Home » Resources » Best Practices

Best Practices for Personal Finance Education Materials

Second Edition, 2008

The Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy® recommends the following Best Practices when developing and/or selecting personal finance educational materials.

The Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy encourages teachers, authors, publishers, educational consultants and others to apply as many of the statements as appropriate for a specific educational resource. J$ Best Practices

Click here to download a free PDF copy of the 2010 updated Best Practices.

Objectivity

  • Materials are objective in content and tone, and often include differing viewpoints. The materials do not deceive or mislead.
  • Materials are informative and do not promote a specific brand or provider.
  • Materials identify their content creator and list contact information.
  • Materials identify organizations that provide substantial funds for development and dissemination.
  • Recommended sources of additional information also meet objectivity guidelines.

Aligned to Standards

Teaching and Learning

  • Teaching and Learning Materials use plain-language. Technical terms, abbreviations, and acronyms are clearly defined.
  • Materials require little additional teacher preparation.
  • Materials include student learning objectives and assessment tools, background information, lesson plans, and activities that stimulate student participation.
  • Materials appeal to contemporary student interests and identify resources for additional information.
  • Lesson plans and activities address a variety of learning styles, such as visual, auditory, touch and group interaction.
  • Copyright restrictions and terms of use are clearly stated.

Target Group

  • Materials identify target educational settings, such as traditional classrooms, home schooling, after-school or youth clubs, rural and urban settings.
  • Materials identify the intended user, such as teacher, parent, or student.
  • The reading level is appropriate for the target group.
  • Materials reflect diversity in areas such as age, race, gender, and household income.
  • Text, illustrations, and learning activities are culturally sensitive and appropriate for the target groups. Text is translated if necessary.

Accurate and Up-to-Date

  • Materials are regularly revised to be accurate, relevant, and current.
  • The date of original publication is clearly stated, along with dates of subsequent revisions.

Available and Accessible

  • Resources are readily available to teachers and learners.
  • Web-based resources are accessible using the technology and software typically found in schools and public libraries.
  • The price for materials, if any, is clearly stated.
  • Materials that are also available in special needs formats such as other languages, audio, and Braille are clearly identified.
  • New or updated materials are submitted to the Jump$tart Personal Finance Clearinghouse at http://www.jumpstartclearinghouse.org/.

Assessment

  • Materials are tested before publication under conditions that realistically replicate the target settings and audiences.
  • Feedback from teachers and learners shapes development and revision of materials.
  • Materials include assessment tools, such as pre- and post-tests and/or examples of acceptable work, where appropriate.
  • Assessment tools measure both student knowledge and behavioral change as a result of teaching and learning.

The Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy grants permission to freely use these Best Practices statements for educational purposes.

Second Edition, 2008
(Updated, 2010)