FinEd Curriculum & Resources
Our financial education high school curriculum, Empowered!, is focused on 7 core principles: Economic Concepts, Money Management, Banking, Credit, Insurance, Investing, and Consumer Protection.
High School Curriculum
Empowered! is the complete curriculum unit to support teachers responsible for students’ minimum 9-week high school requirement.
Empowered! positions students at the center of inquiry as they explore and evaluate the 7 required content areas of the Financial Education Requirement: Economic Concepts, Money Management, Banking, Credit, Insurance, Investing, and Consumer Protection. As students progress through these content areas over the course of 9-weeks they create and describe their own visions for financial empowerment.
This Curriculum Crosswalk Support Document can also assist in providing up to date, no-cost, additional extension and materials to supplement the 7 core areas of focus.
Elementary School Resources
For Elementary School Teachers interested in incorporating Financial Education in their classrooms, Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs has elementary units that are aligned to national JumpStart Standards and Illinois Learning Standards for Financial Literacy. This curated and comprehensive list of Elementary and Middle School Financial Education resources can also be used.
Google Classroom
For teachers or administrators wishing to stay current on updated curricular resources and opportunities related to Financial Education, or to share your own schools’ success, please join our Google Classroom.
Teachers can access the free Empowered! Curriculum.
Resources and Opportunities
- Are you curious as to who fulfills the Financial Education requirement across the different schools in our district? Access our tracking database here. Need to provide an update for your school? Please email Tere Wang, Financial Education Manager, at tregina@cps.edu with your update(s).
- For teachers or administrators wishing to join our powerful community of FInEducators, stay current on updated curricular resources and opportunities related to Financial Education, or to share your own schools’ success, please join our Google Classroom.
- Sign up for our monthly Financial Education Newsletter here for the latest updates on student opportunities and programs, current events and various topics to incorporate into the classroom, updated curricular resources from our financial education partners, and much more!
- We invite you to join our FinEducators Google Classroom for SY21-22. Please email Tere Wang at tregina@cps.edu to be included in a community with other FinEducators!
- Sign up for a Financial Education Professional Development sessions on our SY22 PD Calendar!
- Are you interested in the fields of business, finance, economics, or entrepreneurship? The Junior Economic Club of Chicago (JEC) is a selective student-run organization whose members have access to exclusive networking events, internships, workshops, scholarships, volunteer opportunities, private tours, job shadows, and more. Members have the chance to meet and network with Chicago's leading business executives, entrepreneurs, professors, and professionals. JEC currently represents over 30 Chicago schools and is looking to expand its student body to Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors especially, though Seniors are also welcome!
- You can learn more about JEC at www.jecchicago.org. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to email board@junioreconomicclub.org.