The Current High School Curriculum Needs Reform and Fast!
Posted on May 30th, 2007 by Marc Chase Posted in Credit Repair | 9 CommentsQuestion: How many of you think your ability to explain photosynthesis had a direct impact on the interest rate you pay for your mortgage?
How about your visual arts class in high school? How much did your ability to dance or play the clarinet lower your credit card payments?
Here is my point…
If I think of one thing that is constant in the way each and every one of us lives, it’s going to be your ability to manage your finances and your credit score.
Your mortgage payment, car payments and credit card payments are directly impacted by your credit score. They higher your interest rates, the higher your payments. The higher your payments the less you have to save for your children’s college fund, your health plans and your retirement.
Looking back now that you’re all grown up ask yourself; would you rather have learned to perfect your credit score and finances, or taken a visual arts class in school?
Well, you don’t actually have a choice in that decision. Below is list of the required classes before graduating High School in California.
Three courses in English, Two courses in mathematics, Two courses in science, Three courses in social studies, One course in visual or performing arts or foreign language, Two courses in physical education
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/gs/hs/hsgrmin.asp
Now I’m not necessarily knocking any of those classes - knowledge is a good thing, but how can visual arts be required yet finance and credit is not?
Statistically, the chances of becoming an actor, dancer or professional athlete are very slim. Conversely, the chances of needing good credit are 100%
I seriously think we need to add credit and finance to the High School Curriculum. I’m not saying replace other courses, but arts, physical ed. Even science is something that can be pursued in college should those be your desired career paths.
I want you to try something. I’m going to assume the fact that you’re reading our blog means you probably could use a little help in these areas. If you have a child in high school, ask them what a good credit score is.
Ask where they can even get their credit reports. Ask them what an acceptable APR would be on an auto loan. If they’re in high school they’re going to be dealing with all those issues anytime now.
Do our School Requirements need reform? Talk to your children and you decide.
Excellent article Marc and you are totally right. I never learned any of that in school and well, I spent 4 months with you as a result.
This needs to get sent to the school board or something. Maybe Arnold, but he’s probably all for the Arts classes
Hey Raiders
LOL Arnold probably would be and as I said, I don’t have a problem with any of the classes. I’m not suggesting anything be removed from the current criteria.
I am however suggesting something be added.
Great post! That is absolutely true, our school system needs to update its classes.
As I recall it, those are the same classes I took 20 years ago and they dont appear to have changed, yet the rules of surviving this economy have.
Carnival of Personal Finance #103: The 24 Edition…
I have to admit, I was quite disappointed in the TV show 24 this year. Jack Bauer just didn’t seem himself, so I decided to give Jack a call and find out what he did after he left the beach house. This week’s Carnival of Personal Finance wi…
High school isn’t vocational training for most in this country… it’s cognitive training. While I think young people need more education in money management, if it is at the expense of arts, science, foreign language, literature, history, or even physical education, in the college-prep curriculum, no way. Leave it for those who won’t be going to college and will be entering the workforce right after high school … and put it in the vocational-technical training…. don’t make it mandatory for kids who need real cognitive stimulation in high school.
Flexo,
Thank you very much for your input.
Personally I think it should come before at the very least arts. Now, my opion obviously is slanted due to the fact that every single day I deal with somebody just starting college and has already dug himself a pretty big hole.
I think arts should be saved for college where the student maybe thinking about career choices and arts may be that choice. I think we need to send them out in the world with a little more financical knowledge then what they are currently receiving.
Again, thank you for the input and drop by anytime
I recommend our reader go check out his blog…pretty good
http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/
I’m right there with you. In fact, one of my long term goals is to start a non-profit with a mission of getting financial education into the curriculum. In the mean time, I’m in the progress of signing up to volunteer with a local non-profit which offers free financial literacy classes to children and teens. These people are our future. They need to learn how to balance a budget better than the current people running our country!
Regarding Flexo’s point about what should be removed, I don’t think anything should be removed, this should just be added. In my school I had to take about 12 elective classes to get enough credits to graduate. So…make it 11 electives and make financial management a requirement. Nothing gets dropped and a great skill gets added. I’d also argue that the kids going to college need it just as much, if not more than ones not going to college because on campus they’re stopped every 10 feet and given a credit card and free t-shirt.
I meet with clients all the time who are 10 years out of school and *still* paying off that 2 am pizza craving.
Thanks for a great post!
Excellent points. There is a federal program called the National Strategy for Financial Literacy. There is some good information on their website http://www.mymoney.gov . I share your sentiments and as I wrote in in this mornings post http://moneyandcredit.blogspot.com/2007/06/financial-illiterates.html , we must implore our schools, churches and communtity groups to invite our local financial professionals into our schools, churches and groups to teach our kids the basics of financial literacy. The young people of today are the caregivers of tomorrow. Teaching our youngsters about financial matters might be a good financial insurance policy for ourselves when the time comes….
Colonel,
I’d not heard of mymoney.gov. Thanks. One site that I’ve found useful was the National Endowment for Financial Education. http://www.nefe.org/ They have some good resources on their sites.
The program that I hope to work for is called Financial Beginnings. http://www.financialbeginnings.org/
pf101