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Illinois |
Advocacy & Government Affairs Committee
In March of 2012, the Illinois
Jumpstart Coalition’s Board undertook a comprehensive strategic planning
initiative, designed to refocus the organization’s attention on current
priorities in youth financial literacy and better align resources with key
objectives.
One of the outcomes of this project was the establishment of a new Advocacy & Government Affairs Committee, which is tasked with assessing the feasibility of improving youth financial capabilities by delivering effective content to all Illinois students throughout their educational experience.
Background
- The inability of many adults to plan ahead and make well-informed financial choices is a key factor affecting the economic well being of individuals, families, communities and the nation at large.
- Youth financial capability is the strongest predictor of adult behaviors and outcomes related to personal finance management.
- The current state of financial literacy among Illinois youth is woefully inadequate.
- Although there are a great many excellent programs and organizations attempting to address this issue, they are unlikely to have a material, long-term impact on youth financial capabilities because of their limited reach and inherent lack of standardization.
Operating Premises
- In order to “move the needle”, economics and personal finance education must become part of the core curriculum for all IL students beginning in kindergarten, using age-appropriate, high-quality content, delivered by professionals, with reasonable competency requirements at each stage.
- Whether this is better accomplished through a legislative mandate, or through the adoption of new standards by the State Board of Education, or by community initiatives remains an open question.
- The curriculum should be built around National Jumpstart Coalition’s Personal Finance Education Standards and the National Council for Economic Education’s National Content Standards for Economics, which are comprehensive and include periodic competency assessments.
Phase I Tasks
- Research and document best practices in financial education policy around the U.S.
- Research and document behaviors and outcomes related to personal finance management in corresponding states.
- Identify key players, processes, issues and timelines in selected states.
- Develop an execution strategy for presentation to the ILJ$ Board...
Committee Composition
- Ronetta Dewitt-Hall of the Illinois Securities Department (Member)
- Nancy Harrison of Econ Illinois (Member)
- Angela Lyons of the U of I Center for Economic & Financial Education (Member)
- Marlene Rivera of Linne Elementary School (Member)
- Helen Roberts of the University of Illinois at Chicago (Member)
- Alice Wood of Wealth Watchers International (Member)
- Joanne Dempsey, formerly of Econ Illinois (Advisor)
- Vicki Jobst of Benedictine University (Vice Chair)
- Karen Harris of the Shriver Center for Poverty Law (Chair)
The A/GAC welcomes input and assistance from individuals and organizations interested in enhancing youth financial capabilities in Illinois and beyond. Please feel free to contact us via Turn on JavaScript!.
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