Be $mart Missouri

A Program by the Missouri Council on Economic Education

A Network of Local Community Chapters

Background:  The state Board of Education enacted a new state Rule requiring a one-semester capstone course in Personal Finance that will be required for graduation from high school.  The Missouri Council on Economic Education (MCEE) has played a significant role with the assistance of many other Missouri organizations in bringing this serious need to light following the report that 54.8% of seniors in 2004 and 43.7% in 2008 failed a national survey of personal financial knowledge.  MCEE worked with the Missouri Secretary of State's office to develop local Be $mart Missouri (BSM) chapters in communities across the state to bring public attention and action to the need for economic, financial, and investor education in a truly unique manner.  This program seeks to mobilize local groups of citizens to provide assistance, support, and encouragement to school administrators, teachers, and students in achieving the positive impact on student lives envisioned in this new graduation requirement.

Method:  To create local BSM Chapters that will be members of the Be $mart Missouri organization, the MCEE welcomes communities to participate in the program.  Because the central intent of this effort is to create local BSM Chapters whose primary efforts are to provide support to the local high school program, a central initiating role has been defined for the community high school.  Specifically, no local chapter will be established without at least one representative from the local high school.  This could be a teacher or an administrator.  BSM Chapters will be initially formed with six to eight members in total with other representatives to be identified from organizations such as the local Chamber of Commerce, financial institutions such as banks, credit unions, insurance, or brokerage offices, service clubs such as Rotary or Kiwanis, local labor unions, retail trade outlets, local consumer organizations, or private individuals with a commitment to personal financial education. 

Tasks of the Local Chapter members of Be $mart Missouri:  The MCEE will provide a list of suggestions for local chapter initiatives that could range from simple activities such as providing expert guest speakers to high school classes to helping to arrange field trips or internships for students.  Tasks could include procuring classroom materials for students and teachers or organizing an investment club.  The MCEE will provide sample activities on our website, but chapters will identify their own interests and capacities in consultation with the high school representative of Be $mart Missouri. The MCEE will also provide materials to each of the local chapters to use in addition with other teaching materials.

Critical Role of High School in Initiating the Be $mart Missouri Program:  The selected high schools must commit to scheduling a school assembly or some equivalent "launching activity" during the school year. The full program will be submitted in advance to the high school principal for approval.  The intent is to provide a motivational experience that will highlight the benefits of “taking control” of your life with the use of financial knowledge and skills.  It is important to provide this kind of public occasion in order to launch the local BSM Chapter in an appropriate manner.