LYNN – The school district will expand its financial education courses at Lynn English, Lynn Classical, and Lynn Tech, aiming to enhance education that teaches students about financial planning and decision-making.
The history and social studies departments at Lynn Public Schools will offer a Personal Finance course in the fall, and the math department will continue to provide the Financial Algebra course.
Kristen Tabacco, Associate Director of Curriculum at LPS, stated that the expansion of the education was motivated by increasing student interest in learning about budgeting and wise economic decision-making. She noted significant student support for financial education courses in responses to a survey distributed to high school students in Lynn.
Tabacco emphasized the city’s goal to teach teenagers the basics of responsible money management. She highlighted that many students are working and making their initial financial decisions, such as whether or not to attend college.
“Increasing access to financial education as part of a regular curriculum will undoubtedly be a game-changer,” Tabacco said. “Depending on the knowledge you acquire when you’re young, you either set yourself up for a lifetime of debt or for significant financial success.”
According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, over 35% of Lynn’s population is foreign-born. Tabacco mentioned that expanding the district’s financial literacy program would be particularly beneficial for first- and second-generation immigrants in Lynn.
“It’s really important that we teach them how the American banking system works, how credit works, and how interest rates work,” Tabacco said. “For the large number of immigrants new to our country, it may be a different financial system than in their home country… often, they have to learn that on their own. We want to provide them with knowledge about the benefits of borrowing money, enlisting in the military, going to college, or even empowering them to choose whether to start a business, which is often a very lucrative career path.”
In addition to expanding its financial education curriculum, LPS recently received $6,900 in Financial Education Innovation Fund Grant funds from the state treasurer’s Office of Economic Empowerment.
The funds will be used to hold a Credit for Life Fair in the fall. At the fair, students will participate in a mock “game of life,” choosing their careers before navigating the expenses, debts, and salaries associated with adulthood.
“Many of the faculty and staff at Lynn Public Schools have long aimed to increase access to personal finance education for students, and we are fortunate to have leadership that supports this kind of expansion of program services that can significantly enhance students’ financial success in the future,” Tabacco said. “The Credit for Life Fairs promise to be a popular and impactful experience for our students.”