Students to Get College Credit When Taking Personal Finance Course

Submitted by Valley View School District 365U

Beginning this semester, every Valley View School District 365U student who successfully completes VVSD’s Personal Finance course will receive college credit

A state-mandated requirement, the junior/senior level course is designed to help students learn about the type of real-life situations they will face when they graduate from high school.

“It’s incredible that students are going to get three hours of college credit for taking this class,” said Tammi Conn, VVSD’s Director of Career and Technical Education. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for them because a student who already has college credit is more likely to go on to college.”

The college credit, Conn added, will be transferable to most colleges and universities in the United States.

VVSD’s Personal Finance course has been in place at both high schools for several years utilizing on-line simulations that allow students to determine (and adjust) their future life path including education, jobs, salaries, housing, car purchases, investing, etc.

But now, with the assistance of the Joliet Junior College Business Department, VVSD is working to fine tune the Personal Finance curriculum with even more on-line work.

“We have to teach students how to take care of their finances wisely and choose their education wisely,” Conn said. “It’s a way to provide them with the constant reminder that they need to keep improving and moving toward a combination of college and experience.

“We need to teach our kids how to take a course on-line,” she said, adding that 80% of those who continue their education after high school take a course on-line.

“We are working toward a blended learning environment. In the future we hope to offer more through on-line classrooms.”