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News & Announcements
Working in Support of Education (W!se) Announces the W!se Blue Star Schools for the 2018-2019 School Year
Congratulations to the 247 schools nationwide who were announced in October 2019 as earning the designation of W!se Blue Star Schools for the 2018-2019 school year. To be designated a Blue Star School, a school must have achieved an 80% or above passing rate on the W!se Financial Literacy Test and have EITHER a majority of students on a given grade level take the test OR achieve a minimum average score of 85%. Of the 247 schools listed-This is a PDF document.
, 155 or 63% of them were Virginia schools. These schools will be honored at W!se’s annual MoneyPOWER Conference for Financial Educators in New York City and presented with Blue Star banners. Congratulations to this year’s Blue Star Schools for an outstanding achievement and sincere thanks for the tremendous hard work in helping to improve the financial literacy of our nation’s young people.
Virginia Economics and Personal Finance Students Again Lead the Nation in Success On the Working in Support of Education (W!SE) Financial Literacy Credential
At a recent ceremony held in New York City, the Best 100 W!SE high schools teaching financial literacy were announced. First published in 2013, the 100 Best W!se High Schools national ranking recognizes the top 100 performing high schools in W!se’s national network, showcases excellence in financial education and motivates schools to “race to the top” in personal finance instruction. Among the top 100 schools nationwide, 46 of those award-winning schools were Virginia high schools. A complete listing of the 100 Best W!se High Schools is available.
Richmond Community High School Profiled in W!se’s 2019 Financial Literacy Video
W!se showcased its latest 
financial literacy video at the MoneyPOWER Conference in New York City on April 15, 2019. Richmond Community High School, ranked third in W!se’s 2019 ranking of the 100 Best High Schools Teaching Personal Finance, is prominently featured. Twelve schools from Virginia placed among the top thirty schools in the ranking and forty-six placed among the ranking of 100 schools overall. A complete listing of the 100 Best W!se High Schools is available.
W!SE Financial Literacy Certification
As outlined in the W!SE Financial Literacy Certification Test Proctoring Guidelines, students may have three attempts per semester to pass the W!SE test. Also, students with disabilities must receive the testing accommodations specified in their IEP or Section 504 Accommodation Plans, following the specific instructions given in the Proctoring Guidelines document. For more information, see Superintendent’s Memo 274-16.
Instruction in economics and personal finance prepares students to function effectively as consumers, savers, investors, entrepreneurs, and active citizens. Students learn how economies and markets operate and how the United States’ economy is interconnected with the global economy. On a personal level, students learn that their own human capital (knowledge and skills) is their most valuable resource.
Beginning with students entering ninth grade in fall 2011, one standard unit of credit in Economics and Personal Finance is required for graduation with a Standard or Advanced Studies Diploma. Students may earn this credit by successfully completing the course at any time during their high school career. Students with disabilities seeking a Modified Standard Diploma may use the course to satisfy one of the three required mathematics credits.
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