Page 46 - Demo

46 SUPERINTENDENT ANNUAL REPORTPERSONAL FINANCIAL LITERACY PROJECTFY26 marked notable progress for the District%u2019s K-12 Personal Financial Literacy Project, supported by the Stiles-Nicholson Foundation. The initiative equips students with essential money management skills for lifelong success.Throughout the year, more than 16,800 learners received direct financial literacy instruction. Data from digital platforms such as FoolProof showed an increase from a 52% pre-test average to 86% on post-tests. Additionally, nearly 9,000 students completed EVERFI%u2019s interactive simulations, logging more than 16,500 hours of learning.The District aligned with state-mandated personal financial literacy graduation requirements by launching specialized courses, including %u201cPersonal Finance and Money Management%u201d and %u201cEconomics and Personal Finance.%u201d Educator professional learning also expanded, resulting in 836 teachers trained during FY26. Currently, 100% of middle and high schools and 61% of elementary schools employ at least one teacher trained in financial literacy programs.Students applied this knowledge through meaningful, hands-on experiences, including:%u2022 Westward ES students practiced budgeting through a student-run market.%u2022 Participants at William T. Dwyer HS delivered free community tax preparation services through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.%u2022 Elementary students explored financial responsibility by earning and spending classroom currency in the %u201cMy Classroom Economy%u201d program.Financial education is a partnership between school and home. To encourage discussions about credit, saving, and insurance, the District distributed updated newsletters to parents or guardians at every high school. A pilot study with Florida Atlantic University confirmed that students are discussing financial topics with their families more often. These efforts help ensure District graduates are academically prepared and financially empowered.Student-run Panther Mini-Mart