Philadelphia's School Superintendent Wants To Restore Real-World Life Skills In Curriculum
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia's school superintendent wants to restore financial literacy to the curriculum of the city's schools.
Dr. William Hite admits the old home economics courses that were taught years ago in the schools exposed students to balancing a checkbook, starting a savings account or even applying for a loan.
But those courses eventually disappeared due to funding cuts or to make room for other course offerings.
Now, Hite wants to bring the financial literacy component back. He says the target right now is the middle schools, particularly sixth graders.
"How do I start a savings account? And, what does it mean to establish a budget and we want to start that a time before our children begin to think about working, whether it's in the summer, whether it's babysitting."
Hite says a handful of middle schools and even high schools already are moving in that direction thanks to workshops brought in annually by guest instructors from the banking community.
But now, Hite wants to formally incorporate the basic, real-world skills on how to manage finances into the district's regular program of study.