SDNB Financial Literacy Initiative

Student financial literacy has been cited as a top need in focus groups the school district has conducted with parents, local businesses and post-secondary educational institutions. Business and higher education leaders consistently share a need for students to have an understanding of Financial Literacy as it relates to:

• Supply/demand (national) for jobs/career clusters
• Local job market
• Local economy
• General financial literacy (personal to the student)

To meet this need, SDNB has made a committed effort to grow this area of education for all students. Over a three-year period, we developed a financial literacy program at three grade levels:

• 5th Grade:  JA BizTown®
• 7th Grade:   Financial Literacy Standards in Careers & Communication (C2) Course
• 10th Grade:   JA Personal Finance®
• 12th Grade:   Personal finance lessons support by speakers from SecureFutures

JA Personal Finance® (in partnership with Junior Achievement) – 10th Grade

JA Personal Finance® is a program that teaches high school students smart personal finances that will help them develop their own personal financial plan with lifelong goals and desired quality of life.

The JA Personal Finance® curriculum is presented during the School District of New Berlin's newly formed Advisory program.  This program combines classroom activities with persons in business who will support students in their development of the skills needed to successfully navigate some of the challenges in the financial arena and related to the transition from high school to their next experience.  Lessons are designed to be interactive with students and relevant to their current reality, allowing students to develop a financial plan for the near future and gain an understanding of what is necessary long-term. 

Topics include earning money; spending money wisely through budgeting; saving and investing money; using credit cautiously; and protecting one's personal finances.

Careers & Communication (C2) Course – 7th Grade

In this course for all 7th graders, students learn to develop a financial vision based on an examination of personal values; analyze and discuss the long-range impact of setting personal financial goals; and understand how career choices, education skills, entrepreneurship, and economic conditions affect income.