Council for Economic Education's Survey of the States Reveals Slow Progress in Economic and Personal Finance Implementation

State standards stalling in course requirements and testing for K-12

NEW YORK, March 19, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Council for Economic Education (CEE) released its seventh Survey of the States:  Economic and Personal Finance Education in Our Nation's Schools.  The biennial report highlights the importance of eco­nomics and personal finance education by documenting its status in the United States. The report shows that while there has been progress since the first survey, over the past two years the trend has slowed, and in some cases moved backward.

The recent economic downturn has brought nationwide attention to the dangers of a financially illiterate society.  But "while many states have addressed this gap in education curriculum, there is still a large segment of the American student population that is not being exposed to economic and financial education," said CEE President & CEO Nan J. Morrison.

While 22 states require an economics course for high school graduation (up from 21 in 2009), only 16 states require the testing of students' economic knowledge, three fewer than in 2009. Thirteen states require a personal finance course as a high school graduation requisite, the same since 2009. These 13 states make up approximately 25% of the U.S. population, meaning almost 75% of Americans have not received financial literacy education to date.

Funding for the survey was provided by the Calvin K. Kazanjian Economics Foundation, which has supported greater economic literacy since 1947. "This report provides a benchmark for states and school districts who wish to work harder to assure that economic literacy is part of every student's education," said Michael MacDowell, Managing Director of the Foundation.

The 2011 Survey of the States report is available for download at http://www.councilforeconed.org/survey2011.

About the Council for Economic Education
The Council For Economic Education educates children about the real world through lessons in economics and personal finance. CEE supports better and greater school-based K-12 economic and personal finance education through programs reaching more than 55,000 K-12 teachers and approximately 5 million students in the United States.

Contact: Alicia Sellitti
Public Relations
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T: 917-822-9010

SOURCE Council for Economic Education