Personal Finance in SFUSD

Welcome to SFUSD Personal Finance

Personal Finance is important to high school students as it equips them with essential life skills. It empowers them to make informed financial decisions, avoid debt traps, and build a foundation for a secure financial future. This knowledge is immediately relevant as they enter adulthood, start earning income, and face financial responsibilities. It reduces financial stress and fosters economic stability while promoting social equity by providing all students, regardless of their background, with the tools to achieve financial independence and success. Ultimately, personal finance education prepares students to navigate the complexities of the modern financial world and make sound financial choices throughout their lives.

Washington High School

Educating and working with our students to understand personal finance is an important task because it allows us, as teachers, to support our students in learning materials and skills that are applicable now, tomorrow, and forever, ultimately giving students unlimited access to the world. Washington students are very active in the community whether by means of volunteering or working. By introducing financial literacy in high school, we are giving our students the chance to make choices in their current lives and economic situations that could positively impact their future.

-Ms. Selekman
Lincoln High School

The list of financial responsibilities seems endless: rent, utilities, groceries, using a debit/credit card, taxes, etc. These daily financial obligations often come as a surprise to our graduates because they haven't yet had to independently navigate their own real world finances. They only learn through what turns out to be a "trial and error" experience. If our public high schools can offer an education in personal finance, even if it is just information on "the basics," then we as educators have provided our graduates with a much needed practical service and knowledge.

-Mr. Sullivan
Balboa High School

Many studies have shown that learning healthy financial practices early on, leads to more financially stable adults in the future. Over the years, personal finance has been the topic where students are most engaged, as they understand the direct need for PF knowledge and skills as they grow. Throughout the lesson planning process, I even get to refresh my knowledge on personal finance, and learn new tips and strategies!

-Ms. Zargham
Downtown High School

"Students at Downtown High School benefitted from personal finance because it made math applicable to their lives and engaged them in math in a new way. Not only that, it got students thinking about savings plans, opening bank and long-term investment accounts, and careers like finance they are now interested in pursuing. Making the decision to transition from traditional algebra to financial algebra to was one of the best decisions we have made for our students in a long time."

-Mr. Coverdell