Over the past several years, UCFEI has been following financial education research, developing and testing new tools, and closely examining program outcomes. It has become increasingly clear that any intervention aimed at ultimately improving financial knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes in adults must start very early as children begin forming healthy habits that contribute to financial success at a young age. The foundation is laid early in a child’s life, and the skills needed to excel can’t solely be taught to teenagers during a brief window in time. To better prepare children for their future, UCFEI is proud to announce an expansion in our focus: the development of financial education tools for young children.

For a second year, Jackson Charitable Foundation is supporting the University of Chicago Financial Education Initiative to provide 100 teachers and approximately 5,000 high school students with free access to finEDge, a semester-long financial education curriculum. This sponsorship will provide students and teachers access to the high-quality curriculum, along with extensive professional development for participating educators.

When it comes to families and talking about money, open discussions often feel taboo. But when kids and parents sit down together and explore what-ifs, preferences, and their curiosity around money, it sparks discussions of all kinds—some deep, some lighthearted, but all valuable.

A new pilot program from the UChicago Financial Education Initiative is facilitating these conversations for local area families. Funded by the University of Chicago Women’s Board, Family Money Night puts a time to talk about money on the family schedule—and brings parents, kids, and schools together in a uniquely research-based experience.

Time for a couple of conversation starters with your kids: What is something you really want to buy but don’t need? And this one: If you suddenly received $1 million, would you save it, spend it, or do something else with it? For many parents, posing questions like these to your teens around the dinner table just might break the ice to help them become more money savvy. At least, that’s the hope of researchers at the University of Chicago’s Financial Education Initiative.

Cutting-edge curriculum provides first-time financial education teachers with necessary resources to help students learn and practice sound financial decision-making skills.

When kids ask questions about money do you answer them or shy away? Sometimes parents don't have all the answers and that's okay. Rebecca Maxcy joins Paul Fenner to discuss how parents can begin to have conversations about money with their kids.

Casual, family-friendly activity kick-starts important conversations around financial choices, normalizes the need to talk about money, and helps people better prepare to navigate their finances with confidence.

Financial education prepares high school students for life after graduation. Whether students are heading to college, entering the workforce, or joining the military, they need sound financial literacy skills.

A new partnership will help expand finEDge to reach more teachers and students across the country.

As College Debt Grows, High School Class Prepares Students For What Lies Ahead.

Jean Attig, finEDge teacher at Niles North High School identifies key elements to an equitable, realistic financial education program.

How do you teach complex financial topics? Project director Rebecca Maxcy shares the strategies used in finEDge on The Morning Pulse, a podcast covering financial and retirement news. Interview begins at around 47 minutes.

‘finEDge’ is a research-based program that teaches students critical financial decision-making skills, helping them navigate a complex, ever-changing marketplace.