Michigan Jump$tart Blog! 
We are excited to annouce the new Jump$tart Blog!  Our blog allows us to dialogue with each other about current Financial Literacy issues.  Our blog will allow everyone to stay updated on the latest legislative happenings as well as providing useful financial tools.  Log onto www.mijumpstart.blogspot.com.  While you're there, be sure to subscribe to receive updates.

Please walk the walk and help promote financial education!

Senate Bill 834 Introduced by State Senator Switalski has passed the Senate and has been referred to the House Education Committee.  This bill would amend the Revised School Code as follows:

The bill would amend the Revised School Code to include a course in financial literacy among specific courses that satisfy the math credit requirements under the Michigan Merit Standard.

The Code requires a pupil, beginning with those entering 8th grade in 2006, to meet certain requirements before receiving a high school diploma. The requirements include the successful completion of at least four credits in math, including at least algebra I, geometry, and algebra II (or an integrated sequence of that course content that consists of three credits), and an additional math credit, such as trigonometry, statistics, precalculus, calculus, applied math, accounting, business math, or a retake of algebra II.  Under the bill, a financial literacy course would count towards the math credit. 

Please show your support for the inclusion of financial education for Michigan high school students by contacting Representative Tim Melton, the Chair of the House Education Committee, asking him to move on this bill.  You should make it clear that you are contacting Representative Melton as the Chair of the House Education Committee; contact information can be found at this link: http://house.michigan.gov/rep.asp?DIST=029. 

The Free Press wrote an article about this bill on August 3rd: http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080803/OPINION01/808030477/1068/PRINT

This bill would be a good start to including financial education in high school as an option for a math course.  Better yet would be a bill making a course in personal financial education/money management a graduation requirement.  Please also advocate for this by contacting your local representative in the State House of Representatives and asking them to support such a bill.  You can find your representative at http://house.michigan.gov/find_a_rep.asp

Please take a moment to communicate the need for and your support of financial education to Michigan students and encourage others to do so as well.  You may want to refer to the factsheet “Making the Case for Financial Literacy - 2008” found at:  http://www.jumpstart.org/fileindex.cfm.

NEFE High School Financial Planning Program Educator Trainings
 
Attention Educators and Interested Individuals who would like to teach the NEFE High School Financial Planning Program –
We are holding one day NEFE High School Financial Planning Program trainings. Come and learn about the NEFE HSFPP program and be ready to teach the program prior to school starting in the fall. This free one day training will provide you with the necessary tools to teach the NEFE High School Financial Planning Program curricula to your middle and/or high school aged students. Training sessions will be held in multiple locations throughout the state.  For more information and to register click here.

Family Economics & Financial Education (FEFE) Update

For information on FEFE curriculum updates and the FEFE 2009 National Conference, click here

Common Sense Economics with John Stossel, presented by the MCEE Network

Stay in the Know with Michigan Jump$tart's Newsletter!

The Michigan Jump$tart Coalition publishes a monthly newsletter to help educators promote financial literacy among youth. If you would like to be put on the newsletter distribution list, please e-mail diane@m-f-a.com. You can also access the current and back issues on this site.

Current Newsletter

Highlights: Michigan Jumpstart Lunch and Learn at the Capitol featuring State Senator Mark Schauer; NCEE curriculum materials available and ABA Education Foundation’s new booklet series.

About the Michigan Jump$tart Coalition
Organized in 2000, the Michigan Jump$tart Coalition for Financial Literacy is a conglomeration of more than 30 organizations— public, private and non-profit—that seek to improve the personal financial literacy of Michigan´s young adults. Like the National Jump$tart Coalition, the Michigan Jump$tart Coalition endeavors to increase the prominence of financial literacy of young adults; develop, disseminate, and encourage the use of standards for grades K-12; and promote the teaching of personal finance. The Michigan Jump$tart Coalition affiliated with the National Jump$tart Coalition in 2004.