Arkansas State Council On Economic Education

TO INCREASE THE ECONOMIC LITERACY OF PREK-12TH GRADE STUDENTS IN ARKANSAS.

TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: K-12 EDUCATORS IN ARKANSAS ARE REQUIRED TO OBTAIN 36 HOURS PER YEAR OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING, AND WE ARE CERTIFIED BY THE ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO PROVIDE THESE HOURS THROUGH WORKSHOPS AND IN-SERVICE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES BOTH IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL. WE HOST MULTI-DAY WORKSHOPS IN THE SUMMER, PLUS 1-6 HOUR TRAININGS DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR. WE PARTNER WITH A VARIETY OF ENTITIES TO PROVIDE ENGAGING, CREATIVE AND USER-FRIENDLY RESOURCES TO ASSIST TEACHERS WITH INTEGRATING ECONOMIC, PERSONAL FINANCE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP CONCEPTS INTO THEIR CLASSROOMS NO MATTER WHAT GRADE LEVEL OR SUBJECT MATTER THEY TEACH. TO LEARN MORE, VISIT WWW.ECONOMICSARKANSAS.ORG.

THE STOCK MARKET GAME(TM): THIS INVESTMENT SIMULATION IS OFFERED EACH SCHOOL YEAR TO STUDENTS IN GRADES 4 - 12. WE HOST TWO 13-WEEK SESSIONS, ONE IN THE FALL AND ONE IN THE SPRING. IN ADDITION, WE OFFER A YEARLONG SESSION FROM SEPTEMBER THROUGH APRIL. TEACHERS REGISTER STUDENT TEAMS TO MANAGE AND TRADE "LIVE" A HYPOTHETICAL $100,000 PORTFOLIO OF STOCKS, BONDS AND MUTUAL FUNDS. THEIR GOAL IS TO GROW THE PORTFOLIO AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE DURING THE SESSION FOR WHICH THEY REGISTERED. THIS STANDARDS-BASED "GAME" INTEGRATES TECHNOLOGY, MATH, SOCIAL STUDIES, HIGHER-LEVEL THINKING, TEAM BUILDING, AND OF COURSE, ECONOMICS INTO ONE ENGAGING LEARNING TOOL FOR TEACHERS. THIS PROGRAM SERVED 14,123 STUDENTS LAST YEAR. AN EXTENSION OF THIS PROGRAM IS AN ESSAY-WRITING CONTEST CALLED "INVESTWRITE" WHERE STUDENTS SUBMIT RESPONSES TO A GIVEN INVESTMENT QUESTION. ARKANSAS IS PROUD TO HAVE BOTH STATE AND NATIONAL WINNERS IN THIS PROGRAM.

ADDITIONAL INITIATIVES OFFERED BY ECONOMICS ARKANSAS INCLUDE CEE/NAEE DUES, PUBLIC RELATIONS, TEACHER AWARDS PROGRAM, RESOURCE EXTENDER SUPPORT, STUDENT AND FAMILY PROGRAMS, NEW AND OTHER PROGRAM ENTERPRISES.CEE/NAEE DUES ALLOW DISCOUNTS ON ECONOMIC EDUCATION MATERIALS, PRIORITY ACCESS TO REGIONAL AND NATIONAL CONFERENCES, AWARD OPPORTUNITIES AND OCCASIONS TO PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL PROGRAM OPPORTUNITIES.ECONOMICS ARKANSAS UTILIZES PART OF ITS PUBLIC RELATIONS BUDGET TO SUPPORT TEACHER AND STUDENT PRESENTATIONS. ALSO INCLUDED ARE MEMBERSHIPS TO PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS ARKANSAS ASSOCIATION OF EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATORS AND CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE WITHIN THE STATE. THEY SERVE AS RESOURCES FOR PROMOTION OF MATERIALS AND SERVICES WE MAKE AVAILABLE TO ARKANSAS EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.ANNUALLY, TEACHERS ARE INVITED TO SUBMIT REQUESTS FOR UP TO $500 IN FUNDING TO ASSIST IN INTEGRATING ECONOMICS AND PERSONAL FINANCE INTO THEIR CLASSROOMS. AT THE END OF THE PROJECT, TEACHERS MAY SUBMIT THEIR PROJECTS VIA WRITTEN APPLICATION FOR THE OPPORTUNITY WIN A STATE AWARD, INCLUDING A CASH AWARD AND THE COVETED "BESSIE" STATUE.WHILE ECONOMICS ARKANSAS OPERATES WITH A SMALL STAFF, WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE MULTIPLE "RESOURCE EXTENDERS" OF MASTER ECONOMIC TEACHERS (METS) AND CENTERS FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION. METS ARE CLASSROOM EDUCATORS WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN OUR WORKSHOPS AND TRAININGS AND HAVE DEMONSTRATED PROFICIENCY AND EASE WITH INCORPORATING ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL EDUCATION CONCEPTS INTO THEIR CLASSROOMS IN CREATIVE WAYS. CURRENTLY, THERE ARE 24 ACTIVE METS, PLUS FOUR RETIRED EDUCATORS DUBBED "MET EMERITUS" WHO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAMS OF ECONOMICS ARKANSAS. IN ADDITION, ARKANSAS HAS SIX CENTERS FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION BASED IN UNIVERSITIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE, LED BY CENTER DIRECTORS WHO HAVE ECONOMIC TRAINING, WHO PROVIDE TRAINING AND ASSISTANCE TO TEACHERS IN THEIR GEOGRAPHIC AREAS.ECONOMICS ARKANSAS IS KEENLY AWARE OF CHANGES IN THE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT AND STRIVES TO CONSTANTLY EVOLVE TO MEET THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT NEEDS OF TEACHERS AS WELL AS DEVELOP INNOVATIVE OFFERINGS TO ENGAGE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IN THE "REAL LIFE" EDUCATION ECONOMIC EDUCATION OFFERS. WE INVEST IN NEW PROGRAM IDEAS TO TEST THEIR VIABILITY AND EFFECTIVENESS. SOMETIMES THESE OFFERINGS BECOME PART OF ECONOMICS ARKANSAS' CORE PROGRAMS AND SOMETIMES THEY MAY ONLY HAVE A SEASON OF ONE OR TWO YEARS. SOMETIMES WE ASSIST WITH CREATING INITIATIVES FOR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO EXECUTE. WHATEVER THE OUTCOME OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES, OUR VISION REMAINS FOR ARKANSAS STUDENTS TO MASTER AN UNDERSTANDING ECONOMICS AND PERSONAL FINANCE AND APPLY THAT KNOWLEDGE FOR SUCCESS IN THE FREE-ENTERPRISE SYSTEM.A SPECIAL PUBLICATION CELEBRATING ECONOMICS ARKANSAS' 60TH ANNIVERSARY WAS CREATED THIS YEAR AND HIGHLIGHTS TEACHER AND STUDENT IMPACT STORIES AS WELL AS LEADERSHIP AND PARTNERSHIPS THROUGHOUT ITS HISTORY. THE PUBLICATION IS AVAILABLE VIA THE WEBSITE AND HARDCOPIES WERE MAILED TO TEACHERS, SUPPORTERS, PARTNERS AND DONORS.ECONOMICS ARKANSAS OFFERS VARIOUS ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. COMPETITIONS FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 9-12 SUCH AS ECONOMICS CHALLENGE, PERSONAL FINANCE CHALLENGE, PITCH IT! AND $10 CHALLENGE ARE OFFERED TO NOT ONLY TEST ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL KNOWLEDGE BUT ALSO TO PROMOTE ENTREPRENEURSHIP SKILLS ENCOURAGING BUSINESS PLAN DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO GAPS IN SERVICES AND PRODUCTS. THESE COMPETITIONS BRING TO "REAL LIFE" THE VAST APPLICATIONS OF CLASSROOM LEARNING. FAMILY ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES OCCUR THROUGH THE AR READS PROGRAM WHICH TARGETS GRADES K-5 AND INCORPORATES A READING INITIATIVE WITH ECONOMIC CONCEPT LEARNING. SCHOOLS ADOPT A BOOK AND TEACHERS, STUDENTS AND PARENTS READ THE BOOK TOGETHER, DISCUSSING AND LEARNING ECONOMICS AND PERSONAL FINANCE CONCEPTS THEREIN. ECONOMICS ARKANSAS DEVELOPS ACTIVITIES AND RESOURCES FOR BOTH SCHOOL AND HOME SITUATIONS AND MAKES THEM AVAILABLE FREE FOR DOWNLOAD VIA ITS WEBSITE WWW.ECONOMICSARKANSAS.ORG.

GRANT TO ECONOMICS ARKANSAS FOUNDATION TO INVEST FUNDS.