The following post is one in a series of inspiring stories from NGPF's Gold Standard Challenge Grant Program which incentivizes high schools and districts to commit to ALL students taking personal finance courses before graduation. Learn more, and apply for your $2,500 to $30,000 Gold Standard Challenge Grant before the August 31, 2022 deadline here.

About Today's Guest Author

Sandra Roberson is an educator at Gateway Christian School in Roswell, New Mexico. Their school is the 143rd recipient of the Gold Standard Challenge grant. Here is Sandra describing Gateway Christian’s journey to the Gold Standard.

Describe a rough timeline for how you and/or your colleagues were able to advocate for personal finance to become a graduation requirement in your school/district. How long did it take? What were the major progress milestones?

One year--We were looking to add a semester course for our 11th-grade students. This year I taught using the NGPF curriculum to our 12th graders as an alternative math class. After experiencing the rich content I went to the superintendent with the proposal. (I am a classroom teacher and academic counselor. I also work extensively with the curriculum.)

What challenges did you encounter in your efforts to make personal finance a graduation requirement, and what solutions did you find for these challenges?

No significant challenges. I met with the superintendent with the proposal then he took it to the board.

What/who were the "catalysts for change" that allowed your efforts to be successful?

Between the class I taught this year and the enriched curriculum the Economics brought, we realized the importance of teaching money and resource management. We had tried Consumer math and Business math but it did not have the personal application that the students needed for situations they are facing now and in the immediate future.

About the Author

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