Champion - $2,017 Partner - $217 Friend - $20.17
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ICEE wants every student to have a
well-rounded education that includes
economics and personal finance.
Students will be required throughout their lives to
make economic decisions important for their own well-being and to understand
and make decisions about public policy issues. Financial literacy
researcher Annamarie Lusardi (2013) noted, "Financial
literacy is a basic but essential skill for living in the 21stcentury.
It is what reading and writing was for previous generations; somebody who could
not read and write could not fully participate in society, just as today,
somebody who is not financially literate cannot fully participate in the modern
economy."
The Indiana Council for Economic Education (ICEE) is asking for your support in the 2017 Campaign for a Smart Indiana to ensure that every student is prepared. Help ICEE raise $20,000 by December 31, 2017.
ICEE's goal is to create a thorough understanding of
economics and personal finance that contribute not only to students' personal
success, but also to the successes of the businesses, institutions, and
governments in which they will participate.
"Economics and personal finance are
essential components in making sure students are college, career and civically
ready," says ICEE Executive Director Jeff Sanson. "Unfortunately,
these subjects are often crowded out at elementary grade levels or not required
at the high school level."
Fortunately, Indiana has laid the groundwork that
ensures when instruction is offered, the academic standards for these subjects
are rigorous and thorough.
Preparing teachers and educators is
an important step for increasing and improving the level of financial and
economic education that students experience. According to a 2009 study of
a national sample of K-12 teachers, financed by the National Endowment for
Financial Education, about 80% of states have guidelines or
standards for financial education (including Indiana), and 89% of teachers
agree that financial education should be included in
K-12. However, very
few teachers reported feeling competent to teach financial education based on
their pre-service education; additional pre-service and in-service programs for
teachers are sorely needed.
"Thanks to our state network of university centers for
economic education, we have resources around the state that provide the needed
support," said ICEE Board Chair, Chris Fenner. "However, we need
additional financial support from other community partners to scale up and
serve even more teachers."
In 2015-16, ICEE supported over 700 teachers
across Indiana. From 2014-16, at least
one teacher from 80 of Indiana's 92 counties had participated in an ICEE
program. In order to continue to serve
and expand our outreach, ICEE is launching the 2017 Smart Indiana Campaign. To
join the effort and be included in this celebrated event, send your contribution
today!
The impact of teacher
professional development has been well documented. Several studies have
concluded that students taught by teachers who are better trained in both
subject matter and instructional resources, and who are using good curricular
materials, will have significantly stronger achievement levels in economics and
personal finance. Early intervention and teaching students with
motivating and relevant instruction can mitigate economic illiteracy and
increase the likelihood of adopting habits that lead to wiser decision making
in their lives.
"We are at an important point where we need
to increase our capacity to serve teachers and students. Every gift - whether $20.17 or $2,017 - makes
a difference," says Sanson. "These
funds will enable ICEE and our Center network to continue to implement a
successful multi-faceted approach, which includes providing teacher professional
development, coordinating student academic programs, simulations and contest,
recognizing exemplary and effective practice, and developing innovative
curriculum."
"The support and resources that ICEE and the
Centers provide are tremendous," said Shanan Riegle, an Award Winning Teacher from Yorktown. "While they go about their work quietly, when they connect with just one teacher, they are making a
huge difference that lasts for years and impacts hundreds - sometimes thousands
of students."
2017 Campaign for a $mart Indiana
Champion - $2,017 Partner - $217 Friend - $20.17
Donors to this program are recognized on the ICEE website and will be recognized
in the annual report and newsletters.
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