Organization: ARKANSAS COUNCIL ON ECONOMIC EDUCATION
Mission: TO INCREASE THE ECONOMIC LITERACY OF PREK-12TH GRADE STUDENTS IN ARKANSAS.
Activities: 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. 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 FREE ENTERPRISE 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 13,658 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.
TEACHER GRANTS, AWARDS PROGRAM: 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 TO WIN A STATE AWARD, INCLUDING A CASH AWARD AND THE COVETED "BESSIE" STATUE.
NTEE category: Education
Secondary category: Youth Development