Seal of Personal Finance
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Seal of Personal Finance Flyer
CLICK HERE > Intent to Participate Form Now Open for 2024-2025 School Year | CLICK HERE > Reporting Form Complete for 2023-2024 School Year |
The Arizona Seal of Personal Finance program recognizes high school students who achieve a high level of proficiency in Personal Finance.
The seal is placed upon the student's diploma and noted on their transcript.
Arizona Seal of Personal Finance Program Board Rule
Seal of Personal Finance Information Presentation
Criteria for Seal of Personal Finance Program
- Any PUBLIC school, charter, or district may choose to participate but they must complete the INTENT TO PARTICIPATE FORM by September 1 of the participating year.
- Schools/districts must develop their own process for collecting student data and distributing the seals. Public school districts and charters must designate at least one individual to serve as the Coordinator of the Program.
- Participating school districts and charters must make information regarding the Seal of Personal Finance program available to parents and students.
- Schools/Districts must report seal data through the REPORTING FORM no later than 90 days after the school year or by September 1.
- Students must complete all requirements during grades 9-12. Previous experience will not be counted.
- Students must complete all social studies courses with an overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 out of a 4.0 scale.
- Students must complete 1 activity from each of the 4 categories.
- Completion of an approved personal finance program (Curriculum)
- Participation in a co-curricular or extracurricular program (Outside of School)
- Completion of a college and/or career readiness (Readiness Plan and Written Reflection)
- Passage of an assessment of personal finance (Test)
- The curriculum must meet the requirements shown in the rubric in order to be considered as an approved Category 1.
- The curriculum listed below will note if it includes a personal finance assessment meeting category four’s criterion. It will also note if the program includes additional topics.
- The Program Rubric for Seal of Personal Finance was used to determine the eligibility of programs for Category 1.
| Program | Assessment | Additional Topics | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| NextGen Personal Finance | YES | YES | FREE – WITH LOGIN |
| Financial Literacy for High School from EVERFI | YES | YES | FREE – WITH LOGIN |
| Edmentum Personal and Family Finance | YES | YES | PURCHASE FOR SITE/DISTRICT |
| Personal Finance Course from Imagine Learning (Formerly Edgenuity) | YES | YES | PURCHASE FOR SITE/DISTRICT |
| Savvas Personal Financial Literacy | YES | YES | PURCHASE SITE/DISTRICT |
| Personal Finance Lab | YES | YES | PURCHASE SITE/DISTRICT |
| Center for Financial Responsibility Personal Financial Literacy Certification Preparation Materials | YES | YES | $40 CERTIFICATION VOUCHER WITH iCEV SUBSCRIPTION |
| Arizona Council on Economic Education (ACEE) High School Economics Curriculum on Canvas | NO | YES | FREE – AZ STANDARDS ALIGNED |
| Virtual Business Personal Finance from Knowledge Matters | NO | YES | SIMULATION PURCHASED FOR SITE/DISTRICT |
| Money Vehicle Program | YES | YES | BUY THE COURSE $100 |
| Foundations in Personal Finance | YES | YES | PURCHASE FOR SITE/DISTRICT |
| Financial Planning for Young Adults with University of Illinois through Coursera | NO | YES | CERTIFICATION $49.99 (Subscription) |
| The Fundamental of Personal Finance Specialization with SoFi through Coursera | NO | YES | CERTIFICATION $49.99 (Subscription) |
| Personal Finance 101 - Personal Finance for Regular People from Udemy | NO | YES | CERTIFICATION $49.99 (Course) |
| BYU Financial Literacy for High School | YES | YES | Cost: $199 |
| Pathways to Financial Success from Discover | NO | YES | FREE - STUDENT SELF-PACED + TEACHER GUIDE |
| MoneyMoments from MidFirst Bank | NO | YES | FREE – STUDENT ACTIVITIES + TEACHER GUIDE |
| 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy | NO | YES | FREE - READINGS + SELF EXPLORATION |
| Better Money Habits from Bank of America | NO | YES | FREE - READINGS + SELF EXPLORATION |
| Hands on Banking from Wells Fargo | NO | YES | FREE - READINGS + SELF EXPLORATION |
| MoneySKILLS from AFSA Education Foundation | YES | YES | FREE - INSTRUCTOR ACCOUNT NEEDED |
| Nucleus Financial Literacy Course | YES | YES | PURCHASE FOR SITE/DISTRICT |
| Banzai Financial Education | YES | YES | FREE - WITH LOGIN |
| Take Charge Today from University of Arizona | YES | YES | FREE - WITH LOGIN |
| Curriculum and programs not on this list must be approved by the Arizona Department of Education. Contact [email protected] or the Director of K-12 Social Studies and World and Native Languages. | |||
- Must be completed outside of required economics class or after school. It cannot count as a grade.
- Professional program that is personal finance related (fits within one or more of the Rubric Topics)
- Students must have at least 10 hours of commitment. Students may need to complete more than one program or activity to meet this requirement.
- Must be approved by ADE and the State Board of Education
| Programs or Activity |
|---|
| The Stock Market Game from Arizona Council on Economic Education (Semester/Year) |
| Money Minutes from Arizona Council on Economic Education |
| Financial Fitness in Action from Arizona Council on Economic Education (1.5-2 Hours) |
| Arizona Economics Challenge from Arizona Council on Economic Education*(Semester/Year Prep) |
| Arizona Personal Finance Challenge from Arizona Council on Economic Education* (Semester/Year Prep) |
| EconBowl with Youth Economics Initiative |
| HowtheMarketWorks.com (Stock Market Simulation) |
| EconOlympiad from Youth Economics Initiative |
| JA AZ Finance Park (Lessons and Visit) |
| Junior Achievement USA Finacial Literacy or Entrepreneurship Programs |
| Young Finance Scholar from New York Institute of Finance (NYIF) |
| Young Equity Analyst from NYIF |
| Young Sustainability Scholar from NYIF |
| BETA Camp (10-Week Virtual Entrepreneurship Program) |
| Attend AAED Committee Meeting or Event |
| Attend a Committee on Finance Meeting |
| Attend a Committee on Commerce Meeting |
| Create or Join an EconClub |
| The Personal Financial Literacy Event through DECA (exam and role-play) |
| School-Based Enterprise (SBE) through DECA |
| Competitive Events through DECA (Role-Play and Case-Studies, Prepared Events, Online Simulations) |
| The Financial Literacy Project through DECA (Written entry and interview) |
| Join or Create a LifeSmarts Varsity Competition Team |
| LifeSmarts FBLA Challenge |
| FBLA Virtual Business Scholarship Challenge – Personal Finance |
| Hands-on Banking® Experience |
| Invest in Girls from CEE |
| Urban Plan for High School through ULI |
| Leadership, Civics, and You Program from Flinn Foundation |
| Take Charge Cats |
| Investopedia Simulator |
| Personal Financ Lab Stock Market Game |
| Personal Finance Lab Budgeting Game |
| Bank of America Student Leaders Program |
| Economic Outlook Conference hosted by Nancy Baca and the Economic Policy Institute at Northern Arizona University |
| Bank of America Financial Literacy Challenge |
| Summer Programs |
|---|
| Economics for Leaders Programs |
| Entrepreneurship in the Global Economy |
| Environment & the Economy |
| Teach Me Wall Street (3-Week-Virtual) |
| Intern/Volunteer at an Economics focused organization/government agency/business |
*Previously the Mayors’ Challenge for Economic Education
Programs, institutes, and initiatives not on this list must be approved by the Arizona Department of Education. Contact [email protected] or the Director of K-12 Social Studies and World and Native Languages.
- Students must complete one or more of the approved college readiness plans:
- ECAP
- FAFSA
- CTE Certification
- AVID Elective Course
- Submit a written reflection as adopted by the State Board of Education for the purposes of demonstrating financial literacy proficiency.
- Suggested Written Reflection Guidance and Rubric
Obtain a 60% passing score on an end-of-course exam from the approved curriculum above or one of the following:
- Personal Finance-related Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO) Objective Test
- Center for Financial Responsibility Personal Financial Literacy Certification
- The Arizona Personal Finance Challenge (Online Assessment with Arizona Council on Economic Education)
- Council for Economic Education Ready Assessments
- Topics: Personal Finance, Financial Literacy, Financial Fitness
- Financial Fitness for Life High School
- Basic Finance Test (Post-Test)
- Create your own exam using the Ready Assessment
- Must contain questions on the following topics:
- Banking, Investing, Credit, Paying for College, Insurance, Taxes, Budgeting
- Assessment must be approved by the Arizona Department of Education.
- Must contain questions on the following topics:
- Career and Technical Education (CTE) personal finance assessments from approved curriculum and economics-aligned courses.
- Create an exam using the above curriculum and materials. Must be approved by the Arizona Department of Education.
Formal Seal from the Arizona Department of Education
The Arizona Department of Education will contact those districts/schools who participated and will request an unofficial count of students receiving the Seal of Biliteracy in April. Foil and sticker seals will be sent at the beginning of May to be added to Diplomas.
Optional Recognitions for Seal of Biliteracy
The Arizona Department of Education does not supply any of the following options. A local district or school may provide these items to their students who earn the Seal of Biliteracy.
- Triple-wrapped graduation cord - Colors for the Seal of Personal Finance can be green, white, and gold.
- Certificates issued to students earning the Seal of Personal Finance
- Medals for the Seal of Personal Finance
- Recognition ceremony or assembly
- Mention in a local paper
- Banner with student names that earned the Seal of Personal Finance
If a student receives test data after school has ended (AP or IB exams for example), they still earn the Seal. They can return their diploma to their school to have the Seal of Personal Finance attached. The transcripts would also be updated by the district/school once the tests have been recorded.
Seeking approval for additional programs/activities/assessments? Contact us at [email protected].
