Press Releases

For Immediate Release
December 16, 2004

Governor Doyle Praises Wisconsin’s Nationally Acclaimed Teacher-Training Program as 2005 Registration Opens

(Madison) Governor Jim Doyle said today that state residents should take pride in an innovative Wisconsin program that has gained national prominence. The Financial Literacy and Education Commission of the U.S. Department of the Treasury recently cited the innovative National Institute of Financial and Economic Literacy as a “best practice” teacher-training program. Registration opens today for its 2005 sessions.

For the first time ever, enrollment in the three one-week courses is open to educators from around the country as well as to those from Wisconsin. The program—formerly known as the Wisconsin Institute of Financial and Economic Education—shows educators how to teach their students about personal finance and money. The need is great. A 2004 National Jump$tart survey confirmed what many previous studies had already documented—that students across the country lack financial savvy. The average score on a test of their financial knowledge was 52.3 percent—an F on any grading scale.

“It is a mark of distinction to have a program that serves as a model for the rest of the nation,” said Governor Doyle. “In 2005, we will showcase to educators around the country what Wisconsin teachers have experienced for the past four years. These sessions give educators the tools they need to provide their students better money skills—something they badly need.”

All three 2005 sessions will be held on the campus of Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin

• Paychecks, Financial Contracts and Entrepreneurship, June 20-24, 2005, focuses on life’s major financial transactions, including home purchasing, car buying and entrepreneurship. Participants also visit businesses created by Wisconsin entrepreneurs.

• Saving, Investing and Insurance, July 11-15, 2005, deals with saving, investment basics, insurance choices and associated topics. It also includes a tour of Milwaukee’s financial district including a luncheon at Northwestern Mutual.

• Credit and Money, August 1-5, 2005, covers consumer credit, budgeting, monetary policy and connected topics. It includes a tour of the Chicago Board of Trade and Chicago’s Federal Reserve Bank with an on-site luncheon at the bank.

A catalog will soon be mailed to educators detailing the programs’ content. Teachers of personal finance, family and consumer sciences, social studies, economics, math, or business and others who want to acquire the ability to teach about money will benefit. Superintendents, directors, administrators and principals of high schools, middle schools, and grade schools also benefit. Enrollment information is available on the DFI website at www.wdfi.org or at the Wisconsin Jump$tart website at www.wijumpstart.org.

Registration is $150 for Wisconsin educators and $500 for non-Wisconsin educators. Registration includes lodging, meals, refreshments, all program materials, and parking. Wisconsin educators can earn three graduate credits per program for an additional tuition fee of $375 or a total cost of $525 per program. Non-Wisconsin educators can earn three graduate credits per program for an additional tuition fee of $450 or a total of $950 per program. Several generous sponsors subsidize the costs for Wisconsin participants.

To request free catalogs, contact DFI’s Teresa Walker at 608-267-1713 or email her at teresa.walker@dfi.state.wi.us. For more information about the National Institute of Financial and Economic Literacy, contact DFI’s David Mancl at 608-572-5794 or email him at david.mancl@dfi.state.wi.us.