The goal of the High School Financial Planning Program (HSFPP), a cooperative program with the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE), Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service and America’s credit unions, is to introduce students to the basics of the financial planning process and its application to life situations. The program is designed to assist 11th and 12th grade level high school students in learning the responsibility of money management, as well as how to make sound decisions for meeting personal financial goals. The materials, however, can be used with other organized groups such as displaced homemakers and those in vocational or technical education programs, as well as younger youth.
A team-teaching approach utilizes the combined expertise of educators and experienced volunteer resource persons from the financial services community. The educator may be a high school teacher, county Extension agent, credit union professional, or a team of several individuals. Combining the skills of these educators with financial services professionals provides an effective delivery mode for the seven-unit program which consists of the following units:
- Your Financial Plan: Where It All Begins
- Budgeting: Making the Most of Your Money
- Investing: Making Money Work for You
- Good Debt, Bad Debt: Using Credit Wisely
- Your Money: Keeping it Safe and Secure
- Insurance: Protecting What You Have
- Your Career: Doing What Matters Most
The program’s flexibility lies in its ability to be presented in a variety of educational settings, covering different time frames. The program may be offered over a 2 - 3 week period, over a 4 - 6 week period, or throughout a semester, with the financial resource person coming into the classroom at important intervals. The time commitment required of the educators and resource person(s) will depend on the amount of time allotted to the program. The program may also be presented in an informal educational setting such as a teen club or church youth group.
An instructor’s manual with supplemental material is provided to educators and financial service professionals (order form) by the National Endowment for Financial Education. The materials available for each unit include:
- Lesson materials, with suggested time schedule
- Handouts
- Originals for transparencies
- Learning activities
- Quizzes / Exams
- Teaching outlines
A student guide is provided for each student. There is no charge for any of the materials. If you are interested in implementing this program in your county or school, contact:
| Nancy M. Porter Extension Family and Consumer Sciences 235 Poole Agricultural Center Clemson University Clemson, South Carolina 29634-0753 Voice: (864) 656-5718 Fax: (864) 656-5723 Email: nporter@clemson.edu Your local county Extension agent |
John Parfrey, Director NEFE High School Financial Planning Program® National Endowment for Financial Education 5299 DTC Boulevard, Suite 1300 Greenwood Village, CO 80111 Direct: (303) 224-3516 Main: (303) 741-6333 Fax: (303) 220-0838 Email: JP@nefe.org |
Brandon Pugh South Carolina Credit Union League 7740 Broad River Road Irmo, S.C. 29063 Mailing address: P. O. Box 1787 Columbia, S.C. 29202-1787 Voice: (803) 781-5400, ext. 195 Email: bpugh@sccul.org |
Jump$tart is another website which seeks to improve the personal financial literacy of high school students.
Financial Management / Consumer Education Programs
Family Resource Management Homepage
Extension Family & Consumer Sciences Homepage
Clemson University Cooperative Extension Homepage
Webmaster: Linda McGee, Extension Family and Consumer Sciences, Clemson University
Last update:
April 3, 2007