Financial Literacy to Become Primary Core Subject in New Jersey 5 Days a Week BlackFem Implements Full-time Wealth Literacy Program for Elementary Students

EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, August 14, 2019 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The East Orange School District has become the first school district in the state of New Jersey to adopt a policy that will mandate wealth literacy to be taught at the Pre-K and elementary school level. East Orange is going above and beyond the state mandate of teaching “financial literacy education” at the middle school level. The district is seeking to create a holistic approach tackling wealth inequality particularly for students of color. This policy adoption will transform school-based learning by offering an integrated, culturally-responsive financial and wealth literacy curriculum to close the wealth gap. The WealthRise™ program, created by BlackFem, a nonprofit organization that creates and implements wealth literacy curricula throughout school districts in the United States, will be taught five days a week as a core subject and will be implemented into the school district beginning September 2019.

“New Jersey is honored to have Chloe McKenzie’s WealthRise™ to the East Orange School District,” said Lt. Governor Sheila Y. Oliver. “This model program illuminates our diversity and inclusion strategies and prepares our students and New Jersey for a bright future.”

“The WealthRise™ program represents New Jersey and the East Orange School District’s commitment to innovative initiatives that blend cutting-edge practical life skills with greater theoretical applications for our students preparing them for tomorrow,” added New Jersey Commissioner of Education Lamont Repollet.

“I am honored to be invited by the state of New Jersey to introduce The WealthRise™ program to the East Orange School District,” said Chloe McKenzie, creator of WealthRise™ and founder of BlackFem. If we do not elevate the net worth of girls of color and their communities, then the wealth gap’s crippling effects on this demographic will be irreversible.”

The BlackFem WealthRise™ program consists of five components:
Intervention Design and Policy Adoption - The foundation begins with a leadership engagement plan customized in collaboration with District leaders. Curriculum and learning objectives are customized to meet District standards.
Teacher Academy - Provides a centralized intensive training academy that BlackFem facilitates over the summer. This will prepare teachers with the appropriate financial literacy training to lead classroom exercises 5 days a week.
Classroom Integration - Academic program leads are trained in management, oversight, and BlackFem pedagogy. Teachers will integrate and customize curriculum in the classroom using “Response to Intervention” methods and modularized BlackFem curriculum with links to real-world, social justice and cultural issues.
Behavioral Reinforcement - BlackFem sets up and trains schools to administer and sustain behavioral reinforcement interventions, e.g. Kids Credit Bureau™, parent workshops, and student bank accounts. This will mobilize a broader community understanding of the fundamental importance of financial literacy reaching all stakeholders including students, teachers, parents and families. Providing students credit scores that are linked to homework completion, attendance and tardiness.

Feedback and Measure of Impact - An oversight committee is created with each district to monitor feedback, and adjust as necessary. Key adjustments may include development of additional modules, behavioral reinforcement adjustments, supplementary training workshops, or supplementary leadership training.

BlackFem’s WealthRise™ curriculum proves when we give girls of color access to wealth education, we can solve for pressing societal disparities that impact everyone regardless of gender, race, and affluence. BlackFem’s WealthRise(™) program has been notably implemented in New York City and Rochester. Other cities planning to adopt the BlackFem WealthRise™ program include Chicago, St. Louis and San Francisco.

About BlackFem
BlackFem, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a mission to transform school-based learning so that girls of color in underserved communities are empowered with skills, habits, and resources to build and sustain wealth.

About East Orange School District
East Orange School District is an urban school district with more than 10,000 students in 22 schools. The District embraces the challenge of providing a quality education to its children. Its schools and community are committed to developing programs that meet the diverse academic and social needs of its student body.

Chloe McKenzie is available for interviews. Please contact HGPinkPR // Janell Barrett-Jones at 818-585-6356 or Niki Dec at 917-597-0464

Find more information on BlackFem, Inc
Find more information on East Orange School District

Janell Barrett-Jones
HGPinkPR
+1 818-585-6356
email us here

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.