The Consumer Protection Financial Bureau has released guidelines to assist educators in selecting a personal finance curriculum. One of the things that struck me when I first started teaching five years ago was the plethora of materials out there (for example, there are 827 resources currently available at the JumpStart Clearinghouse).

Here is the purpose of the report and tool that they developed in their Youth Financial Education Curriculum Review:

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is pleased to offer this Youth Financial Education Curriculum Review Tool (Curriculum Review Tool) as a resource for those who make decisions about educating today’s students. The tool is developed based on a review of the relevant literature, careful consideration of best practices, and real-world feedback from educators as well as financial education experts. This resource can help subject-matter experts such as curriculum developers and practitioners such as teachers and education leaders to review financial education materials and determine which curriculum best suits their students. It identifies relevant evaluation criteria and offers parameters for reviewing materials so direct comparisons can be made. In addition, this resource can support curriculum developers who are creating or revising tomorrow’s financial education curricula by helping them identify strengths and areas for further development.

What criteria are they using to review curricula?

As an educator and a curricula developer, I look forward to diving into their 61 page report in the week ahead to see how it can help NGPF continue to tweak and optimize our offerings.

About the Author

Tim Ranzetta

Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.

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