Personal Finance

Course Rationale

Financial literacy is essential in meeting the financial challenges of the 21st Century. The

competencies which form the basis for this semester course enable students to analyze their

personal financial decisions, evaluate the costs and benefits of their decisions, recognize their

rights and responsibilities as consumers, and apply the knowledge learned in school to financial

situations encountered later in life.

Course Description

Understanding and managing personal finance is key to one’s future financial success. This

one-semester course presents essential knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about

real world financial issues. Students will learn how choices influence occupational options and

future earning potential. Students will also learn to apply decision-making skills to evaluate

career choices and set personal goals. The course content is designed to help the learner make

wise spending, saving, and credit decisions and to make effective use of income to achieve

personal financial success.

Goals for Graduates

Graduates from this course will be able to:

• Explain financial literacy and how sound financial decisions can increase a person’s standard of

living and wealth.

• Develop a career path based on rational decision making, appropriate research and self-reflection.

• Apply decision making to personal financial choices (planning, maintaining and analyzing money

management) throughout various stages of financial status.

• Evaluate the sources and resources of financial systems that are available throughout various

stages of financial status.

• Evaluate sources of credit, as well as the rights and responsibilities of credit, and be able to

apply a decision-making process to ensure appropriate purchases.

• Evaluate investments and create a plan for the future.

• Apply the rights and responsibilities of consumers to personal living and financial choices.

National and State Standards

See attached files below.