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Instructional Resources - Personal Financial Literacy

Teaching the Personal Financial Literacy expectations embedded within the Colorado Academic Standards is supported through a wide array of free instructional resources. This webpage lists just a few of these resources and will be updated regularly. If you are an educator in Colorado and have suggestions for a great free resource please email Alyssa Wooten. For additional opportunities please check Professional Development.

The resources provided on this website are intended to provide a quick access list for educators to use in a way that supports their instructional planning. Provided resources should be previewed and used with teacher discretion. Because this page contains resources outside of the CDE website, CDE cannot control changes in outside content and listing these resources does not indicate an endorsement by the Colorado Department of Education.

Economic Literacy Colorado

Economic Literacy Colorado is a 40 year old Colorado non-profit whose mission is to train teachers how better to teach economics and financial literacy. Find open enrollment professional development classes, customized training with school districts and teaching resources. In addition, ELC offers The Stock Market Experience an online, investment simulation which aligns with the Colorado academic standards in math, economics, personal financial literacy, and 21st century skills.

EverFi Financial Literacy

EVERFI provides courses using the latest in online technologies – video, animations, 3D gaming, avatars, and social networking – to bring complex financial concepts to life for today’s digital generation in three courses. EverFi™ Financial Literacy for 9-12 grade students is fully assessed, meets all Colorado Financial Literacy Standards for high school, and contains 9 modules covering a range of topics including credit scores, budgeting, insurance, credit cards and more. FutureSmart is a 6-8 grade course where students become mayor of their virtual town and help citizens effectively manage their finances. Vault Understanding Money is a 4-6 grade course that teaches critical foundational concepts in financial literacy. EVERFI has teamed with major corporations and foundations to provide this cutting-edge course at no cost to all Colorado schools.

The Federal Reserve

The Federal Reserve education site provides numerous resources for teaching about financial literacy, economics, and banking. All resources and lesson plans are free. Additionally, many of the Federal Reserve Banks have their own education sites with free educational resources:

Money Essentials

This CNN Money site includes articles geared towards teaching students fiscal responsibility. There are over 20 articles to share with students covering everything from making a budget to the basics of investing.

Financial Fitness for Life

A new multifaceted, comprehensive economic and financial literacy program for grades K-12. Throughout this web site you'll find valuable information about the different components of the program and how teachers, parents, and students can put the materials to use.

Foundation for Teaching Economics

FTE programs introduce young individuals, selected for their leadership potential, to an economic way of thinking about national and international issues, and promote excellence in economic education by helping teachers of economics become more effective educators. The Foundation for Teaching Economics is pleased to make available to teachers the content outlines, classroom activities, and teacher materials (demonstration videos and lecture presentations) for all of our residential, one-day, and online curricula.

Junior Achievement

(JA) K-12 programs focus on financial literacy, entrepreneurship and workforce development. These programs, delivered by volunteers, complement what is being taught in the classroom every day and meet the new Colorado Academic Standards. Through JA, educators are able to access a network of 5,000 knowledgeable adult role-models who volunteer to bring JA’s hands-on programs to life and bridge the gap between what students learn in the classroom and the real world. JA programs are free to schools.

EconEdLink

EconEdLink provides a premier source of classroom-tested, internet-based economic and personal finance lesson materials for K-12 teachers and their students. With over 435 lessons to choose from, teacher can use as many of the lessons as they like and as often as they would like. At EconEdLink, browse lesson plans by grade level, current event topics to teach and professional development resources. EconEdLink also provides student scholarship contest opportunities and featured lesson plan collections educators can access at no cost.

MoneyGeek.com

MoneyGeek has created as educational tools to help consumers make smarter financial decisions. Among numerous additional free resources, their resources include: The Ultimate Guide to Student Loan Consolidation & Refinancing; Student Loan - Forgiveness & Cancellation; Student Credit Cards - The Best Cards and How to Handle Them Responsibly​; and A Financial Literacy Handbook for All Life Stages.

National Council on Economic Education (NCEE)

The Council for Economic Education's (CEE)'s) mission is to teach K-12 students about economics and personal finance, and they have for nearly 70 years. CEE's goal is to reach and teach every child in every district and school so that they can make better decisions for themselves, their families and their communities. Explore programs, k-12 resources and events pertaining to economic and financial literacy education.

National Endowment for Financial Education

The National Endowment for Financial Education® (NEFE®) is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) foundation dedicated to helping all Americans acquire the information and gain the skills necessary to take control of their personal finances. NEFE’s flagship program has promoted financial literacy to teachers and students for more than 25 years by providing an award-winning, evaluated, noncommercial financial education curriculum—complete with free classroom materials and lesson plans.

National Financial Educators Council

The NFEC provides financial education solutions to individuals, schools, businesses, families, government and non profit organizations around the globe to improve financial literacy. The NFEC offers comprehensive financial education services including: funding, promotion, education, measurement and programs for individuals. For those seeking to build or enhance a financial education program, the NFEC offers solutions to include: Individual professional certifications, education resources, training and custom resources.

Next Gen Personal Finance

NGPF offers middle and high school teachers, free, ready to implement and engaging lessons, activities and other resources to teach the basics of personal finance including saving, investing, checking accounts, budgeting, paying for college, careers, insurance and taxes. We spend thousands of hours curating free, high quality resources (videos, articles, simulations) from over 500 sources on the internet so you don't have to! Save time and join the thousands of teachers who go to the NGPF website as their "one-stop shop" for the curricular and professional development needs.

Operation HOPE

Operation HOPE is a national non-profit that aims to empower individuals and elevate their dignity, hope, and economic self-sufficiency. Banking on Our Future is Operation HOPE's award-winning financial literacy program geared toward students in grades 4-12. Teaching materials and guest instructors are available at no-cost to schools. Topics covered include: 1) the basics of banking and budgeting; 2) checking and savings accounts 3) the power of credit; and 4) basic investments.

Young Americans Center for Financial Education

Young Americans Center for Financial Education (YA) is home of Young AmeriTowne, (financial literacy and career exploration, targeted to upper elementary students statewide), International Towne (global economics targeted to 7th grade students) and YouthBiz (entrepreneurship training programs targeted to middle school students) which collectively educate more than 48,300 students every year across Colorado through a proven hands-on, real-life approach.  YA provides all resources include curriculum, lesson slides, standards alignment, training, student workbooks, plus a YA staff facilitated day.