Lack of financial literacy has been identified as a key cause of the 2008 recession. In response, President Obama created the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability in January, 2010.
Source: http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/financial-education/Pages/Advisory.aspx

Two of the four recommendations of the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability are to teach economic and financial literacy in K through 12 schools and to conduct research on the effectiveness of financial literacy education, especially in underserved communities. In the aftermath of the Great Recession of 2007-2009, the PACFC stated that financial education “should take its rightful place” in American schools.

It is indeed in the country’s best interest to be a financially literate workforce, as United States Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, pointed out in 2012. However, less than 20% of teachers report feeling very competent to teach personal finance topics (Survey of States, 2011).

California is not one of the seventeen states that requires that a course in personal finance be taught in high school.
Source: http://www.councilforeconed.org/news-information/survey-of-the-states/

The Center for Economic Education in partnership with U.S. Bank hosts teacher training workshops and provides curriculum material in personal finance to high school economics teachers in the region.

 

Teacher Training Workshops

2015 State-Wide Teachers Workshop in Economics and Financial Literacy

Meet the Speakers.pdf

2013 State-Wide Teachers Workshop in Economics and Financial Literacy