PHOENIX, Oct. 4, 2021 - This October marks the first-ever National Economic Education Month. The Arizona Council on Economic Education (ACEE) is at the forefront and joins hundreds of organizations nationwide in this movement. Governor Ducey has signed the proclamation to declare October as Economic Education Month in Arizona, joining the governors of Georgia, Maryland, Ohio, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Tennessee among many others.
The global pandemic has really underscored that economics is all around us. It teaches us that scarcity forces everyone to make choices, and our choices come with costs. All students must understand how everyday economic decisions and policies affect their lives, their families, and their world. Effective personal finance management originates from the understanding of economic principles of choices, incentives, and opportunity cost.
"When our children understand these fundamental economic principles," Said Elena Zee, President and CEO of ACEE "they will understand the meaning of 'there is no such thing as a free lunch' to manage their personal finances more effectively."
Economic education in our schools depends on K-12 educators being equipped with high-quality training. They also require resources to ensure students have equitable access to classroom experiences that develop the skills necessary to make informed choices as individuals and members of their community. ACEE launched the program Teaching Fiscal Policy during the COVID Era to ensure that high school students understand the connection between the economic way of thinking, personal finance, and the real world.
ACEE is a 100% privately funded 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to financial, economic and entrepreneurship education. ACEE partners with 16,000 K-12 teachers to ensure every student in Arizona is financially and economically literate, reaching more than 200,000 students statewide annually. Sixty five percent of the students are from low to moderate income families, attending public, charter, home, private, tribal, and juvenile correction schools.
ACEE is hosting the 8th annual Champions in Education to honor Economic Education Teachers of the Year and rally the community. To join the conversation, follow the Arizona Council on Economic Education on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, and go to www.azecon.org. #EconEdMonth
Contact: Elena Zee, programs@azecon.org
SOURCE Arizona Council on Economic Education
