A draft of the 2019 state standards wants students to have a better understanding of money management and taxes.
The 2019 standards add a greater emphasis on financial literacy.
Laurie States is a math instructor at the Omaha Street School, and she's already begun teaching her students the importance of financial stability.
"Teaching about money things--budgeting, taxes--it's not something that's typically taught in the home anymore," States said. So to have that access here at school and to have people that they can talk to, and learn from, I think is really good."
States tells us she was awarded a grant to begin teaching her students Dave Ramsey's curriculum for high school students. Ramsey Education’s Foundations in Personal Finance curriculum educates students how to be responsible with money by teaching the values of saving, spending and giving.
Ramsey Education’s Foundations in Personal Finance curriculum educates students how to be responsible with money by teaching the values of saving, spending and giving.
States says she wants to change the way people think teenagers handle money.
"The misconception is that they misuse money," she said. But it's because they've never been taught how to use it properly."
Her student Kyle Park says he agrees
"I didn't really think much of spending money or even saving it at all," Parker said. My money was my money I can do what ever I want with it."
But Parker says, that changed once he began to understand the value of financial stability through Ramsey's curriculum.
"After this class it started making me realize maybe I should start saving now," he said. You know for the things in the future, because if I start now I'd have more in the future.
The state department of education is adding a greater emphasis on financial literacy.
The 2019 draft of state standards wants students to identify skills for future financial success by 8th grade.
The draft also wants students to begin budgeting, and understand investments in high school.
"I think the state has recognized the stronger people are financially, the stronger the entire state is going to be," States said.
Kyle says the most important lesson he's learned so far, "saving ... saving is a really big key in this class."
Visit https://www.education.ne.gov/contentareastandards/to see the full draft of the 2019 state standards, as well as a survey to give input.
