National Institute of Financial & Economic Literacy

An Opportunity for educators –

(formerly the Wisconsin Institute of Financial & Economic Education)

2008 Institute Catalog and Registration (PDF: 825 KB/ 8 page)

Past Institute Participants

Expanding opportunities through financial education . . .

Our New Name
We are now the National Institute of Financial and Economic Literacy. (This name replaces the Wisconsin Institute of Financial and Economic Education.) As we open our doors to educators from around the country, we continue to welcome Wisconsin's esteemed educators and past Institute participants.

Meet the new teaching challenge
In a survey after survey graduating seniors show a lack of financial literacy. A 2006 National Jump$tart study confirmed it once again. On average 12th-graders nationwide scored only 52.4 percent on a test of their financial knowledge—an “F” on any grading scale. Jump$tart has conducted this same study five times over the past ten years and recorded similar low scores each time. Yet, at the same time, today's students lack financial savvy, more than a third have their own credit cards. Most also have access to Internet shopping and an ever-increasing number of new financial products and services.

The need for financial education in classrooms is growing exponentially across the country. These programs give you the expertise and confidence you need to teach personal finance. Plus, you get dozens of teaching materials and resources free. Take advantage of the opportunity. Build your own personal finance skills too. Enroll today.

How you benefit
Learn from top-notch instructors and guest speakers with national and local experience in the financial industry from both the public and private sector

Bring back numerous FREE materials and proven curricula
Learn classroom-tested teaching strategies that work
Network with other educators and, yes, have fun
Obtain lesson plans that fit Wisconsin and national standards
Become a better manager of your own personal finances

Registration fee and reduced-rate graduate credits and lesson plans

Program only (36 clock hours) — $225
Program plus earn 3 graduate credits (optional) — $600
Lesson plans fit Wisconsin’s Model Academic Standards for social studies, business education, and family and consumer education and National Jump$tart Coalition Standards for personal finance.

Fees include lodging, meals, materials, refreshments, and parking.
Please contact Deb Wiese, (dwiese@edgewood.edu) of Edgewood College with questions regarding graduate credit or clock hours

Who Should Attend

Teachers of personal finance, family and consumer sciences, social studies, economics, math, business and
Others who want to acquire the ability to teach money management and personal finance.
Superintendents, directors, administrators, and principals of high schools, middle schools, and grade schools and
Others in similar positions also benefit.

What week to attend
It is suggested but not mandatory to take Credit and Money first. Start with the session that best fits your needs and schedule. You may take up to two programs per year.

Host city
Madison, Wisconsin ranks at or near the top in numerous surveys of best places in the nation to live, work, visit, and enjoy.

The setting
All three programs will be held on the campus of Edgewood College, Madison WI. The college is nestled close to the shores of beautiful Lake Wingra, Vilas Park Zoo and the Monroe Street neighborhood shops and restaurants. It offers the perfect setting for learning by day and relaxing by night and Madison is one of the country’s best cities.

Edgewood College
1000 Edgewood College Dr.
Madison, WI 53711
Most sessions will be held in Anderson Auditorium in Predolin Hall.
Edgewood Phone: 1-800-444-4861

Travel and pre-program arrival
If you are driving a long distance or arriving from out of state, early check in is available in the lobby of Predolin Hall Sunday evening prior to each program.

Lodging, meals and parking
If you are staying overnight, free lodging is provided for you in standard dorm rooms including linens. Rooms have no refrigerators, televisions or stereos but are equipped for laptop computers. Dormitories are located close to the meeting rooms. You may want to bring your own alarm clock and fan, though the rooms are air-conditioned. Parking is free.

The program fee includes breakfast, lunch and dinner. Snacks also are provided during session breaks. Past participants have rated the food very highly.

No meal service is provided on Sunday evening prior to the program or on Friday evening.

General information
You will receive a map and lodging information with your confirmation. Please indicate on the enrollment form whether you are staying overnight in a campus dormitory room or commuting and any special needs or dietary requests. Your requests will be kept confidential.

Teacher evaluations from previous Institutes are used every year as the primary tool to fine-tune the Institutes’ syllabus. Newly discovered programs and research also are factors. Changes are expected to the previous year's agenda for this year and will be posted in the future.

2008 Dates

Paychecks, Financial Contracts and Entrepreneurship
June 23-27, 2008

Life’s major financial transactions

Home buying—the biggest purchase most people ever make
Renting an apartment
Car buying—the practical realities behind student dreams

The anatomy of a paycheck and employee benefits

Social security
Retirement
Taxes and withholding—careful planning saves money and builds wealth

Investor Education, Economics and Insurance
July 14-18, 2008

Savings—obstacles, strategies, long-term benefits

The economic way of thinking—why don’t people save more?
The basics of budgeting—pay yourself first
Financial fitness for life

Basics of investing and investor protection—using time to build wealth

The NAIC approach to investing
Personal investing—balancing risk and reward and investor protection
Managing risk and reward

Insurance choices—the Big Risk Game

Credit and Money
August 4-8, 2008

The urge to splurge and consumer credit

Classifications of credit, costs, fees, terms, etc.
How credit scoring is used
How to read and understand a credit report

Budgeting in the real world and credit education

Experiencing budgeting from a high school student’s perspective
Money management and the wise use of credit
Overview of the available information on credit education

Money, inflation, who protects our money

Monetary policy
How does the FED controls inflation
Control of interest rates

For additional information
Call: 608-267-1713
E-mail: teresa.walker@dfi.state.wi.us
Web: www.wijumpstart.org

History of the Institute
In 2001, the members of the Wisconsin Jumpstart Coalition saw a desperate need to educate our youth about financial literacy. Their dream was to have the next generation of adults well educated about their personal finances to avoid the pitfalls of previous generations. This would not only improve our nation’s economy with a lower number bankruptcies and less monies tied up in credit, but would create a healthier generation with less stress, less divorce and less suicides caused by poor financial decisions. Because most students duplicate the environment in which they are raised, the generation following theirs will hopefully perpetuate this healthy behavior creating a domino effect towards a more stable society for years to come.

Our professional educators were the natural partners to assist in this goal. To provide the teachers with the tools and training needed, the Wisconsin Institute Teacher Education Series was created and had its inaugural session as the Wisconsin Institute of Financial and Economic Education in 2001 featuring the Credit and Money Week. It began as a one-week, three graduate credit program with an option for Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction clock-hours if graduate credits were not needed. An additional two days were added (Saving, Investing and Insurance) in 2002, and two complete one-week sessions in 2003. In the year 2004, three one-week sessions took place with the inclusion of Financial Milestones and Entrepreneurship (now Paychecks, Financial Contracts and Entrepreneurship). Each session is designed to stand-alone and one is not required to participate in the others.

In 2005, the next level of achievement for this education series was reached. The Wisconsin Institute is now the National Institute of Financial and Economic Literacy and open to educators throughout the country.

The Institute’s success is a combination of several factors: the dedicated teachers of our youth, highly qualified college educators, a great learning environment, committed sponsors who make lower tuition fees possible, industry professionals throughout the country who volunteer their time and materials to bring the lessons from the classroom into the real world and committed volunteers. Without each of these key components, the Institute would not be possible.

Wisconsin Jumpstart’s vision is to expand the Series each year to encompass all aspects of financial literacy, from basic to the extreme. In this way, the future of generations to come will be better prepared to make sound financial decisions.

The Wisconsin Jump$tart Coalition organization promotes financial literacy for Wisconsin youth. With the assistance of several sponsoring organizations, it makes possible the low cost and high quality of the National Institute of Financial and Economic Literacy. Expanding opportunities through financial education . . .