and how to budget appropriately for a major purchase.

Thrive n Shine
Thrive n Shine is a free game that challenges users to create a character, master a craft, and earn money through games and challenges. Students will encounter lessons such as budgeting, saving and earning money.

Financial Education Videos on YouTube
DFI has published a playlist of financial education videos to our YouTube channel. Videos including financial advice and lessons from other students, money success stories, and complex topics explained in simple terms. Visit the YouTube playlist at http://bit.ly/1reU5nO

Elementary Classrooms Sought for Jump$tart Reading Days

The Jump$tart Washington Coalition, a non-profit coalition dedicated to financial literacy for K-12 children, is sponsoring Financial Literacy Reading Days in Washington classrooms April 5-12 during Washington Money Smart Week.

The program provides a venue for community leaders to step out of their offices and into one of their city's elementary schools to read a financial education story to Washington youth.

Previous Reading Days books have included "The King's Chessboard," the Berenstain Bears "Trouble With Money" and "Rock Brock and the Savings Shock" by former FDIC Chair Sheila Bair.

Each community leader will also lead students in an activity that more fully explores the concepts raised in the book: such as the importance of and power in saving, compound interest, investing, donating, working for money, not spending more than you have, etc.

Previous community leaders have included the Washington Attorney General, Washington State Treasurer, mayors, legislators and city council members.

The visit time would be approximately 30-45 minutes in the classroom.

If you are interested in having a community leader read to one of your elementary classes, please select two dates during the school week of April 5-12 and two times for each day and Jump$tart will work to secure a community leader to bring a Financial Literacy Reading Day to your school.

For more information contact Lyn Peters at lyn.peters@dfi.wa.gov or 360-902-8731.

Resource of the Week - Financial Education Public Private Partnership

This week's featured resource is the Financial Education Public Private Partnership.

The Financial Education Public Private Partnership, or FEPPP for short, brings together individuals from both the public and private sector in an effort to provide quality financial education for students in the public school system.

FEPPP's main work consists of:

• Providing financial education training and providing professional development for Washington educators
• Identifying strategies too increase the financial education of students
• Providing financial education instructional materials to Washington classrooms

Visit the FEPPP website at www.feppp.org to find resources for the classroom and to learn more about the partnership.

Financial Educators: List Your Classes on DFI’s Calendar

If you provide financial education classes in Washington, be sure to list your classes on DFI’s financial education calendar.

DFI maintains a statewide calendar so that Washington residents can easily find a class near them.

How to submit your event

1) Visit dfi.wa.gov/financial-education/calendar.htm
2) To the right of the calendar is a link for adding a class, click it
3) Enter the details of the class into the form provided, and click submit.
4) It’s that simple!

Financial Football Tests Your Financial Knowledge

You may be able to manage an impressive fantasy football team, but can you dominate in the world of financial football?

Find out by playing Visa’s free financial football game. The game tests both your money know-how and football strategies in a fun, educational way.

Game Play
After the coin toss and kickoff, players compete by answering financial questions to earn yardage and reach for the end zone. Play as a single player, or go head to head against others to test your financial skills.

For example, during my single player game of the Seahawks vs Raiders, my correct answer to a question about net worth yielded an 8 yard loss for the Raiders. The Seahawks defense is just as good in financial football as it is on the real gridiron.

Play Financial Football

Financial Football in the Classroom
The game is also being played across Washington middle and high school classrooms. In a popular group activity, teams are formed and students answer financial questions to try and best their opponents.

Visa offers activities and lessons for teachers who are interested in brining financial football into the classroom.

Financial Football Resources for Educators

Play Financial Football

How to Find Personal Finance Curriculum for the K-12 Classroom

Today was the first day of school for many Washington students.

DFI is a proud supporter of financial education in Washington schools. One of the questions I frequently get asked by educators is where can I find good, free curriculum?

There is a lot of financial education curriculum out there and it's easy to get overwhelmed when you do a simple web search.

To help you educators out, here are five good websites that let you search and evaluate financial education curriculum that can be used in the K-12 classroom.

• Jump$tart Financial Education Clearinghouse
  The national Jump$tart Coalition maintains a clearinghouse of searchable financial curriculum and resources. Through the clearinghouse you can search by grade level, topic, and many other requirements you may have.
• Financial Education Public Private Partnership Curriculum List 
  The Washington Financial Education Public Private Partnership (FEPPP) links to curriculum that it has reviewed and assessed as effective tools in Washington classrooms. The FEPPP website features both core curriculum and supplemental curriculum.
• DFI’s Financial Education Clearinghouse
  DFI’s own financial education clearinghouse links to curriculum and local resources for Washington educators. Curriculum is organized by grade level and there are links to many organizations that support financial education in Washington classrooms.
• Council for Economic Education Website
  The Council for Economic Education provides a searchable database of financial education curriculum, games, topic ideas, and a whole lot more. Be sure to bookmark them today as their website is updated frequently.
• Visa’s Practical Money Skills Website
  Free financial education curriculum, games such as financial football, and more is available from Visa through their Practical Money Skills website.  

Council for Economic Education Launches Common Core Alignment Tool

The Council for Economic Education (CEE) announced last week that is has launched a Common Core Alignment Tool for educators.

Over 400 CEE lessons, designed for K-12 students at varying grades and competency levels, have been aligned with the standards, giving teachers access to a content-rich pool of classroom resources.  The online tool helps educators find the right lessons or resources for their classroom.

The Common Core Alignment Tool can be found at http://www.councilforeconed.org/resource/common-core-state-standards-standards/ .

Money Smart Curriculum for Older Adults Now Available

The FDIC and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have teamed up to offer Money Smart for Older Adults.

 

Money Smart for Older Adults is an instructor-led training module that teaches older adults and their caregivers on how to prevent elder financial exploitation and to encourage advance planning and informed financial decision-making.

 

FDIC and CFPB invite stakeholders to order and begin teaching what elder financial exploitation is and why older adults are at risk. Money Smart for Older Adults is a tool for bank-community partnerships. For example, bank staff could deliver this information in collaboration with providers of senior services or adult protective services.

 

There are seven segments covering the following topics:

Where to Find Financial Education Resources for the Classroom

Last Thursday, DFI staff presented at the summer Financial Education Public Private Partnership teacher institute. The two day institute, held in Renton, connected local educators with financial education resources, curriculum, and ideas that can be used in the K-12 classroom.

I had the opportunity to conduct a workshop on where educators can find financial education resources online.

Below are some of the resources I shared with them.

1) Jump$tart Clearinghouse
The national Jump$tart Coalition maintains a searchable clearinghouse of financial education resources. The clearinghouse allows you to filter the resources until you find exactly what you are looking for.

2) EconEdLink
EconEdLink, maintained by the Council for Economic Education, also has a searchable database of curriculum and resources. Their information packed website also features teachable moments in the news, apps that can be used in the classroom and an online community where educators can connect with one another.

3) Money As You Learn
Money As You Learn provides teachers with Common Core aligned texts, lessons, and tasks that also equip students with the knowledge needed to make smart financial decisions.

4) Practical Money Skills
Practical Money Skills is a financial education program sponsored by Visa. The Practical Money Skills website features curriculum, an online Avengers comic book that teaches the basics of saving, and a financial football and soccer game.

5) Financial Education Public Private Partnership Reviewed Curriculum
The Washington Financial Education Public Private Partnership publishes curriculum they have reviewed to their website. The partnership looks at the curriculum and determines how it aligns with Washington education standards.

Resource for Educators: Money as You Learn

The President’s Advisory on Financial Capability recently went live with www.moneyasyoulearn.org, a new financial education resource for K-12 educators.

Money as You Learn offers educators tools to integrate personal finance into the teaching of the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics and English Language Arts (coming soon), as well as into other classes and after-school programs.

Website Features

• Personal Finance Big Ideas
  These describe grade-by-grade foundational understandings of personal finance that would lead students to an action or a higher level of function and that can be integrated into teaching the Common Core.
• Mathematics – Financial Literacy Tasks and Lessons
  A listing, by grade band, shows which Common Core Mathematics Standards can benefit from contexts and applications based on the grade-appropriate Personal Finance Big Ideas. The list leads to mathematical tasks and lessons for use in the classroom and can be sorted by Common Core Mathematics Standard or by Personal Finance Big Ideas.

www.moneyasyoulearn.org 

Washington Elementary Classrooms Sought for Reading Days

The Jump$tart Washington Coalition — a non-profit coalition dedicated to financial literacy for K-12 children — is sponsoring Financial Literacy Reading Days in Washington elementary classrooms April 20-27 during Washington Money Smart Week.

The program provides a venue for community leaders to step out of their offices and into one of their city’s elementary schools to read a financial education story to Washington youth. Previous Reading Days books have included “The King’s Chessboard,” the Berenstain Bears “Trouble With Money” and “Rock, Brock and the Savings Shock” by former FDIC Chair Sheila Bair.