Welcome to

Be $mart Missouri

A Program of the Missouri Council on Economic Education

The basic concept of Be $mart Missouri is to create local Be $mart Missouri (BSM) Chapters in communities and neighborhoods across the state consisting of at least 6-8 persons who will commit to conducting 2-3 “activities” each year to promote Personal Financial Education for their local schools. The emphasis will be initially on the new high school Personal Finance Course and working to provide support to the high schools, teachers, and students that will be conducting this important program.  We want them to feel the solid community support that is evident in the wide-ranging satisfaction so many people have expressed when learning of this new requirement.  At the same time, Be $mart Missouri seeks to encourage Personal Finance instruction from kindergarten through eighth grade to allow the new high school course to become truly a “capstone” experience and not simply a remedial course.

What is Be $mart Missouri?

• Community Based Network to support Personal Financial Education

• Each high school is a  local chapter of the statewide program

• Community Based Educational Organizations formed to plan special school events

• Program to support teachers, students and administrators at Be $mart Missouri schools throughout the state

Why should my school participate?

• 53.8% of Missouri high school seniors failed a national personal finance survey in 2004.

• The new Personal Finance course required for graduation would be enhanced by the community support.

• All citizens need improved decision making skills to make wise financial choices. 

• Be $mart Missouri encourages economic and personal finance education for K-12 and for life-long learning.

Where should I begin?

• Contact the Missouri Council on Economic Education, Stan Mengel or Mark Gravenstein

•  Seek support of the administration and teachers

•  Identify a local program coordinator

• Organize a Community Based Education Organization to advise and promote several events for the high school audience and interested  citizens 

When should we start?

        As soon as you can!

• Once the high school approval is determined, begin to recruit the CBEO members.

• Organize the meeting of CBEO to identify local goals for Be $mart Missouri.

• Share goals with other teachers and administrators.

• Schedule and promote first event at school.