Visa leads important coalition in improving financial education access for students in the United States

by Visa

Delivering quality financial education through digital channels and in classroom settings can help children understand how to budget and build wealth, which can lead to more economically prosperous lives. But at present, only 27 states require students to take a personal finance course to graduate.

“The state of financial education offered to students in the U.S. varies significantly. Where students live should not impact whether they have access to knowledge that will help them learn how to make informed financial decisions in their lives,” – Worku Gachou, head of North America, inclusive impact & sustainability, at Visa

To help address this challenge, Visa helped launch FinEd50, a nationwide coalition of nonprofits, community leaders, and corporate partners dedicated to improving access to quality financial education.

Created with the goals of providing thought leadership, expertise, advocacy, and technical support, the coalition is co-founded by Visa and the Council for Economic Education (CEE), and members include the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) among others.

FinEd50 is dedicated to improving access to quality financial education for all young people, in every state, school district, and high school and to supporting educators bringing this important subject into their classrooms.

The FinEd50 coalition is dedicated to achieving:

  • State-level action that guarantees equitable access to a personal finance course
  • Curriculum that meets national standards and are culturally relevant to students’ lives.
  • Providing teachers with access to professional development
  • A measurement mechanism to track access and ensure equitable reach.

Through this coalition, FinEd50 works tirelessly to achieve these goals, helping to ensure that financial wellness is a key priority within public education and improve the lives of generations to come.

It is critical for financial education to begin early, in high school or before, so that young people acquire this education before they begin making important financial decisions. Personal finance education is a crucial tool to helping people better navigate their financial lives, make informed decisions regarding their life choices, and take more control over their own futures. We believe that all people should have access to this knowledge, regardless of their own personal histories or social and economic backgrounds.

“America is failing our children when we don’t provide them with opportunities to study critical economic and personal finance concepts before they leave high school for college, for jobs and for their futures.” – Nan J. Morrison, CEE president and chief executive officer

The need for quality financial education at the K-12 level touches everyone but is also an equity issue. There is an unacceptable gap in who is offered this opportunity, with too many young people in financially disadvantaged communities having no access to a personal finance class.

According to CEE’s 2022 Survey of the States: Economic and Personal Finance Education in Our Nation’s Schools, only 27 states require schools to offer a personal finance course and the quality of courses varies wildly.

FinEd50 believes all 50 states should incorporate personal finance education into K-12 Education.

The FinEd50 coalition builds on Visa’s more than 30-year commitment to developing innovative, free, and easily accessible financial education resources for businesses, individuals, and communities.

Join Visa and FinEd50 in improving financial education access for students in the United States.

For more information on FinEd50, visit www.FinEd50.com.