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By Tim Lambrecht, Director of Education for Budget Challenge

Budget Challenge’s unique, award-winning program helps students become financially capable young adults by letting them actually manage all the finances of an independent adult in real-time for 10 weeks. The patented simulation provides each student with live checking, savings, payroll, 401(k), credit card, and vendor accounts in an online financial ecosystem where they learn by doing. In addition, Budget Challenge’s highly engaging completely online format makes it perfect for in-person, hybrid, or full remote learning. ELL/ESL students will appreciate the translation and speech-to-text capability, and advanced teacher tools makes it easy to identify struggling learners and provide them with the help they need.

 

Moving Financial Literacy Forward

Tired of the scavenger hunt for up-to-date, engaging materials? Budget Challenge is now your complete financial literacy solution. Our highly-engaging patented simulation has been successfully used by over 850,000 students and 10,000 teachers in all fifty states. In addition to the simulation, Budget Challenge includes teaching tools not available anywhere else including:

  • Comprehensive 17 chapter companion e-textbook with: In the Sim, ELA Connections, and Math Applications for each chapter
  • Teacher guide with lesson suggestions, parent engagement program, and answer keys
  • Self-scoring authentic assessments of key financial behaviors, engagement, and content knowledge provide immediate feedback to students and assessment data for teachers
  • Expanded video library and live Help Desk for both teachers and students
  • No student personally identifiable information used or collected means absolute student privacy and protection, with no advertisements or pop-ups
  • Live webinars and teacher training included with the program

Jump$tart Clearinghouse Links

What’s New

This fall Budget Challenge debuts its enhanced simulation, textbook, and teacher tools, which teach ALL the updated Jump$tart/CEE National Standards for Personal Financial EducationThe alignment document can be found here. Schools can be confident that their students are learning the knowledge and skills they need, with the essential benefit of being able to practice those skills and develop good financial habits.

In addition to expanded content, improved accessibility and readability, additional teaching resources, and the most up-to-date information available make the most effective program even better. See what our teachers have to say at the Budget Challenge Blog. And watch for the spring announcement of our annual Teacher Challenge, where you can try the new program for free and have a chance to win great prizes just for participating.

Visit the Budget Challenge website!

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Friday Five

Coalition Corner

February’s financial principle is “Pay Yourself First.” This may not be the first time you have heard this phrase, but we wanted to take this as an opportunity to remind you!  For resources to use or share on saving, visit the Jump$tart Clearinghouse today.