Currently, only 25% of California high school students have access to a personal finance course elective, compared to 70% of high school students nationally.

Through a partnership with the California Department of Education, State Superintendent Tony Thurmond, and Next Gen Personal Finance, the California Access To Financial Education (CAFE) grant program will substantially increase student access to this essential course in California high schools.

There’s a national movement in financial education happening, and we can’t afford for California children to fall behind, said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond. We must ensure that all our graduates are equipped with important skills they need to thrive, and financial education is a key tool that can be used in all stages of a student’s life.

This grant program has three objectives:

  • Make it easy for educators to find high-quality, free curricular resources
  • Support teachers with no-cost professional development workshops
  • Expand access and impact in five of California’s largest public school districts

Grant period: Ongoing

Next Steps for Educators

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REVIEW PERSONAL FINANCE CURRICULUM

Get a start on building out that personal finance elective course by visiting NGPF’s Semester Course and Unit Pages. A-G Course Approval templates make that process simpler too. The California Department of Education provides a listing of other high-quality curriculum providers.

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TAKE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Starting August 18, 2022, the first 1,000 California public high school teachers who complete 20 hours of professional development with NGPF will earn a $500 stipend. Begin accumulating those hours today by registering for these FREE professional development opportunities:

  • Certification courses: 10 hours of live instruction delivered over a five-week period in 10 different content areas including behavioral economics, cryptocurrency basics, insurance and investing.
  • On-Demand modules: 40+ hour-long modules that you can complete at your own pace, on your own schedule with a focus on current topics in personal finance
  • Virtual PD: 5-7 live virtual events offered weekly to help you brush up on your content knowledge and collaborate with educators from across the country

About the District Matching Grant Program

This three-year grant will enable five of the largest public school districts to hire personal finance specialists:

  • Los Angeles Unified
  • San Diego Unified
  • Fresno Unified
  • Long Beach Unified
  • San Francisco Unified

These specialists will provide curriculum support and professional development to increase access to financial education within the district.

NGPF will provide a grant of $125,000 per year to each of these five districts for a three-year period. These districts can receive further details about this grant program by contacting NGPF Co-Founder, Tim Ranzetta at tim@ngpf.org.

This grant program is modeled after NGPF’s successful Financial Equity and Empowerment grant program, currently operational in Milwaukee Public Schools (WI), Miami-Dade County Public Schools (FL), Prince George’s County Public Schools (MD), Clark County Public Schools (NV), and Denver Public Schools (CO).

FAQ

Who is eligible to receive a professional development stipend?

The first 1,000 currently active public high school teachers in the state of California who complete 20 hours of NGPF professional development are eligible to receive a $500 stipend.

If I complete 40 hours of PD, will I be eligible for an additional $500 stipend?

We encourage everyone to take as much PD as desired but because we want to reach as many high school teachers as possible, we are limiting stipends to one per teacher.

How much time will I have to complete these 20 hours of professional development and earn this $500 stipend?

The grant program is not time-based but rather teacher-based. Funding is available to provide stipends to 1,000 California high school teachers who complete 20 PD hours. We will update this page so you are aware of how many stipends are available.

How will the stipends be provided and when?

You will receive a $500 Amazon e-gift card as a stipend. NGPF will process these stipends on a monthly rolling basis.

I already invested 20 hours in NGPF PD before the start of this program on August 18, 2022. Will I receive a $500 stipend based on this prior work?

No. The $500 stipend will only be given for hours completed on August 18, 2022 or later.

Are there costs for the professional development workshops?

NGPF offers all of its professional development at no cost. Over the past two years, 10,000+ educators nationwide have invested more than 250,000 hours in NGPF PD.

How can I sign up for these professional development workshops?

Registration is easy. Visit the Certification course, On-Demand, and Virtual PD pages to get started today.

I finished my 20 credits, what do I need to do?

NGPF will automatically tally your hours and will notify you that you are a recipient of the grant between 1 to 2 weeks after you complete the 20 credits.